West Country Travel Guide

Historic Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, and Somerset

Explore

Find historic places to visit and stay in south west England. Explore mysterious Glastonbury with its legends of King Arthur and the Holy Grail, or walk the cobbled causeway to magical St Michael's Mount. Visit elegant Bath, with its Georgian architecture and Roman baths, and explore Wells, the smallest city in England, with its glorious cathedral and medieval Bishop's Palace. From the ancient hill figure at Cerne Abbas to the Iron Age hill fort of Maiden Castle, history is never far away.

Major West Country Historic Attractions

Top Heritage-Rated

Glastonbury Abbey Heritage Rating
The Roman Baths
Wells Cathedral
Powderham Castle
Bath

More Major Historic places to visit

Castles
Corfe Castle
Farleigh Hungerford
Pendennis Castle
Restormel Castle
Tintagel Castle
Totnes

Abbeys and Monasteries
Cleeve Abbey
Glastonbury Abbey

Cathedrals
Exeter
Wells

Countryside:
Dartmoor
- Dartmoor Photo Gallery
Exmoor

Historic Houses
Antony House
Athelhampton House
Castle Drogo
Cotehele House
Forde Abbey
Knightshayes Court
Lanhydrock
Montacute House
Pencarrow House
Powderham Castle
Prideaux Place
St. Michael's Mount
Saltram House
Trewithen House

Gardens
Abbotsbury Sub-Tropical Gardens
Coleton Fishacre
Killerton Gardens
Marwood Hill
Rosemoor Garden
Trebah Gardens
Forde Abbey

Ancient Sites
Carn Brea
Maiden Castle
Cerne Abbas Giant

Travel Resources

Tourist Information Centres
Cornwall
Devon
Dorset
Somerset

Travel Directories
Cornwall
Devon
Dorset
Somerset

Featured Attraction

Bath - Bath, Somerset, England

The historic city of Bath is one of the great tourist magnets of Britain, and rightfully so. It is less crowded than London, and its attractions are concentrated into an area easily walked in a day of sightseeing. ... more

Featured Historic Hotel

Moorlands
Moorlands Country House, designated non-smoking, is situated below Haytor Rocks, one of the best known landmarks of the Dartmoor National Park. Its setting, on the wild open spaces of Dartmoor, was the inspiration for Agatha Christie's first book, The Mysterious Affair at Styles. The 32 en-suite bedrooms look out over …

Accommodation Rating: 4*
Heritage Rating:
Stay From: £49.00

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Cornwall
Devon
Dorset
Somerset

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Cornwall - Devon - Dorset - Somerset

Editor's picks - Top 5 reasons to visit South East England

1. The west front of Wells Cathedral
2. The haunting tors of Dartmoor
3. The water-bound causeway to St Michael's Mount
4. Cycling on the Somerset Levels
5. The gardens at Forde Abbey

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Featured Historic Hotel

Legacy Rose and Crown Hotel
Salisbury, Wiltshire

Heritage Rating:

The recently awarded 4* Legacy Rose & Crown Hotel is an idyllic location, with stunning views across the River Avon to the magnificent Salisbury Cathedral beyond. This 13th century inn provides the perfect riverside location whether your stay is for either business and leisure more >>

More hotels in Wiltshire >>

HISTORY CORNER

Name the Historic attraction

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British History Quiz

The first Hanoverian monarch of England, he spoke no English and relinquished political control to a Prime Minister, Robert Walpole

Clue

This Day in British History

22 September, 1761

George III crowned with Queen Charlotte

The couple had only married 2 weeks previously at St James's Palace

Monarch Mayhem

One of this king's numerous mistresses was Nell Gwynn, a flower seller at Covent Garden

Clue

National Trust

National Trust membership

Free entry to National Trust properties throughout England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, plus discounted admission to National Trust for Scotand properties.

Membership details

About the National Trust

Bude (Self catering)

Hawkers Court 22

MODERN EXCLUSIVE MAISONETTE A SHORT WALK FROM CROOKLETS SURFING BEACH Hawkers Court named after the Vicar of Morwenstowe is a private development of fifteen luxury townhouses and ten apartments …
Sleeps 4

More cottages in Cornwall >>

Liskeard (Self catering)

Congdon's Smithy

RECENTLY RENOVATED FORMER SMITHY IDEAL FOR TOURING THE COUNTY Situated in the pleasant hamlet of Congdon's Shop on a crossroads this converted former smithy has been furnished and equipped to …
Sleeps 4

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Historic Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, and Somerset

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Attractions

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Accommodation

Name the Historic attraction

British History Quiz

This Day in British History

Monarch Mayhem