English Heritage regularly reviews the opening hours at the historic sites in our care and we have adjusted our winter opening times. Most properties will only open at weekends between November and March (inclusive).
However, Kenwood House, Stonehenge and Old Sarum will remain open all winter and 24 of the other most popular sites for learning groups will be open on Mondays and Fridays in the months of March and November (please see list below).
Book in advance for Summer
Pre-booked free educational visits will still be available at 24 of the most popular sites for school visits on Mondays and Fridays throughout November 2011 and March 2012.
Kenwood House in north London, Stonehenge and Old Sarum in Wiltshire will remain open for educational visits throughout the winter.
Visits to English Heritage sites are proving as valuable as ever for learning groups ("English Heritage sites are a fantastic resource, which are well worth using" said one teacher during a recent survey), so restricted winter opening times are likely to make summer visits more popular than ever.
Schools are therefore urged to book as soon as possible to guarantee free entry to sites during the summer.
Learning groups which not restricted to weekday bookings (such as scout and girl guide groups, home educator and U3A groups) will still be able to book for weekend visits at many key sites (including 14 properties previously closed during the winter period but now open on weekends).
Sites open Mondays and Fridays, in November and March
These 24 sites* are scheduled to open for pre-booked free educational visits on Mondays and Fridays only, during November and March:
London
South East
- Dover Castle, Kent - very limited access to either medieval or WW2 site.
- Battle Abbey, East Sussex
- Portchester Castle, Hampshire
- Lullingstone Roman Villa, Kent
- Carisbrooke Castle, Isle of Wight (open on any week days by prior arrangement with Carisbrooke Castle Museum Trust Education Staff)
- Osborne House, Isle of Wight (Victorian Christmas event 19 & 20 Nov 2011; winter guided tours Wed - Sun 10am - 4pm 23 Nov - 8 Jan with some limited access for free education visits during this time)
South West
East of England
East Midlands
West Midlands
Yorkshire & Humber
North West
North East
- Chesters Roman Fort and Museum, Northumberland
- Housesteads Roman Fort, Northumberland will be closed for the winter from 1 October to 31 March to enable re-development works, although the fort itself will remain open as a free site. School groups will be able to access the site and parking will be available in the main car park but we regret that no other facilities (including toilets) will be available and no Discovery Visits will be offered.
* List correct at time of publication but may be subject to change.
Free Teaching and learning resources
The education team is working hard to add value to learning group visits whenever they take place and an exciting mix of activity-packed local heritage trails, new-look teachers' kits, inspiring films, on-site handling collections and activities, flip cameras and GPS units are being developed to help bring properties to life for learners and teachers.
Costume and handling collections and activity bags will be available at an increasing number of sites and at selected properties learners will soon be abler to track down significant sights and objects using GPS units and expressing their creativity with flip cameras loaned out to them during free entry visits.
Teachers and parents can see what learning looks like at English Heritage properties in a eight minute film.
More details of new and planned developments will be emailed to all schools in the summer English Heritage Education enewsletter. Learning group leaders can subscribe to the education newsletter by emailing: education@english-heritage.org.uk
