If you are planning a road trip around the south of England then this article will help you get some ideas as I’ve travelled around this part of the United Kingdom for years.
I have visited the most famous castles, palaces and steam railways in England which you can see in the pictures and videos in this article. There are plenty of historic places to visit in England during a road trip, so get your driving gloves on and put the pedal to the metal!
This road trip from London around the south of England should take you about a week, starting from Hampton Court and driving down to the Sussex coast through Kent. From here you will drive along the English coast, taking in the most rugged seaside views as well as some of the most important Norman fortifications of Hastings, Lewes and Arundel.
You can do these as separate one day trips from London or in one go, taking about one week. I have listed them as day trips from London but you can easily merge them starting from Hampton Court to Arundel Castle via Hastings.
Here Is A List Of Places To Visit In England
- Visit Hampton Court in London – the King’s former home
- Travel On A Steam Engine In Sussex
- Check Out Battle, the site of the 1066 Norman victory
- Spend a weekend in Hastings and St Leonards
- Walk Up To Lewes Castle To Admire The Views
- Drive To Arundel, The Seat Of An Aristocratic English Family
Day Trip To Hampton Court From London
Hampton Court Palace is simply breathtaking and is one of my favourite places in London (or should I say Kingston). It may be because I am often a rebel myself – Henry VIII sent his first letter to Rome from this palace threatening to break with the Papacy in 1530. A day trip to Hampton Court Palace and Gardens in London is super simple as the public transport network is amazing here.
You should start early, as soon as the palace opens at 10.00 (The Palace is open Monday-Sunday: 10AM-4PM). That is because the area you will cover is huge and there are also the gardens to visit. If you are driving you can easily park your car nearby or in the local car park.
How to Get to Hampton Court Palace
If you are travelling from Central London, you can take a boat out here for about £20 or just take a train to Kingston from Waterloo station and then a local bus to the Palace entrance. You can take the 11, 216 and 411 buses to the main entrance. Tickets on the bus cost less than £2.00 and the train ticket is about £5.40.
Hampton Court Palace Ticket Cost
Buying online is cheaper, coming in at £15.90 for adults and £8.00 for children.
Hampton Court Seedy Historical Facts
The Palace website has some fascinating facts about the building, for example that in 1541 it was here that Henry VIII found out about Catherine Howard’s earlier sexual liaisons. They interrogated her and kept her under house arrest in the palace. Then came the inevitable head chopping!
Hampton Court Video
I used the music of one of the greatest composers of all times for this video: Georg Friedrich Händel. I know his work quite well, I sort of have a good handle on him!
Travelling On The Bluebell Railways
I am somewhat of a railway anorak and steam engines are my weak spot. This is why I was very happy to visit the Bluebell Railways one misty afternoon in 2014. The Bluebell Railways is a historic railway line, operated by volunteers between East Grinstead and Sheffield Park Station.
Visiting the historic Bluebell Railways in Sussex is a perfect day out for any family or railway enthusiast so read on to find out how to get here and how much a visit costs.
The steam engines here have sole usage of the entire line and the stations along are also from a by-gone era. It makes for a nice day out and if you prefer you can get on and off where you like and go for a walk in the surrounding nature reserve.
I shot this video below a couple of years ago – rest assured the trains still look the same and will probably do so for the foreseeable future! If you are in Hastings for a long weekend, you can easily visit the Bluebell Railways for a short choo-choo ride!
How to Find the Bluebell Railways
If you are coming from the direction of London, you can take a train to East Grinstead and hop on the steam engine there and return later in the day. Alternatively, you can drive to Sheffield Park, leave your car there and then buy a return ticket for the steam engine.
Entrance Fees and Tickets at the Bluebell Railways
The below screenshot is from the Bluebell Railway Company’s website displaying the railways fares and entrance tickets.
Bluebell Railways Video
And now to the best part, my video of the ride between Sheffield Park and East Grinstead on a proper steam engine in old passenger cars which the volunteers on the line restored with a lot of love and care.
Day Trip to Battle in East Sussex
Battle in East Sussex is the site of England’s most iconic battles: the Battle of Hastings! Now if that sounds confusing, you are not alone! Basically, William the Conqueror landed at Norman’s Bay near Pevensey on a rainy (let’s say) Sunday morning.
He then walked up to Pevensey Castle and invaded it, then went around pillaging a little. This drew the attention of Harold, King of England, who then marched down to beat the crap out of William.
The problem is that by the time Harold and its men got north of Hastings they were all tired, whereas William was all nicely rested. They went head to head on a steep hill not far from Hastings, a place now called Battle in remembrance of all this.
Entrance Fees To Historic Battle
Battle is a nice quaint little town, with very little else going for it. I’ve driven through it for about two years and one weekend I decided to stop. The below video will show you the town and its surroundings as well as the site of the battle.
The ticket was quite extortionate at £11.20 for an adult, considering it is just an empty field! What you do is walk around the field and listen to some audio guide telling you the history. Then at the end of the path there are the ruins of the abbey and a private school building which is closed to the public.
