East Anglia
We’ve compiled the best of the best in East Anglia - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
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1. Burghley House
Considered one of the grandest houses of the Elizabethan age, this architectural masterpiece is celebrated for its rooftops bristling with pepper-pot chimneys and slate-roof towers. It was built between 1565 and 1587 to the design of William Cecil, when he was Elizabeth I's high treasurer, and his descendants still occupy the house. The interior was remodeled in the late 17th century with treasures from Europe. On view are 18 sumptuous rooms, with carvings by Grinling Gibbons and ceiling paintings by Antonio Verrio (including the Heaven Room and the Hell Staircase—just as dramatic as they sound), as well as innumerable paintings and priceless porcelain. Capability Brown landscaped the grounds in the 18th century; herds of deer roam free, and open-air concerts are staged in summer. Brown also added the Gothic-revival orangery, where today you can take tea or lunch. More contemporary additions come in the form of the aptly named Garden of Surprise and the adjacent Sculpture Garden, filled with imaginative creations, water jets, and a mirrored maze. Burghley is a mile southeast of Stamford. The house often hosts private events on weekends, so it's worth checking that it's open before visiting.
Off A1, Stamford, Lincolnshire, PE9 3JY, England01780-752451Sight Details
Rate Includes: House and gardens £20; gardens only £13.50, Closed Nov.–mid-Mar., Fri. in mid-Mar.–Oct., and wk of the international Burghley Horse Trials (late Aug. or early Sept.) -
2. Lincoln Castle
Facing the cathedral across Exchequer Gate, this castle was built by William the Conqueror in 1068, incorporating the remains of Roman walls. The castle was used as a debtor's prison from 1787 to 1878. In the chapel you can see cagelike stalls where convicts heard sermons; they were designed this way so inmates couldn't tell who their fellow prisoners were, thus supposedly preserving a modicum of dignity. The castle's star exhibit is an original copy of Magna Carta, signed by King John in 1215. This is one of only four surviving copies of the original document, and one of few ever to have left the country—it was secretly moved to Fort Knox for safekeeping during World War II. A major renovation in 2015 opened up the wall walk for the first time, allowing visitors to make a complete circuit of the battlements (totaling more than ¼ mile). In addition, a 3-D cinema shows a high-tech film about the history of Magna Carta.
Castle Hill, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, LN1 3AA, England01522-554559Sight Details
Rate Includes: All attractions £15; Medieval Wall Walk £10.50 -
3. Audley End House and Gardens
A famous example of early-17th-century architecture, Audley End was once owned by Charles II, who bought it as a convenient place to break his journey on the way to the Newmarket races. Although the palatial building was remodeled in the 18th and 19th centuries, the Jacobean style is still on display in the magnificent Great Hall. You can walk in the park, landscaped by Capability Brown in the 18th century, and the fine Victorian gardens. Exhibitions focus on the lives of domestic servants in the late 19th century. A recent renovation opened up the Nursery Suite, bedecked in the style of the 1830s, and the Coal Gallery, which once provided hot water for the family upstairs (though not the servants). The Service Wing lets you look "below stairs" at the kitchen, scullery (where fish were descaled and chickens plucked), and game larder (where pheasants, partridges, and rabbits were hung), while the Stable Yard gives kids the chance to see old saddles and tack and don Victorian riding costumes. The house is in Saffron Waldon, 14 miles south of Cambridge.
Audley End Road, Saffron Walden, Essex, CB11 4JF, England01799-522842Sight Details
Rate Includes: £21, Closed weekdays Nov.–Mar. -
4. Cambridge University Botanic Gardens
Opened in 1846, these 40 acres contain rare specimens like the jade vine, greenhouses filled with orchids and other tropical beauties, and a rock garden with delicate plants from all over the world. The gardens are a five-minute walk from the Fitzwilliam Museum.
Bateman St., Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB2 1JE, England01223-336265Sight Details
Rate Includes: £7.50 -
5. Kentwell Hall
A wide moat surrounds this redbrick Tudor manor house with tall chimneys and domed turrets. Built between 1520 and 1550, it was heavily restored inside after a fire in the early 19th century. On some weekends, costumed "servants" and "farmworkers" perform reenactments of Tudor life or life during World War II. There are also evening events, such as open-air theater performances. Check the website for notice of the spring lambing days. The house and farm are a half mile north of Long Melford Green. Always call ahead, as this place has notoriously variable opening times and sometimes contradictory listings.
Off A134, Long Melford, Suffolk, CO10 9BA, England01787-310207Sight Details
Rate Includes: £16.50; gardens and farm only £11, Closed Oct.–Mar. -
Recommended Fodor’s Video
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6. Norwich Castle
The decorated stone facade of this castle, now a museum on the hill in the center of the city, makes it look like a children's-book illustration. Dating from 1130, the castle is Norman, but a stone keep replaced the original wooden bailey (wall). The thick walls and other defenses attest to its military function. Galleries contain a somewhat eclectic mix of artifacts and interactive displays, covering everything from ancient Egypt to Norman Norfolk and even the history of teapots. One gallery is devoted to the Norwich School of painters who, like John Constable, focused on the everyday landscape and seascape. While the castle is currently closed as part of a restoration and redevelopment project likely to last until 2024, the galleries remain open to the public and display significant exhibits. Admission is £2.50 the last hour before closing.
Castle Meadow, Norwich, Norfolk, NR1 3JU, England01603-493625Sight Details
Rate Includes: £9.90; special exhibitions £6 -
7. West Stow Anglo Saxon Village
This family-friendly museum past the outskirts of Bury St. Edmunds has indoor galleries displaying finds from the Anglo-Saxon period (410–1066) and a reconstruction of a village from that period with thatched-roof houses. Costumed performers give demonstrations of traditional crafts. There's also a small farm that's home to rare breeds of pigs and chickens. It's best to call ahead in winter as the hours can vary.
Icklingham Rd., West Stow, Suffolk, IP28 6HG, England01284-728718Sight Details
Rate Includes: £7; £14 Heritage Ticket includes Moyse\'s Hall Museum
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