English Heritage sites

Sorry I haven't been back - busy day - but thanks for all your recommendations. I will check them all out in the guidebook and start planning a holiday or three! Thanks Mollie for reminding me about Castle Acre - that's another one we could do in a day trip from here.

Paw and I liked Wrest Park and we have been to Kenilworth.
I tend to think of our/my membership as more of a charitable donation these days

Castle Acre near Kings Lynn is good value - it’s both castle ruins at one end of the village and Priory ruins at the other so you get two sites for your ticket. (Actually, the castle ruins are free). It’s a good way of seeing the history of both in context. And there’s a nice tearooms and a pub between the two for that all important refreshment break!

You can also get free entry to CADW properties in Wales and the same applies to Scottish Heritage sites.

Deal Castle Dover Castle

Eltham Palace and gardens (SE London) especially if you like Art Deco

You missed Helmsley Castle out of that list, vampirequeen.
The cafe at the garden centre next door is brilliant.

I like Corbridge in Northumberland as well as the others listed.
In fact you really could just stay in the North East and Yorkshire - the historic Northumberland - for a few months.
One of the things I like about English Heritage is that they give discounts off other places, too, such as Alnwick Castle and Castle Howard.

Brodsworth Hall and Gardens near Doncaster.

Bolsover Castle.

Cliffords Tower in York...great views over York.

Middleham Castle N. Yorks.

Scarborough Castle N. Yorks.

Rievaulx Abbey N. Yorks.

Whitby Abbey N. Yorks (Dracula connection)

Ashby de la Zouche Castle, Leicestershire.....use the children's audio guide...it's done by the Horrible Histories team and is hysterically funny whilst also informative.

Fountains Abbey in Yorkshire can be accessed with both National Trust and English Heritage membership.

Soupy We used the Scottish national trust membership quite successfully last year.

We a had an amazing visit to Stonehenge last year.
If you are in the area (Wiltshire) don't forget The White Horse hill at Westbury also the Bratton Camp an iron age hill fort.

Cleve Abbey Somerset is also worth a visit.

Don't forget Stone Henge in Wiltshire. Unique and atmospheric.

You can use your EH membership to visit Stonehenge.
We also had a very enjoyable few days in Kent and used it to visit Dover Castle, which was well worth it.

We didn't renew it for a second year as we'd seen everything we wanted to but have now taken out a year's membership of the Scottish National Trust (even though we live in England) as it's about two thirds the price of the NT and there are reciprocal arrangements with visits in many countries. We also had no problem getting a second car parking permit for my car, unlike the NT which wouldn't give some friends one.

Witley Court near Stourport in Worcestershire.
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Witley_Court
Fascinating building with a really interesting history.

We haven't renewed ours either this year as there is nothing much near us, but it was worth it just for one holiday in the SE.

Bolsover Castle, you can see it from the M1 as you approach junction 29A where you come off. The views from the edge of the castle are spectacular.

It has the advantage that both Hardwick Hall (NT) and Chatsworth (HHA)

Wenlock priory (St Miburga's Priory) at Much Wenlock Shropshire.
Lovely little town and walks.

Boscobel House Staffordshire/Shropshire border (Oak tree where king Charles 11 hid from Cromwell's men)
Just down the road is White Ladies Priory.

Stokesay Castle beautiful fortified manor house Shropshire.

Kenilworth castle Warwickshire.

We gave up our EH membership because there were only odd bits of wall within easy reach of us (Surrey)
However I second the Isle of Wight as a worthwhile place for EH. Osborne House for a start. Enjoy!

Oh Belsay is great- another Northumberland gem!

Kent has quite a few EH sites.

Belsay Hall house and gardens in Northumberland. One of my favourite places.

Come to Northumberland, walk some of Hadrian's Wall, visit some coastal castles and do a coast walk, Warkworth and Tynemouth are both great. Finish off in Newcastle with a look at this historic city. (Oh damn just remembered we like to keep how lovely it is up here a secret!) One word of warning the weather is a bit unpredictable.

The isle of wight is where we joined. Its a nice place to visit with lots of EH places to see.