Weekend Trip to Hastings and St Leonards
St Leonards and Hastings are old seaside towns in Sussex, literally next to each other, about two hours from London. St Leonards & Hastings used to be a second home to European royalty during the summer breaks, but now it is mostly famous for its pier and its fishing heritage.
Nowadays, anyone can access the area and a weekend trip to Hastings and St Leonards can be an actual eye-opener and at times very educational.
If you are a computer nerd, you might have also heard of Alan Turing, the “grandfather” of computing. He lived here as a child and there is now a plaque on the wall of his old house commemorating this.
Why Visit St Leonards and Hastings
People come to St Leonards and Hastings to experience what this quintessential English seaside resort has to offer. History lovers can indulge in the knowledge that the Battle of Hastings took place just up the road!
I shot the below video about Alan Turing and Hastings to show where he lived, played and probably cried as a child. Unfortunately the poor guy lived in the wrong time as he was gay and back then it was illegal! So even though he saved the UK from certain destruction during the second world war, he was chemically castrated, put on the sex offenders register and fired from GCHQ.
How to Get to St Leonards and Hastings
The road network is quite poor so it will take you at least two hours to get down here from London. The main issue is that the dual carriageway ends in Tunbridge Wells and afterwards it is a narrow, winding old road built two hundred years ago.
Taking the train is not much more fun either and it takes even longer. There are direct trains from London Bridge, Victoria as well as Canon Street but they all take at least two hours if not more.
Hastings and St Leonards Points of Interest
The architecture in St Leonards can be pretty stunning and resembles parts of London, such as Marylebone and Regents Park. St Leonards started out as a seaside spa town in the early 19th century.
James Burton designed St Leonards Gardens in 1828, a green heart for his new seaside resort in the Regency style. Originally just for wealthy subscribers, the Hastings Corporation bought the gardens in 1880 and opened them to the general public.
The houses around this area were the residences of visiting nobles and the nouveau rich. The problems started when Brighton got its railway lines first, with a direct connection to London.
As soon as the British Royals started flocking to Brighton they set the trend and everyone wanted to follow them. This was pretty much the first nail in St Leonards’ coffin.
After about 150 years of decline the city is now experiencing a “come-back”. This is mostly because property prices are so much lower here than in any city in the area and people move here even from London! It is a no brainer in many respects. A one bed flat in London sets anyone back by £250-450,000, depending on location. The same size flat in Hastings is between £60-100,000 and the train ride is only 1.5 hours!
Things to Do in St Leonards and Hastings
When you come from London Victoria, Brighton or Eastbourne, get off the train at St Leonards. If you are coming from Cannon Street, Ashford or London Bridge, get off at Hastings and do the same tour in the reverse direction.
From St Leonards train station walk to Warrior Square. Here you can see some nice historic tenement buildings and the park itself. There are some galleries on Norman road which are worth visiting.
Once you’ve done this, go to the beach and walk along the promenade toward the Old Town. Stop off at the newly renovated pier and walk to the end to take photos of the waterfront.
When you get to the kiosk at the traffic lights, you can either carry on walking or cross the road to the shopping street. There are some restaurants and pubs here and a Debenhams, Cafe Nero and Costa. There is also a shopping center just at the end of the street with the usual chain stores.
Museums in Hastings and St Leonards
Walk back to the beach from the shopping center to reach the Old Town. The Old Town of Hastings is home to two cliff rails, elevating passengers from sea level to the top of the cliffs. They are the East and West cliff. The best is to take the West Cliff up and walk to the East Cliff to descend. You will have some amazing views of the city from atop the cliff.
If you like watersports, there is a great way to enjoy the sea by doing a bit of kayaking. Calypso Kayak Hire in Hastings offers rentals near the promenade, just below the brand new cafe you can see on this image below.
Most museums are in the Old Town, so it’s best to stick around here for at least an afternoon. Visit the Stade, the Fishermen’s Museum, the Jerwood Gallery, the Blue Reef Aquarium and local churches. By this time you should be pretty hungry, so why not eat at one of the local fish and chips shops. My local favourite is Old Town Fryer.
If you are not planning to stay overnight then head back towards Hastings station, which is about 20-25 minutes away from Old Town.
Day Trip to Lewes Castle In East Sussex
The south of England is full of historic sites and most of them are in impeccable condition. One of those sites is Lewes Castle and the old town in East Sussex. Lewes Castle is one of the old Norman fortifications and was defending the southern coast from invaders. William the Conqueror basically wanted to stop others do what he did: invade England. He ordered the construction of various stone castles, including Dover, Hastings, Pevensey and Arundel, among others. What he did was quite simple, he brought over his best pals from Normandy and gave them huge swaths of land but in return asked them to build fortifications.
How to Get to Lewes Castle in East Sussex
There are regular trains to Lewes from London Victoria Station, taking about 1.5 hours each way, direct. The cost of the ticket varies on a daily basis so just check online for your departure date at thetrainline.com website.
Driving here is also very convenient taking the M23 towards Brighton then the A27 direct to Lewes, both of which are dual-carriageway roads.
Visiting Lewes Castle for a Day Trip
Lewes Castle is a pretty good example of medieval architecture and a lot of the walls remain intact. The views from the castle walls are also quite stunning, covering much of the rolling east Sussex hills.
