National Trust - Kinwarton Dovecote - 4 Things to Know Before Visiting

Coughton Court is a Tudor courtyard house that was altered after being damaged during the Civil War. It was set in 25 acres of landscaped gardens in Alcester, Warwickshire. Through its rich and varied history, the house has witnessed some of the most defining moments in British history – from the court of Henry VIII to the Gunpowder plot of 1605.

Ragley Hall has been the ancestral home of the Hertford family for over 300 years. The 6,500-acre estate welcomes visitors with its 18th century gatehouse, the winding driveway through the green fields with sheep grazing. On the top of the hill stands the glorious Palladian mansion, which was designed by Robert Hook, with its majestic portico and grand horse-shoe steps. It has lawns, trees, shrubs and views over the park. The cricket pitch dates from 1625.

Mary Arden's Farm is a working farm that keeps pace with the season so there is always something new to see and do. You will find animals at the farm including donkeys, goats, sheep and more. Palmer’s Farmhouse is a fascinating Tudor house and actually much nicer than Mary Arden’s house. Watch fascinating falconry displays and try your hand at archery, or visit the timber-framed adventure playground to let off some steam.

Stratford Armouries is an Arms and Armour museum on the outskirts of Stratford-upon-Avon. The museum contains the personal arms and armour collection of James Wigington and is open to the public. The museum features a wide range of exhibits - the most noteworthy include a life-sized armoured Indian elephant, a cannon dating from 1450, and a giant crossbow modelled on Leonardo da Vinci's original design.

Anne Hathaway’s Cottage was originally a farmhouse. It was built in 1463 of cruck construction, when the building would have comprised of just three rooms. The kitchen and parlour still remain from the original medieval construction. The first Hathaway to live in the cottage was Anne’s grandfather John Hathaway, who was a tenant sheep farmer. Anne, later Shakespeare’s wife, was born in the cottage in 1556.

Bredon Hill is the largest of the Cotswold ‘outliers’ and is the only Cotswold hill to lie fully within Worcestershire, although part of the escarpment at Broadway also lies within the county. Both peaks have distinctive 18th-century follies at their summit. It was also the site of a great battle after which it was abandoned. In 2011 the largest hoard of Roman silver coins ever found in Worcestershire was discovered near to the Hillfort.