Now in the care of English Heritage, Netley is the most complete surviving Cistercian abbey in…read moresouthern England. Founded in 1238 by Peter de Roches, Bishop of Winchester, it was colonised by monks from nearby Beaulieu Abbey. Almost all the walls of its 13th century church still stand, together with many monastic buildings. The buildings were converted into an impressive country residence by Sir William Paulet, First Marquess of Winchester, who acquired the abbey in 1536 after the Dissolution. Abandoned as a house in the 18th Century, most traces of Paulet's alterations were removed in the 19th century, when Netley's ivy-clad ruins became a favourite of the Romantic movement. Netley was visited by John Constable, who came to paint here, and also by Jane Austen, who may have found inspiration for her novel Northanger Abbey. Access is free although opening times are restricted, especially in winter months. It's a lovely spot for a picnic and feels a long way from the surrounding urban area. There's a small car park - more parking and toilets are available over the road in the Abbey Hall Recreation Ground.

Great went up the tower with my wife for cream tea event very nice for the lady's but not really a…read moreman thing

The Spinnaker Tower is on the waterfront of Portsmouth and is essentially just an observation tower…read morewith an observation deck providing great views of the area, including the historic dockyard and ships. There is also a glass floor ("Sky Walk") in part of the floor of the lower observation deck, allowing one to see straight down. It's worth a visit, at least for those who like this sort of thing. There's a restaurant at the bottom and also a tea room on one of the observation decks in the tower, but we did not visit those. We just went to the lower observations deck and the smaller sky deck, which is open to the elements but has more limited views.

Incredible location, very fun to get to via ferry but you take the 45 minute walk…read more Used by Henry VIII, the Ministry of Defence and now taken over by English Heritage, Hurst Castle offers a varied history. The castle does a good job of showing all the changes that have happened throughout its history. From seeing several different castles open up to the public, Hurst Castle stood out. Would completely recommend the audio tour. Absolute bargain at £2 each with a offer of two audio tours for £3. All the staff were very friendly and know the Hurst ferry staff.

A brilliant day out! The amazing adventure starts by parking…read moreyour car at Keyhaven. You then discover this massive pebbles barrier protecting the marshes from the waves. From very afar you can see the round shape of Hurst Castle: it looks small from there, but don't judge it yet. Walk all the way to the castle by using the barrier and then you'll see that there is more than meets the eye. Entry is about 3 pounds for an adult, which is a true bargain for a National Trust site. There is plenty to see and do and the views are fantastice. There is also plenty of exhibitions about the Bournemouth coastline and life in the castle and its strategic position. All in all, a cheap and great day out for the whole family.

The staff were very nice to us after we experienced some issues with the tickets the house was…read moregorgeous very historical and full of so much history. We had a lovely day. The grounds are beautiful and you to go and visit queen Victoria's private beach so much to do.

The house itself and the grounds were fabulous! Be sure to stop at the beach and put your toes in…read morethe water! But DO NOT eat at the terrace restaurant. The food was horrible. Unless you like stewed tomatoes, which they called curry, and a bowl of canned chickpeas in the salad! We did enjoy the tea and the view of the terrace gardens.

Portsmouth Historic Dockyard is a must visit for history nerds and boat lovers...not so much for…read moreeveryone else. You'll get to see amazing historic ships, going back over 500 years of of Royal Navy history. HMS Victory: The Royal Navy's flagship that led the important Battle of Trafalgar, which the French Navy was put to shame during Napoleon's destructive wars. Arguably the most famous warship in British history. It's barely holding together as much maintenance and restoration ongoing work continues, but you still can decks and learn about life onboard during the Georgian era. The Mary Rose: King Henry VIII's flagship, which sank in 1545 and was famously salvaged in 1982. The museum showcases the preserved half hull and thousands of artifacts recovered from the wreck, offering a unique glimpse into 16th-century sailor life. Be sure to watch the 4D video! HMS Warrior: was the world's first iron-hulled, armored warship, built in 1860. Its still incredibly well preserved and structurally sound...as it never saw a single battle! Still very cool seeing how modern it felt compared to the older ships. £46/$62 3 Attraction Ticket: as fun this all was, it is really expensive for what you get, so minus one for that.

