Tourism in England
Most visited sites -- Most visited historic sites
Table:
National
Rank
Site
Location
Visitor count (2009)[5]

1
Tower of London
London
2,389,548

2
St Paul's Cathedral
London
1,821,321

3
Westminster Abbey
London
1,449,593

4
Roman Baths
Bath
1,196,481

5
Canterbury Cathedral
Canterbury
1,013,118

6
Stonehenge
Amesbury
990,705

7
Palace of Westminster
London
963,362

8
York Minster
York
797,100

9
Chatsworth House
Chatsworth
652,969

10
Leeds Castle
Maidstone
646,801

11
Hampton Court Palace
London
541,646

12
Blenheim Palace
Woodstock
537,120

13
Portsmouth Historic Dockyard
Portsmouth
532,158

14
Stourhead
Mere
356,816

15
Beaulieu Palace House and Abbey
Beaulieu
351,975

Based on the provided table and the context snippets listed below.

Provide an answer to this question: What year was the site in England that attracted 963,362 2009 tourists most recently destuctively burned ? Output only the correct answer as {"answer": "YOUR ANSWER"}.

The Tower of London , officially Her Majesty 's Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London , is a historic castle located on the north bank of the River Thames in central London . It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets , which is separated from the eastern edge of the square mile of the City of London by the open space known as Tower Hill . It was founded towards the end of 1066 as part of the Norman Conquest of England . The White Tower , which gives the entire castle its name , was built by William the Conqueror in 1078 and was a resented symbol of oppression , inflicted upon London by the new ruling elite . The castle was used as a prison from 1100 ( Ranulf Flambard ) until 1952 ( Kray twins ) , although that was not its primary purpose . A grand palace early in its history , it served as a royal residence . As a whole , the Tower is a complex of several buildings set within two concentric rings of defensive walls and a moat . There were several phases of expansion , mainly under kings Richard I , Henry III , and Edward I in the 12th and 13th centuries . The general layout established by the late 13th century remains despite later activity on the site . The Tower of London has played a prominent role in English history . It was besieged several times , and controlling it has been important to controlling the country . The Tower has served variously as an armoury , a treasury , a menagerie , the home of the Royal Mint , a public record office , and the home of the Crown Jewels of England .
London is the capital and largest city of England and of the United Kingdom . Standing on the River Thames in the south-east of England , at the head of its 50-mile ( 80 km ) estuary leading to the North Sea , London has been a major settlement for two millennia . Londinium was founded by the Romans . The City of London , London 's ancient core − an area of just 1.12 square miles ( 2.9 km2 ) and colloquially known as the Square Mile − retains boundaries that closely follow its medieval limits . [ note 1 ] The City of Westminster is also an Inner London borough holding city status . Greater London is governed by the Mayor of London and the London Assembly . [ note 2 ] London is considered to be one of the world 's most important global cities and has been termed the world 's most powerful , most desirable , most influential , most visited , most expensive , innovative , sustainable , most investment friendly , and most popular for work city . London exerts a considerable impact upon the arts , commerce , education , entertainment , fashion , finance , healthcare , media , professional services , research and development , tourism and transportation . London ranks 26th out of 300 major cities for economic performance . It is one of the largest financial centres and has either the fifth or the sixth largest metropolitan area GDP . [ note 3 ] It is the most-visited city as measured by international arrivals and has the busiest city airport system as measured by passenger traffic . It is the leading investment destination , hosting more international retailers and ultra high-net-worth individuals than any other city .
St Paul 's Cathedral , London , is an Anglican cathedral , the seat of the Bishop of London and the mother church of the Diocese of London . It sits on Ludgate Hill at the highest point of the City of London and is a Grade I listed building . Its dedication to Paul the Apostle dates back to the original church on this site , founded in AD 604 . The present cathedral , dating from the late 17th century , was designed in the English Baroque style by Sir Christopher Wren . Its construction , completed in Wren 's lifetime , was part of a major rebuilding programme in the City after the Great Fire of London . [ page needed ] The cathedral building largely destroyed in the Great Fire , now often referred to as Old St Paul 's Cathedral , was a central focus for medieval and early modern London , including Paul 's walk and St Paul 's Churchyard being the site of St Paul 's Cross . The cathedral is one of the most famous and most recognisable sights