Overlooking Portland Harbour in Dorset stands one of Henry VIII’s finest coastal forts, built in the early 1540s to protect against French and Spanish invasion. Today it provides a great day out for visitors and its audio tour, included in the admission price tells of the castle’s 450 year history and the part it played […]
Kingston Lacy House
Home of the Bankes family for more than 300 years, this striking 17th-century house was radically altered in the 19th century by Sir Charles Barry. The house is noted for its lavish interiors, including William Bankes’s dramatic Spanish Room, with its gilded leather walls. The family’s collection of art is outstanding, with paintings by Rubens, […]
Corfe Castle
One of Britain’s most majestic ruins and once a controlling gateway through the Purbeck Hills, the castle boasts breathtaking views and several waymarked walks. Steeped in history, an interactive exhibition uncovers many stories of treachery and treason. Defended during the Civil War by the prudent and virtuous Lady Bankes, the castle fell, due to betrayal […]