In this series, we’ve compiled itineraries showcasing some of the most interesting, authentic and well-preserved medieval sites across the European continent. In this first installment, we take a look at the stalwarts of Western Europe: England, France and Spain. Follow us through time as we tour architecture, landscapes and villages fit for a history buff—but never far from accommodations fit for a king.
Onward to England, where your itinerary circles the country and explores the Saxon, Viking and Norman heritage that characterized the English medieval era.
Start your British journey in the northeastern city of York, where the immense stone gatehouses of the medieval walls immediately greet its visitors. Once a capital of Roman Britain that saw Constantine the Great proclaimed emperor within its walls, and later the Viking city Jórvik after the region was wrest from the Anglo-Saxons, York’s medieval history is extensive and visible. The most dominant structures are the York Minster, the largest Gothic cathedral in Northern Europe, and the remains of York Castle. Now largely reduced to the single hilltop tower of the old keep, the castle grounds were enlarged and strengthened during the medieval era and used extensively by English kings, particularly during the wars with Scotland.
Walking through York presents many more delightful medieval sights, such as the Shambles, a stretch of precariously constructed timber-framed shops that originally served as an open-air meat market, along with a series of narrow and unmistakably medieval footpaths known locally as Snickelways. York also offers several museums that provide hands-on experiences of the city’s rich history, such as the JORVIK Viking Centre which reconstructs portions of the older Viking settlement along with other medieval exhibits and festivals.
From York, a two-hour drive west takes you to the city of Chester and the border with Wales. Originally established as a Roman fort, Chester is notable for having the most complete set of city walls in all of Britain, fortified to protect the city from attacks by the Welsh and Vikings. The centerpiece of the town is Chester Cathedral. Legend says that this exact spot was once home to a Druid temple and then a Roman temple before the cathedral was built in the seventh century. The unique décor includes a variety of different styles, from Norman arches to Gothic columns to 14th-century woodcarvings and stained glass. “People have been visiting the Cathedral for almost a thousand years,” says Liz Parry, marketing manager at The Chester Grosvenor hotel. “The ‘Cathedral Heights’ tour provides a view of one city, two countries and five counties from the top of the cathedral tower.”
Walk along the unique Rows, medieval-styled buildings rebuilt during the Victorian era containing charming shops and apartments, and make your way to The Cross, a junction at the center of the city marked by a sandstone cross dating from 1476. During most summer days, a town crier still makes a midday proclamation from here at noon. The southwest corner of the city holds Chester Castle, a Norman fortification which retains many of its medieval elements, including the striking Agricola Tower which has seen kings and nobles imprisoned in its crypt. Steps from the city walls is the Chester Racecourse, which held its first recorded race in 1539 and is the oldest horse-racing course in England still in use.
As time allows, take some time to explore Wales, then continue the journey south to the Cotswolds, a 100-mile stretch of hills that runs from Stratford-upon-Avon in the north to Bath in the south. Containing roughly 200 villages, towns and hamlets, the Cotswolds gained prominence when the wool trade with the continent boomed in the medieval era, and the area has retained its wealth ever since.
“One of the special things I like about the Cotswolds is that all of the fantastic little quaint villages are close together, so you are able to explore two or three in a day without too much driving,” says Stuart Hodges, general manager of Lower Slaughter Manor near Cheltenham. Delightful villages like Northleach and Burford feature stone cottages and “wool churches,” built with the vast profits of the wool merchants.
Throughout the idyllic landscape are numerous castles, abbeys and manor houses with medieval origins, such as Sudely Castle near the town of Winchcombe. This stately residence was once home to Queen Catherine Parr, sixth wife of Henry VIII, and visitors and staff still report seeing her ghost strolling among the gardens. Yet history isn’t felt solely at major landmarks; the sense of a bygone era is palpable down nearly every winding country lane. “The medieval is everyday in the Cotswolds. You’ll cross medieval bridges, view ancient high streets and walk past the tombs of wool merchants in almost every major settlement,” says Katie Simmonds, sales and marketing manager at Barnsley House hotel, located near Cirencester.
From here, more fanciful travelers may wish to take a short trip southwest to Glastonbury, a notable site in the mythology of King Arthur, before continuing east to the county of Sussex to end your British itinerary. Once a kingdom of its own, Sussex is known for the decisive Battle of Hastings, fought here in 1066 between Anglo-Saxons and the invading Normans led by William the Conqueror, and the outcome of which set the course for the rest of British and European history; today it is one of the least altered of all the surviving medieval battlefields. West Sussex is also home to the impressive Arundel Castle. Built by Roger de Montgomery, Earl of Arundel, in the late 11th century, this structure has been the family home of the Dukes of Norfolk and their heirs for nearly a thousand years, making it one of the oldest continually inhabited country homes in England. The Harper-recommended 12th-century Amberley Castle makes for ideal accommodations to explore this historic area before ending your itinerary or heading north to London.
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