20 Attractions to Explore Near Stanwick Lakes

Chichele College is a rare surviving example of a chantry college. It was founded in 1422 by the locally born Henry Chichele, Archbishop of Canterbury. It’s a very special place; a Scheduled Monument which has considerable historical significance to the town and many who visit the site are enchanted by its spiritual atmosphere.

Rushden Transport Museum is housed in the beautifully restored Victorian Midland Railway Station which once formed part of the Wellingborough to Higham Ferrers branch line. It comprises a vast collection of transport-related artifacts from the Rushden area, giving visitors a nostalgic glimpse into its past. Rushden station has been preserved by the Rushden Historical Transport Society. The station building is fully intact and open with no admission fee.

This is a huge nature reserve made up of five connected wildlife sites. This extensive series of shallow and deep open waters are surrounded with a wide range of marginal features, such as sparsely vegetated islands, gravel bars and shorelines, and habitats including reed swamp, marsh and so more. It is also a birdwatcher's paradise and The reserve forms part of a Site of Special Scientific Interest, and is managed by The Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire.

Hall Park is a 34 acre site which includes a walled garden. The site has been in public use since 1931 and was previously in the ownership of several wealthy local families. It was one of the iconic attractions in this area and is a unique place to soemd some time in peace.

Twywell Gullet is a 17.1 hectare biological Site of Special Scientific Interest east of Kettering in Northamptonshire and a former ironstone quarry which has deep cuttings with steeply sloping banks. It is part of the 54.6 hectare Twywell Hills and Dales nature reserve, which is managed by a partnership of the Woodland Trust and the Rockingham Forest Trust.

This church is the masterpiece of Sir Ninian Comper built between 1908 and 1930. It is a free essay in the gothic style fearlessly mixed with classical appropriations. The design and interior of the church were influenced by the Oxford Movement and the Victorian revival of ritualism. It was one of the main attractions in this area and is visited by many tourists along.

This spectacular former quarry boasts Jurassic geology, and has a wonderful children's play area in addition to a network of long and short trails through 83 hectares of mixed woodland. The park is home to the Quarryman's Rest Cafe, Jungle Parc UK, and the Irchester Narrow Gauge Railway Museum.

The Wellingborough Museum built-in 1892 as an indoor swimming pool by David Dulley, a brewer in the town. Today, the museum welcomes visitors to explore a range of exhibits. This beautiful museum displays the collection of artefacts owned by the Winifred Wharton Trust, previously shown in The Heritage Centre at Croyland Hall in Wellingborough.

Irchester Narrow Gauge Railway Museum is a beautiful museum that is little the site associated with the initial ironstone railway, that is house to a collection of working steam and diesel locomotives. It includes 8 locomotives within the collection, 7 running on steam, the other a diesel engine, plus over 30 items of rolling stock. The museum is owned byThe Irchester Narrow Gauge Railway Trust.

Titchmarsh Nature Reserve is a 72.7 hectare Local Nature Reserve north of Thrapston in East Northamptonshire. The River Nene runs through this site, which also has large areas of open water and grassland. There are nationally important numbers of goosanders, wigeons and gadwalls in winter, and banded demoiselle damselflies nest on nettles along the river bank. It is owned and managed by the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire. It is part of the Upper Nene Valley

A Grade II English Heritage listed park and garden set within 147 acres of green open space. It offers a variety of activities available, for children of all ages. Besides roller coasters and thrills rides you’ll find traditional playground areas too. Almost a century later, the park is still a place for all to play, relax and enjoy the thrill of a ride, just as he had hoped. But it is facing a fight for survival.

This is a really nice place, full of nature if you fancy a round trip walk. It's about 2 miles and if you get a good pace on, it takes you about an hour.. This large, ex-gravel pit is made up of a main-lake with gently sloping banks, shallow areas of water and ponds, low lying islands, a large scrape, and a fringe of reeds surrounded by grassland and wet woodland.

Boughton House in Northamptonshire is one of Britain's great stately homes, offering a unique and memorable experience for all visitors. The House itself contains an outstanding collection of fine art and is seen by many as a flagship of Britain’s national heritage. Outside you can explore 150 acres of stunning gardens, landscapes, tree-lined avenues and serene waterways. When it’s time for a refreshing cup of tea, head over to the Stables Café and Gift Shop.

The Alfred East Art Gallery offers a range of temporary exhibitions, art workshops and talks among other events held throughout the year. The Gallery was originally built to house the Sir Alfred East painting collection which he gave to the Borough of Kettering in 1910. It now holds a significant collection of 19th and 20th century fine art by many notable British artists and the collection is a valuable resource for research and enjoyment alike

Fermyn Woods Country Park offers a diverse landscape of forest, marsh and meadows. The beautiful woodlands are the perfect place to stretch your legs and get closer to nature. There are well maintained surfaced paths and plenty of seating for visitors and also this place offers you a refreshing and beautiful nature-friendly living for some time.

A majestic Norman castle which was the final resting place of Catherine of Aragon, Henry VIII’s divorced and banished Spanish Queen, Kimbolton Castle sits amidst wooded grounds close to the small town of Kimbolton. All that remains of the Norman castle is a low mound, surrounded by a ditch and covered with trees, which can be seen by looking up the hill from the Duchess Walk. It was one of the main attractions in this area and is famous among the tourists.

The National Trust's Lyveden New Bield, Northamptonshire, is an incomplete Elizabethan lodge and moated garden. It is a wonderful survivor of the Elizabethan age and a rare example of late Tudor landscape design. There are tranquil moats, viewing terraces and an Elizabethan orchard to explore, as well as an enigmatic garden lodge covered in religious symbols. The exterior of the building is decorated by friezes of a religious nature. The metopes contain the emblems and motifs found also at the

The Sywell Aviation Museum is a voluntary, non-profit-making organisation which aims to preserve the history of Sywell Aerodrome and Northamptonshire’s rich aviation heritage from the early days of aviation to the Second World War and beyond. Inside the Museum can be found various displays on the history of aviation in Northamptonshire including aviation archaeology, aircraft cockpits, uniforms and models.

Sywell Country Park exists on the site of a former drinking water reservoir near the village of Sywell in East Northamptonshire. It offers an eclectic mix of things to see and explore. An Edwardian water pump house and tower still stand within the small reservoir. The site includes a small tea room. There is also a project which aims to use both oral and written records to interpret the route of the water supply throughout the site.