Saw Spanish galleon not original but has been made as a replica but still good not quite the victoryread more

Other than the castle, the village itself has a very inviting feel about it. You enter the castle…read morefrom the little square where there are a few shops and a monument in the middle. The square is very small! I don't know; I just found the place really calm and peaceful - most likely not this way during the tourist season but on a cold wet November late afternoon the atmosphere was at its best. The village isn't very big, so worth a little wander around and perhaps a stop in a pub and some of the shops.

Such a beautiful village - it hasn't changed much since I used to visit it over 40 years ago. The…read moreCastle is always worth a visit - you get in free if you're a National Trust member, and the parking at the visitor centre at the entrance to the village is also free to members. Try getting there early-morning before the crowds. Interesting little shops and the National Trust Tea Rooms does the best cream tea ever - sit in their garden overlooking the Castle. There's also a model village. The steam train runs from the Park & Ride at Norden (just before Corfe Castle village), stops at the village before chugging through the Purbecks onto Swanage. A good day's fun!

Built to defend an important port on the River Adur, Bramber Castle was constructed as a motte and…read morebailey castle around 1073 by William De Braose, who fought alongside William the Conqueror at the battle of Hastings in 1066. Apart from a period of confiscation during the reign of King John, it remained in the ownership of the De Braose family until themale line died out in 1324. Thereafter, it passed via the Mowbray and Howard families into the estate of the Dukes of Norfolk, who held it until it until 1926. It was given to the National Trust in 1946. Very little survives of the original castle, thanks to a gradual decline over the years, damage during the Civil War in 1642 and looting of the stones as a quarry for building by the locals. The most prominent feature is the tall and unsteady-looking fragment of the Gatehouse tower, still standing to almost its full original height. In the centre of the grounds is the impressive original motte, its earthen mound rising some 30ft (10m). A short distance away is a section of the curtain wall which survives up to 10ft (3m) in places. Around the perimeter are also the remains of the castle's impressive moat. (NB be careful with small children, as there are some sheer drops in places). Although the ruins are rather fragmentary, the grounds are beautifully kept by the National Trust, and make a wonderful place for a picnic, as well as affording excellent views of the surrounding countryside.

This place is a bit of a let down. There seems to be no effort to make it obvious where/what parts…read moreof the ruins were. They have a lame sign at the entrance but little else. It just seems like an enclosed play field.

The Medieval Merchants House is an English Heritage site in the historic part of Southampton. It is…read morea small building ( http://www.yelp.co.uk/biz_photos/Q6XqH1E05lB2nIlwJStggw?select=HacP6tvKNjQY2oWBVKmJ9Q ), with a dirt floor on the ground level, and some upstairs rooms and a cellar. Considering the overall size of the property, the entrance fee seems a bit steep. The audio guide is fairly lengthy, describing the typical life of the inhabitants: a wealthy Southampton wine merchant and his family, and guests. Actually, the audio guide is really lengthy, which is good for the history fans, but not great when you've got small kids in your group. The site staff did open up the large wine cellar for us, under the building, and let us inside it. Overall, while the history is great (you can get a good sense of what Southampton was like as a port in the Middle Ages), the site is pretty small - like 5 rooms total, plus the cellar. For history fans, it's cool, but for random entertainment, its value per admission isn't great. OPENING TIMES: we must have lucky in our trip, since according to the English Heritage website, the Medieval Merchant's House is only open on Sundays (noon to five pm). Accessibility note: since it is an old building with a dirt floor, strollers aren't admitted, but can be left with the museum staff in the entry room/gift shop. Steep stairs for the upstairs and for the wine cellar.

The donkeys were lovely and the museum had seating for when you get tired which was very helpful.read more

Even though my Aunt and I came here during the height of half-term, we were pleasantly surprised…read morethat we were able to have the run of Carisbrooke Castle (including the gardens and donkey wheel) without being impeded by crowds of kids run amok. It was easy to purchase tickets, although the guide at the front door was a bit overeager when it came to trying to sell us on the all-access pass to various English sites. Perhaps I had tourist stamped across my forehead, but more than likely he runs through the same spiel with everyone. The views of the surrounding countryside are excellent and it is hard to believe, until one actually sees it, how elevated one is until one is looking down. It never ceases to amaze me how much the English know about their own history and how lacking (for the most part, it is always dangerous to generalize) we Americans are about our own history, much less that of other countries. With that being said, the guides and instructional materials were excellent in providing an overview that anyone could appreciate, regardless of how much one knew going in about the time period in question. I even ended up picking up a souvenir guidebook to further my education.