Stately homes & places of social importance

Buildings of national importance

It is perhaps possible to say that our architectural heritage is the envy of every nation on earth, but we should not forget the historical and social significance of these buildings, beyond their purely aesthetic value. These iconic structures, often with elaborately landscaped grounds, were built to show off the status of their inhabitants, or to provide some important function.

The stately homes and royal palaces featured below often have legacies stretching back for hundreds of years. Today they serve as fine symbols of the rich tapestry of power and wealth that was once woven across this land, and more practically, as places to learn about our country's social, royal and political history. All of which are perfectly suited to the historical key concepts of chronological understanding, significance and change and continuity. Your class may see how the servants lived and worked below stairs, or indeed how the other half lived. There may also be opportunities to get involved in practical and interactive demonstrations of domestic life as it was at the time.

Also included in this section are places which have an important historical context, either for government, for economics, or for social history. Places like the Houses of Parliament, where children can learn this history of politics, or Quarry Bank Mill; an example of one of the powerhouses of the industrial revolution that made Britain so dominant during the nineteenth century.

We select venues which offer outstanding quality visits for school groups, and allow you as a teacher to preview the trip, before deciding on its suitability for your class. All of our venues have years of experience working within the National Curriculum and boast a long line of schools who return year after year for a great value and thoroughly educational trip.

Other periods of history

Our main history section includes many fine examples of school trips designed to cover the national curriculum syllabus at all key stages. We only list venues who offer real educational value, and who make it easy for party leaders to plan and organise their next trip. Which ever period of history you plan to study with your class, from the earliest Viking and Saxon settlers through to modern Britain, you will find the right venue for your school right here... More: history trips