If you are in London for a week, I would highly recommend a weekend visit to the south coast, starting in Battle and Hastings and then driving along to Arundel via Pevensey, Lewes and Bramber castles.
Doing this you will learn about the history of the Norman Invasion and why William the Conqueror built these fortifications. The entire trip would take you about a week, spending a day or two at each location.
History of Lewes Castle in East Sussex
William I divided Sussex into five administrative zones after he invaded the English south coast. He granted these divisions to his most trusted companions who were responsible for constructing castles to secure control of the area and to facilitate access to Normandy.
William the Conqueror gave the region of Lewes to his best pal William de Warenne, a Norman baron who had participated in the Battle of Hastings. Warenne owned substantial holdings in Normandy as well as Yorkshire, Surrey and Norfolk.
He started work on Lewes Castle around 1067 to control the Saxon settlement and port. The first castle was an earth and timber fortification. The owners of Lewes Castle rebuilt the structure in stone at around 1100.
This video below will help you check out the place before you visit:
More Places To Visit In England – Day Trip to Arundel Castle
Arundel Castle is one of the oldest and grandest castles in the United Kingdom. A day trip to Arundel castle is almost a prerequisite to learn about the history of England. Given that it is so close to London nothing should stop you from visiting for at least a day.
The most astonishing fact I learned is that it has been in the ownership of the same family for more than 800 years! The owners of Arundel castle are the Duke and Duchess of Norfolk, Edward and Georgina Fitzalan-Howard, and their children. Unbelievably, they still call it their home along some other castles in England!
A year after William the Conqueror invaded England at Hastings he visited Arundel where he gave a huge amount of land to his best pal Roger de Montgomery. In return he asked him to build a stone fortification to defend the English coast from other invaders. This Montgomery did and the castle has stood here ever since!
Getting to Arundel Castle
There are regular train services to Arundel from Brighton and London Victoria Station. The journey takes about 90 minutes from London on a direct train.
Driving to Arundel is also easy although parking can be difficult during the high season. Plan to arrive early in the morning (opens at 10AM) to beat the crowds. Also, the castle is HUGE and there are the gardens and the cathedral to see as well, so allow at least 4-5 hours to check everything out. There are plenty of pubs and chip shops in town to get lunch, so don’t feel obliged to eat at the expensive restaurant in the castle.
The Origins of Arundel Castle
Roger de Montgomery lived up to expectations! Some of the original parts of the first keep still stand! What’s more, it’s been the same family inhabiting the castle since the 12th century, which is simply jaw dropping. I find it mind boggling that the same family owned the same structure for so long. Even more because on my father’s side of the family almost every one of my male ancestors had to move from one town to another for seven generations.
I arrived at the castle early afternoon and it was a big mistake! The castle covers thousands of square meters and there is also the garden and the cathedral to look at. In retrospect I should have arrived at 10 AM on the dot for the opening time – even that wouldn’t have been enough to look around properly.
The Castle’s History in a Nutshell
William de Albini moved in around 1176 and ever since then the castle has been in the ownership of his descendants. His great-grand daughther married John Fitzalan, whose son became the first Earl of Arundel.
His great-great granddaughter married Thomas de Mowbray. He in turn was the great grandson of Edward I, King of England between 1272-1307. Now you can imagine that the Arundel family is no small fish in the aristocratic sea of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
His great-great granddaughter married Thomas de Mowbray. He in turn was the great grandson of Edward I, King of England between 1272-1307. Now you can imagine that the Arundel family is no small fish in the aristocratic sea of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
By the way, since at least the 15th century the head of the family is also the Earl Marshall of England. This brings the responsibility of organising the Queen’s or King’s weddings, funerals, engagements and everything else in between. Basically, the Earl Marshall is the party planner for the royalty. I guess if you become close friends with the Earl of Arundel you are only one step away from the Queen or King…
But here is a twist: the head of the Anglican Church, the Queen/King of the country and Empire was married off by a Catholic! That’s because the Earl is a defender of the Catholic faith! And the Earl’s family could keep all the estates and chapels as a favour by Henry VIII when he basically pillaged all Catholic estates in the 16th century. That’s something!
William de Albini moved in around 1176 and ever since then the castle has been in the ownership of his descendants. His great-grand daughther married John Fitzalan, whose son became the first Earl of Arundel. His great-great granddaughter married Thomas de Mowbray.
He in turn was the great grandson of Edward I, King of England between 1272-1307. Now you can imagine that the Arundel family is no small fish in the aristocratic sea of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
By the way, since at least the 15th century the head of the family is also the Earl Marshall of England. This brings the responsibility of organising the Queen’s or King’s weddings, funerals, engagements and everything else in between. Basically, the Earl Marshall is the party planner for the royalty. I guess if you become close friends with the Earl of Arundel you are only one step away from the Queen or King…
But here is a twist: the head of the Anglican Church, the Queen/King of the country and Empire was married off by a Catholic! That’s because the Earl is a defender of the Catholic faith! And the Earl’s family could keep all the estates and chapels as a favour by Henry VIII when he basically pillaged all Catholic estates in the 16th century. That’s something!