South East of England

Lying between London and the continent of Europe, the south east has always been at the centre of economic, political and cultural events. As a result, it is packed with famous historical sites. Along the south coast are many superb castles, including Dover Castle, Arundel Castle and Battle Abbey near Hastings, location of the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The area contains some of Britain’s best-known stately homes, including Blenheim Palace in Woodstock near Oxford, home of the Churchill family. There are cathedral cities such as Winchester and Canterbury – famous for Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales – and the historic naval city of Portsmouth. And of course there is Oxford, the ancient university city with its splendid architecture and rich cultural heritage.

The south east also has more areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty than any other region in Britain. The hills of the North and South Downs and the Chilterns offer wonderful walks. The coastline is beautiful with long beaches and spectacular cliffs such as the famous White Cliffs of Dover, and many popular seaside resorts such as Brighton, Eastbourne and Bournemouth. In the quieter east of the region, the county of Kent is known as ‘the garden of England’ because of its miles of orchards and hop fields (used to make beer); it has characteristic ‘oast houses’ for the hops, with pretty pointed white roofs. To the west, there is the Isle of Wight with its old-world charm, and the ancient and magical New Forest, established by William the Conqueror in 1079, where horses still wander freely.