To provide you with the best experience, cookies are used on this site. Find out more here.

Step back in time along the way
Clifton Suspension Bridge, Bristol
Be a part of history on your adventure
Avebury UNESCO World Heritage Site

Map

My Planner

To build your own Itinerary, click to add an item to your Itinerary basket.

Already saved an Itinerary?

You are here: Home > See & Do > History & Heritage

History & Heritage

** Please note that many attractions along the Great West Way are in the process of reopening their doors in light of the current government advice in relation to COVID-19. Whilst we are endeavouring to keep all information on the website up to date, we would advise you to check directly with the relevant venue for the most up to date information. **

Along the Great West Way you can trace the history of the nation, from neolithic times to the present day. You can walk the ancient Ridgeway National Trail, take a road trip on one of King Charles I’s Great Roads, built to facilitate the postal service, or ride The Great Western Railway - a marvel of Victorian ingenuity. And there’s plenty of attractions to visit along the way…

You could start at the beginning (relatively speaking), and visit Stonehenge & Avebury World Heritage Site. These striking formations of standing stones continue to puzzle visitors and archaeologists alike. Were they places of healing? Druid temples? Burial sites? Meeting places? We will probably never know exactly what our ancestors were up to, but these special places continue to exert a powerful pull on our imaginations.

Don’t forget there’s many other mysterious sites in the region too, such as Silbury Hill, an enormous prehistoric mound, and Old Sarum, an impressive iron age hill fort and the site of Salisbury’s first cathedral. Top tip: If you’re looking for a hotel within easy reach of all these sites, Holiday Inn Salisbury-Stonehenge offers convenient Stonehenge accommodation.

Elsewhere on the touring route, you can explore the inventions of celebrated engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel by visiting the SS Great Britain and Clifton Suspension Bridge. You can learn Tudor table manners at Hampton Court Palace or see where mordern royalty reside at Windsor Castle, Queen Elizabeth II's favourite weekend home. Set sail on a replica of The Matthew - the ship John Cabot first sailed to Newfoundland, discovering North America. And even come face-to-face with a Roman bather at the Roman Baths!

Then there’s the beautifully preserved historic towns, cities and villages, including Marlborough, Henley on Thames, Lacock, Castle Combe, Calne and Bath. Strolling through these living landscapes, whether on a walking tour or self-guided adventure, gives a sense of what real life was like for generations long gone.

And make sure you visit some of the many magnificent historic houses and gardens along the way too. From Hampton Court Palace with its Henry the VIII connections to Dyrham Park and its romantic 17th-century deer park.

Search for Something

Accommodation
Things to Do
What's On
Food & Drink

Accommodation Search

Things to Do Search

What's On Search

Food & Drink Search

Accommodation Search

Things to Do Search

What's On Search

Food & Drink Search

History and Heritage along the way

Dyrham Park - National Trust

Elegant 17th century mansion and deer park set in acres of rolling countryside.
1. 1 Jan 000131 Dec 9999
2. 1 Jan 201231 Dec 2012
3. 1 Jan 201331 Dec 2013
4. 1 Jan 201431 Dec 2014
5. 1 Jan 201531 Dec 2015
6. 1 Jan 201631 Dec 2016
7. 1 Jan 201731 Dec 2017
8. 1 Jan 201831 Dec 2018
9. 1 Jan 1753
10. 1 Jan 201931 Dec 2019
11. 1 Jan 202031 Dec 2020
Malmesbury
Bath & Bristol

At the western end of the Great West Way you’ll find Bristol and Bath. A blessing for the urban adventurer since these 2 cities are so close together geographically - just 15 minutes by train - yet miles apart in character.
Bradford on Avon
Stonehenge

Stonehenge stands impressively as a prehistoric monument of unique importance, a World Heritage Site, surrounded by remains of ceremonial and domestic structures - some older than the monument itself.
1. 1 Jan 000131 Dec 9999
2. 1 Jan 000131 Dec 9999
3. 16 Oct 201524 Mar 2016
4. 25 Mar 201631 May 2016
5. 1 Jun 201631 Aug 2016
6. 1 Sep 201615 Oct 2016
7. 16 Oct 201615 Mar 2017
8. 25 Mar 201731 May 2017
9. 1 Jun 201731 Aug 2017
10. 16 Oct 201729 Mar 2018
11. 30 Mar 201831 May 2019
12. 1 Sep 201715 Oct 2017
13. 1 Jun 201831 Aug 2018
14. 1 Sep 201815 Oct 2018
15. 1 Jan 1753
16. 1 Jan 1753
Roman Baths

