20 Attractions to Explore Near National Trust - Shaw's Corner

Welwyn Roman Baths is a 3rd-century bath complex that formed part of the Dicket Mead Roman villa. The baths lie directly underneath the A1(M) motorway, protected by a steel vault. The baths were a small part of the Dicket Mead villa, which was originally built in the 3rd century AD.

St Paul's Walden Bury is a notable landscape garden, laid out in the early 18th-century, covering about 50 acres. It is the childhood home of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. The surrounding estate, with its arable and livestock farm and its ancient woodland, is a traditional country estate set in the heart of the beautiful Hertfordshire countryside.

Knebworth House was the former Home of the Lytton family for over 500 years, Knebworth was transformed in 1843 from a red brick Tudor house into a veritable feast of Victorian Gothic turrets, gargoyles and gryphons, by writer-statesman Edward Bulwer-Lytton. Other notable family members include Lady Constance Lytton, Hertfordshire’s own Suffragette and the Edwardian architect Sir Edwin Lutyens, who married into the Lytton family.

Heartwood Forest is an extraordinary and special place that has transformed a vast area of former farmland in London’s greenbelt. It is home to over half a million new saplings, stunning ancient woodland, a native arboretum and a community orchard. Incredibly, it takes just 12 years to turn bare land into flourishing native woodland, complete with a diverse range of wildlife and towering trees.

A majestic and beautiful countryside park, with 2 lakes covering an area of 126 acres, on the outskirts of Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire. Home of Stanborough Park Activity Centre, on the South Lake you can experience Sailing, Kayaking, Canoeing and Stand Up Paddleboarding in one of our many activity sessions. The whole park is completely man-made from an old quarry site creating the lakes and the hills around them.

Rothamsted Park is a huge 56-acre public park adjacent to the world-famous Rothamsted Experimental Research Centre, which includes a sports centre, a paddling pool and an indoor swimming pool, the park is much loved for its wide-open spaces which provide opportunities for walking and relaxation. There is also a popular children’s play area and the District’s only purpose-built skateboard Park.

Someries Castle is one of the biggest and earliest surviving brick buildings of this type in England and is therefore of great significance. The house is unique in that it is regarded as one of the first brick buildings in England. Demolished in the 1700s, the fine brickwork can still be seen in the remains of the gatehouse. A unique place to visit and you can spend some good time in the history of England.

Mill Green Museum is a restored 18th century working flour mill powered by water to produce flour and demonstrate historic milling practices. Its heart is a working watermill, with 18th and 19th century wooden machinery restored to full working order. It is in regular use to grind organic wheat for a local bakery and for retail sale. Visitors can explore the mill, see it working and chat to the miller on duty. Flour is sold in various sizes.

Luton Hoo Estate is a traditional privately owned Country Estate that continues to trust in its history and values. A traditional Estate that once included one of England's finest stately homes. Today, the Estate boasts an arable farm (with environmentally-friendly systems incorporated within its techniques), parkland, residential properties, commercial units, a historic model farm and a local food hub.

A majestic castle built by Robert Cecil, 1st Earl of Salisbury and Chief Minister to King James I, from 1607 to 1611. There is a marvellous collection of pictures, furnishings and historic armour on display. The estate has been in the Cecil family for 400 years - one of England's foremost political families. Hatfield House is the home of the 7th Marquess of Salisbury.

Redbournbury Mill is a fully restored 18th century working watermill on the River Ver just north of St Albans. The mill produces and sells stoneground organic flour, with the adjacent bakery producing a variety of bread from the mill’s organic flours.

Fairlands Valley Park is renowned for its wide range of water sports facilities, with sailing, windsurfing, angling, kayaking and dragon boating taking place on the 11 acre Main Lake. It was situated within the heart of Stevenage and covering 120 acres of beautiful parkland, Fairlands Valley Park provides extensive leisure facilities for all.

Hatfield House in Hertfordshire, just 21 miles north of London, is a fine Jacobean House and Garden in a spectacular countryside setting. It is a prime example of Jacobean architecture. The estate includes extensive grounds and surviving parts of an earlier palace. The house, currently the home of 7th Marquess of Salisbury, is open to the public.

St Albans' Clock Tower is the only surviving medieval town belfry in England and is designated as a Scheduled Ancient Monument. the tower had a mechanical clock, which would have been a very rare and expensive piece of machinery at the time. The Clock Tower is 19.6 metres (64 ft) high, and has 5 floors including the roof.

St Albans Cathedral is the Shrine to Britain's first saint, is the oldest site of continuous Christian worship in Britain. The building’s amazing mixture of architectural styles bears witness to the many centuries of its life, first as a monastic Abbey and now as a Cathedral. The church, although legally a cathedral, differs in certain ways from most of the other cathedrals in England. It is also used as a parish church, of which the Dean is rector. He has the same powers, responsibilities, and

The Roman Theatre of Verulamium was built in about 140AD it is the only example of its kind in Britain, being a theatre with a stage rather than an Amphitheatre. Initially, the arena would have been used for anything from religious processions and dancing, to wrestling, armed combat and wild beast shows. The theatre differs from the typical Roman theatre in being built on a site that is only slightly sloping, and in its plan.

One of the beautiful museums which were filled with ancient treasures and some of the finest mosaics outside of the Mediterranean. You can explore the wonders of Roman life, immerse yourself in recreated Roman rooms and admire the craftsmanship of the intricate large-scale mosaics on display. A large portion of the Roman city remains unexcavated, being now park and agricultural land, though much has been built upon.

There’s so much to discover at Stockwood, which includes Beautiful gardens, interactive exhibitions and the largest carriage collection in Europe. The discovery centre displays collections of local social history, archaeology, geology and rural crafts. It also houses the biggest collection of horse-drawn carriages in Europe, the Mossman Collection.

Stockwood is a public park made from the grounds of what was a stately home from 1740-1964. The former walled vegetable garden now has a set of well-maintained period gardens'. They include a Victorian garden, a cottage garden and a knot garden. The surrounding landscape garden has a sculpture by Ian Hamilton Findlay. The park was originally the estate and grounds to Stockwood House, which was demolished in 1964.

Verulamium Park is set in 100 acres of beautiful parkland close to the city centre and is a popular attraction throughout the year with wide range of facilities. The Park is named after the Roman City of Verulamium on which it stands. The City walls and outline of the London Gate can still be seen. Verulamium Museum displays hundreds of remarkable objects that have been excavated from the ground. A main feature of the Park is the ornamental lake.