117 Old Ruins to Explore in England

Abbey Pumping Station is Leicester’s Industrial Museum, displaying Leicester’s very varied Industrial, Technological and Scientific heritage. Situated adjacent to the National Space Centre, the two attractions tell the story of over 200 years of science and technology from the early days of steam and industry to the space exploration of today. With four working steam-powered beam engines from its time as a sewage pumping station, it also houses exhibits for transport, public health, light and o

Arthur's Stone is an atmospheric Neolithic burial chamber made of great stone slabs, set in the hills above Herefordshire's Golden Valley. It is over 5,000 years old. Today only the large stones of the inner chamber remain, though these were once covered by a long earthen mound.

Arundel Castle is a restored and remodeled medieval castle in Arundel, West Sussex, England. It was established by Roger de Montgomery on Christmas Day 1067. Roger became the first to hold the earldom of Arundel by the graces of William the Conqueror. The castle was damaged in the English Civil War and then restored in the 18th and 19th centuries by Charles Howard the 11th Duke of Norfolk. It was one of the iconic attractions in this area and also attracts a lot of tourists here.

A majestic and beautiful castle which was set on a high rock above the River Tees. It sits on the fringe of an attractive working market town also known as ‘Barney’ so there is plenty to do for families on a day out. The castle, an English Heritage property, was named after its 12th Century founder, Bernard de Balliol, and was later developed by Richard III whose boar emblem is carved above a window in the inner ward.

Basing House was once the largest private house in England. It was built by William Paulet, Marquess of Winchester in the Tudor period, on the site of an earlier medieval castle. Basing House was once home to the powerful courtier William Paulet, Marquess of Winchester. You can enjoy a picnic in the re-created Jacobean garden, and come along to the many events and activities held throughout the year, including open air theatre, dig pits, re-enactments and a December Christmas market.

The world's oldest and original model village which has a a huge model railway, 1.5 acres of well kept gardens and finely detailed model buildings Bekonscot is a great day out for everyone.

Belvoir Castle is the ancestral home of the Dukes of Rutland. The family have lived at Belvoir in an unbroken line for almost a thousand years. The Castle visitors can see today dates from 1832 and is regarded as one of the finest examples of Regency architecture in the country. The estate surrounding the castle contains formal gardens and woodland, all with stunning views. The latest garden restoration programme brought the lost plans of Capability Brown to fruition.

It is the last surviving windmill on the Isle of Wight, Bembridge, which was built around 1700. It last operated in 1913 and it contains much of its original wooden machinery. It has been restored and is open to the public.

Berwick Barracks, sometimes known as Ravensdowne Barracks, is a former military installation of the British Army in Berwick-upon-Tweed, England. Built in the early 18th century to the design of the distinguished architect Nicholas Hawksmoor, the Barracks was among the first in England to be purpose built. The 'By Beat of Drum' exhibition gives you an insight into the life of the British infantryman from the Civil War to the First World War.

The Winding Engine House is the last remaining part of Bestwood Colliery - one of the busiest coal mines in Nottinghamshire. The winding engine lowered colliers into the mine shaft, and winched mined coal up to the surface. The tall brick building houses a huge winding engine. Originally it was powered by steam, but today's visitors see the massive engine moved by an electrical motor. The engine dates back to 1876, the heyday of Victorian industrial engineering.

Blists Hill Victorian Town is one of the 10 Ironbridge Gorge Museums set within the Ironbridge Gorge World Heritage Site.The museum attempts to recreate the sights, sounds and smells of a Victorian Shropshire town in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It is like stepping back in time, with the historic streets lined with shops, cottages and places of work. This town also hosts events, such themed festivals, outdoor theatre and sporting trials.

Bodiam Castle is a 14th-century moated castle near Robertsbridge in East Sussex, England. It was built in 1385 by Sir Edward Dalyngrigge. It hosts one of the largest bat roosts in south-east England, and is home to five species of bats. The castle survives physically as a moated ruin within the Rother valley, but its spirit resides in its power to capture your imagination and allow you to ‘look into another world’.

Bodmin Jail has played an important role in Cornwall’s history and this bold re-development gives visitors the chance to delve into an intriguing hidden history. Explore the many cells and features that make your visit to the Jail a fun and educational adventure, and just a little bit scary. The Jail you see today was built with the help of the prisoners who brought 20,000 tons of granite from Bodmin’s Cuckoo Quarry.

Bolingbroke Castle was one of three castles built by Ranulf de Blundeville, Earl of Chester and Lincoln, in the 1220s after his return from the Crusades. After Blundeville’s death, the castle remained in the ownership of the Earls of Lincoln and was later inherited through marriage by John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster. Today the castle is an evocative ruin preserved to ground floor level, with several rooms within the towers still surviving.

Bolton Castle is a stark and imposing medieval fortress at the entrance to Wensleydale, begun by Richard le Scrope in 1378. It was a grand family home as well as a defensive fortress and, despite being partially ‘slighted’ by Cromwell’s’ men during the Civil War siege, is still preserved in outstanding condition with many interesting rooms and features to discover. The castle is still in the private ownership of Lord Bolton, the direct descendant of the castle’s original owner Sir Richard le Sc

Bolton Abbey lies in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales near Skipton. The land was gifted to the Augustinian canons by Alice de Rumilly in 1154. The canons lived and worshipped here until 1539 when the dissolution of the monasteries stripped the Priory of its assets. Despite the loss of most of the Priory buildings during the Dissolution of the Monasteries, the western half of the original nave was preserved so that the local parish could continue its worship there.

The extensive remains of the 12th-century Cistercian abbey of Buildwas stand in a water meadow beside the River Severn. It was founded in 1135 as a Savignac monastery by Roger de Clinton, Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield. Substantial remains of the abbey church and monk's quarters remain and are in the care of English Heritage.

It was one of the largest and best-preserved monastic sites in England dating back to 1090. It was the home of the first Cluniac order of monks to England and the Cluniac love of decoration is everywhere reflected in the extensive ruins. Originally the priory was sited within the walls of Castle Acre Castle, but this proved too small and inconvenient for the monks, hence the priory was relocated to the present site in the castle grounds about one year later.

Odiham Castle is located within a tranquil site adjacent to the Basingstoke Canal. The Castle, with its surrounding defensive ditches, was built between 1207 and 1214. The site was probably chosen by King John as a convenient point between his strongholds at Winchester and Windsor. The only visible remains are part of the octagonal keep and outlying earthworks. In September 2007 Hampshire County Council undertook a restoration of the shell keep under guidance from English Heritage.

A majestic and beautiful house in Kent and is now preserved as a historic property by the National Trust. The house was purchased by Winston Churchill in 1922 and he used it as his main base during the ‘20s and ‘30s for writing, painting, and entertaining. It is the largest collection of Churchill’s paintings and filled with treasures from every aspect of Churchill’s life, the rooms remain much as they were when he lived there, offering a unique opportunity to explore the home of one of Britain