Epicentre (and raison d'etre!) of the Heritage City.
1. 1 Jan 000131 Dec 9999
2. 1 Jul 201531 Aug 2015
3. 1 Sep 201531 Oct 2015
4. 1 Nov 201531 Dec 2015
5. 1 Jan 201628 Feb 2016
6. 1 Mar 201630 Jun 2016
7. 1 Jul 201631 Aug 2016
8. 1 Sep 201631 Oct 2016
9. 1 Nov 201631 Dec 2016
10. 1 Jan 201728 Feb 2017
11. 1 Mar 201716 Jun 2017
12. 17 Jun 201731 Aug 2017
13. 1 Sep 201731 Oct 2017
14. 1 Nov 201731 Dec 2017
15. 1 Jan 201828 Feb 2018
16. 1 Mar 201815 Jun 2018
17. 16 Jun 201831 Aug 2018
18. 1 Sep 201831 Oct 2018
19. 1 Nov 201831 Dec 2018
20. 1 Nov 201831 Dec 2018
21. 1 Jan 201928 Feb 2019
22. 1 Jan 1753
23. 1 Mar 201920 Jun 2019
24. 21 Jun 201931 Aug 2019
25. 1 Sep 201931 Oct 2019
26. 1 Nov 201931 Dec 2019
27. 1 Jan 202028 Feb 2020
28. 1 Mar 202020 Jun 2020
29. 21 Jun 202031 Aug 2020
30. 1 Sep 202031 Oct 2020
31. 1 Nov 202031 Dec 2020
32. 1 Jan 202128 Feb 2021
33. 1 Mar 202120 Jun 2021
Windsor Castle

Windsor Castle is the oldest and largest inhabited castle in the world, the family home of 39 British kings and queens for almost 1,000 years, and is today one of the official residences of Her Majesty The Queen. Open to visitors throughout the year, today The Queen spends most of her private weekends at the Castle.
1. 1 Jan 201631 Dec 2016
2. 1 Mar 201731 Oct 2017
3. 1 Nov 201628 Feb 2017
4. 1 Jan 000131 Dec 9999
5. 1 Jan 1753
6. 1 Jan 1753
Calne

Looking to visit the amazing town of Calne?...If so, click here to get the latest Calne tourist information direct from the official Wiltshire tourism site!
Bowood House and Gardens

Outstanding 18th century mansion house estate.
1. 1 Jan 000131 Dec 9999
2. 27 Mar 20151 Nov 2015
3. 25 Mar 201631 Oct 2016
4. 1 Apr 20171 Nov 2017
5. 28 Mar 20184 Nov 2018
6. 1 Jan 1753
7. 30 Mar 20193 Nov 2019
8. 1 Apr 20201 Nov 2020
The Cotswolds

The Cotswolds offers the sort of chocolate box views that many imagine when they think of England. Its honey-coloured limestone villages and rolling farmland, dotted with curly-haired Cotswold sheep, make up the largest Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in the country.
Reading

Be amazed by modern Reading – from remarkable medieval heritage and beautiful Thames countryside to award-winning shopping centres, there’s a surprise around every corner.
Lacock Abbey, Village and Fox Talbot Museum

Looking to visit the amazing town of Lacock?...If so, click here to get the latest Lacock tourist information direct from the official Wiltshire tourism site!
1. 1 Jan 000131 Dec 9999
2. 1 Jan 201331 Dec 2013
3. 1 Jan 201431 Dec 2014
4. 1 Jan 201531 Dec 2015
5. 1 Jan 201631 Dec 2016
6. 2 Jan 201731 Dec 2017
7. 2 Jan 201831 Dec 2018
8. 1 Jan 1753
9. 2 Jan 201931 Dec 2019
10. 2 Jan 202031 Dec 2020
National Trust

Discover the National Trust Properties along the Great West Way.
Stonehenge and Avebury World Heritage Site

Stonehenge and Avebury are listed together as a single UNESCO World Heritage Site. The site is famous for its instantly recognisable stone circles but there is far more to explore in these two remarkable landscapes.
1. 1 Jan 201531 Dec 2015
2. 1 Jan 201631 Dec 2016
3. 1 Jan 201731 Dec 2017
4. 1 Jan 201831 Dec 2018
5. 1 Jan 201931 Dec 2019
6. 1 Jan 202031 Dec 2020
7. 1 Jan 000131 Dec 9999
8. 1 Jan 1753
Longleat

Longleat Safari Park, nestled within 900 acres of ‘Capability’ Brown landscaped grounds, is home to the UK’s original Safari Park, one of the best examples of Elizabethan architecture, and an abundance of exciting attractions including Jungle Kingdom and Animal Adventure where you can get up-close and personal with truly amazing animals.
1. 1 Jan 000131 Dec 9999
2. 1 Jan 1753
3. 1 Jan 1753
4. 16 Feb 20195 Jan 2020
5. 10 Feb 20186 Jan 2019
6. 16 Feb 20205 Jan 2021