English Heritage overseas visitor pass

One of Britain’s most famous historic attractions, Stonehenge on Wiltshire’s Salisbury Plain, is one of the world’s most important Neolithic sites.

While you can see the ancient circles of stone from the A303, a major road that connects London to the southwest of England, you won’t get a great view from the road, let alone anywhere to park.

The best way to truly appreciate this ancient site, dating back more than 5000 years, is to get up-close to the stones, some of which were moved from as far away as Wales, more than 200km away.

The downside when visiting some of England’s famous sites is that your credit card can take a bashing: an entry ticket and audio guide to Stonehenge is almost $50 per adult.

With this in mind, English Heritage offers the English Heritage Overseas Visitor Pass, offering entry to more than 100 stately homes, castles, prehistoric sites, palaces, monastic abbeys, gardens and ancient sites such as Stonehenge, across England.

A registered charity, English Heritage is custodian of more than 400 historic sites and buildings.

Only available to non-UK residents, the nine or 16-day passes represent great value; you’ll save even if you only visit two or three attractions.

Some of my favourites include Dover Castle, dating from 1066.

Perched on the equally famous White Cliffs of Dover, the huge castle and site also contains two Roman lighthouses, one of only three surviving Roman-era lighthouses in the world.

Just 12kms north of Dover is little-known Walmer Castle, an artillery fort also on the coast constructed during the reign of Henry VIII.

Over the centuries this Tudor fortress was transformed into a stately mansion surrounded by 13ha of gardens dating from the 1790s.

The lovely gardens include a flourishing kitchen garden that has been growing produce for the castle for almost 300 years, and still produces fruit and vegetables for the onsite tearoom today, and woodland walks amid venerable old trees.

Walmer is the official residence of the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, who over the centuries have included the Duke of Wellington, Winston Churchill, the Queen Mother and our own Sir Robert Menzies, who became Lord Warden in 1965.

Eltham Palace in Greenwich, where King Henry VIII spent much of his childhood, features a medieval great hall.

Despite its grand royal connections Eltham eventually fell into decline — much was demolished — and during the 17th century the great hall was used as a barn.

In the 1930s, the Eltham was leased by American millionaires Stephen and Virginia Courtauld, who created a vast Art Deco haven extending from Edward IV’s great hall, which is much admired by devotees of the Art Deco period today.

In Cornwall, the ruins of Tintagel Castle, set high on the rugged north coast, have long been linked to the legend of King Arthur; Gainsborough Old Hall in Lincolnshire is one of Britain’s best-preserved medieval manor houses, and Down House in Kent is the childhood home of Charles Darwin — just some of many fascinating places to visit with an English Heritage Overseas Visitors Pass.

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+ An English Heritage Overseas Visitors Pass is $92 per adult for a nine-day pass, $110 for a 16-day pass.

+ A nine-day family pass, valid for two adults and up to four other family members under 18 is $185. A 16-day family pass is $206. Children under five admitted free.

+ The pass also includes a guidebook, as well as free or reduced entry events held at different sites throughout the year, from jousting to woodland walks and concerts. For more information visit englishheritage.org.uk

Author’s note

Avebury

The village of Avebury, 37kms north of Stonehenge, is part of the same UNESCO World Heritage Site as Stonehenge.

The prehistoric stone circle at Avebury is around 4600 years old and is the world’s largest, and anyone can wander around this ancient site for free.

The encircling henge consists of a huge bank and ditch 1.3 km in circumference. Leading from two of its four entrances, the West Kennet and Beckhampton Avenues of parallel standing stones, still connect it with other monuments in the landscape.

Avebury is a quaint little village with a medieval church, a Tudor manor house, thatched cottages and the Red Lion, a 400-year-old thatched-roof building that has been a pub since 1802 — just the spot to relax and enjoy a British slow-cooked steak and ale pie or signature beef burger after a day of sightseeing. chefandbrewer.com