Top 5 Things To Do In August
Get ready for an August everyone can enjoy!
Join us for family-friendly activities at our Come Play events, get up close to the action at Knights' Tournaments and Legendary Medieval Jousts, plan your summer holiday, get 25% off English Heritage membership and be inspired at the BBC Gardeners' World Autumn Fair.
Read on to find out more...
1. Come Play at our sites
Bust your boredom this summer and join us for family-friendly activities at sites across the country. You can take part in mini golf, archery, den-building, woodland and circus skills and trails featuring dinosaurs, bugs, fairies and more!
There’s something different happening at each site, so check event listings to find out more.
We’re also bringing Taskmaster challenge events to our sites, along with plenty of rubber ducks to spot as you complete our series of silly tasks!
Find your nearest Come Play event2. Get thee to a Knights' Tournament or Legendary Joust
Get up close and personal with medieval knights this August!
Be transported to the front row of 13th-century action at our Knights' Tournaments as you watch four armoured knights and their squires clash in a series of gruelling rounds of medieval hand-to-hand combat.
Or experience the exhilarating speed and skill of a Legendary Medieval Joust. Watch our fearless knights and their magnificent horses charge at each other at full speed in an unforgettable display.
Find a knights' tournament or joust3. Plan your summer holiday
Looking to book a last-minute summer holiday? Why not try a flight-free staycation visiting spectacular historic sites that are right on your doorstep!
Our regional travel guides will help you plan a memorable summer holiday at England's most iconic places. They're packed with ideas of historic sites to visit, things to see and do, places to stay and practical advice for getting around.
Don't forget that you can also holiday in history by booking overnight stays at our picturesque holiday cottages.
Plan your summer holiday4. Become a member and get 25% off
This summer, you can save 25% when you become an English Heritage member.
Membership gives you and up to six kids unlimited entry to over 400 incredible historic places across the country and, this summer, members' kids also eat free at our sites.
Click below and use code SUMMER25 at the checkout to save 25% off your annual membership - and don't hang around, the offer is only valid this summer!
Become a member today5. Get garden inspiration
It’s back! The BBC Gardeners' World Autumn Fair will return to Audley End House and Gardens, Essex, on 29-31 August 2025.
Extend your gardening season in style with expert tips, garden inspiration, shopping, workshops, live music and much more. Tickets include entry to Audley End House and Gardens, and well-behaved dogs on leads are welcome to join the fun in the outside areas.
Book tickets for BBC Gardeners' World Autumn FairThe month in history
- The bacteriologist Sir Alexander Fleming was born on 6 August 1881. Best known for discovering penicillin, the Scottish scientist moved to London to study and lived at 20a Danvers Street in Chelsea, where he's commemorated by a blue plaque.
- Dame Helen Gwynne-Vaughan died on 26 August 1967 aged 88. She was a prominent English botanist and is recognised for her significant contributions to military and public service. Her London home for almost 50 years is marked by a blue plaque.
- On 17 August 1836 HMS Beagle, with Charles Darwin on board, began its long voyage back to England from Brazil. You can visit Darwin's home in Kent.
- Painter Thomas Gainsborough died on 2 August 1788. His portrait of Mary, Countess Howe can be seen at Kenwood, alongside famous works by Vermeer, Rembrandt and Reynolds.
More to explore
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Inspire Me
We’ve handpicked our favourite articles, guides and stories to inspire your next day out. Find out what's new - your next adventure starts here...
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THE ENGLISH HERITAGE PODCAST
Every object has a story to tell - but how can one mystery item lead us on a journey through history, people and places? Amy Matthews explores tales from unexpected places.
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Become a member today
Enjoy unlimited access to hundreds of historical places with an annual membership. Plus there's free entry for up to six children! Memberships start from £42 a year.