of London . Its dome , framed by the spires of Wren 's City churches , has dominated the skyline for over 300 years . At 365 feet ( 111 m ) high , it was the tallest building in London from 1710 to 1967 . The dome is among the highest in the world . St Paul 's is the second-largest church building in area in the United Kingdom after Liverpool Cathedral . Services held at St Paul 's have included the funerals of Admiral Nelson , the Duke of Wellington , Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher ; jubilee celebrations for Queen Victoria ; peace services marking the end of the First and Second World Wars ; the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer ; the launch of the Festival of Britain ; and the thanksgiving services for the Silver , Golden and Diamond Jubilees and the 80th and 90th birthdays of Queen Elizabeth II .
Westminster Abbey , formally titled the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster , is a large , mainly Gothic abbey church in the City of Westminster , London , England , just to the west of the Palace of Westminster . It is one of the United Kingdom 's most notable religious buildings and the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English and , later , British monarchs . The building itself was a Benedictine monastic church until the monastery was dissolved in 1539 . Between 1540 and 1556 , the abbey had the status of a cathedral . Since 1560 , the building is no longer an abbey or a cathedral , having instead the status of a Church of England Royal Peculiar - a church responsible directly to the sovereign . According to a tradition first reported by Sulcard in about 1080 , a church was founded at the site ( then known as Thorn Ey ( Thorn Island ) ) in the seventh century , at the time of Mellitus , a Bishop of London . Construction of the present church began in 1245 , on the orders of King Henry III . Since the coronation of William the Conqueror in 1066 , all coronations of English and British monarchs have been in Westminster Abbey . There have been 16 royal weddings at the abbey since 1100 . As the burial site of more than 3,300 persons , usually of prominence in British history ( including at least sixteen monarchs , eight Prime Ministers , poets laureate , actors , scientists , military leaders , and the Unknown Warrior ) , Westminster Abbey is sometimes described as 'Britain 's Valhalla ' , after the iconic burial hall of Norse mythology .
The Roman Baths are a well-preserved thermae in the city of Bath , Somerset , England . A temple was constructed on the site between 60-70CE in the first few decades of Roman Britain . Its presence led to the development of the small Roman urban settlement known as Aquae Sulis around the site . The Roman baths , which were used for public bathing , were used until the end of Roman rule in Britain in the 5th Century CE . According to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle , the original Roman baths were in ruins a century later . The area around the natural springs was redeveloped several times during the Early and Late Middle Ages . The Roman Baths are preserved in four main features : the Sacred Spring , the Roman Temple , the Roman Bath House , and a museum which holds artefacta from Aquae Sulis . However , all buildings at street level date from the 19th century . It is a major tourist attraction in the UK , and together with the Grand Pump Room , receives more than 1.3 million visitors annually . Visitors can tour the baths and museum but can not enter the water .
Bath is the largest city in the county of Somerset , England , known for and named after its Roman-built baths . In 2011 , the population was 88,859 . Bath is in the valley of the River Avon , 97 miles ( 156 km ) west of London and 11 miles ( 18 km ) southeast of Bristol . The city became a World Heritage site in 1987 . The city became a spa with the Latin name Aquae Sulis ( the waters of Sul ) c. 60 AD when the Romans built baths and a temple in the valley of the River Avon , although hot springs were known even before then . Bath Abbey was founded in the 7th century and became a religious centre ; the building was rebuilt in the 12th and 16th centuries . In the 17th century , claims were made for the curative properties of water from the springs , and Bath became popular as a spa town in the Georgian era . Georgian architecture , crafted from Bath stone , includes the Royal Crescent , Circus , Pump Room and Assembly Rooms where Beau Nash presided over the city 's social life from 1705 until his death in 1761 . Many of the streets and squares were laid out by John Wood , the Elder , and in the 18th century the city became fashionable and the population grew . Jane Austen lived in Bath in the early 19th century . Further building was undertaken in the 19th century and following the Bath Blitz in World War II . The city has software , publishing and service-oriented industries .
Canterbury Cathedral in Canterbury , Kent , is one of the oldest and most famous Christian structures in England . It forms part of a World Heritage Site . It is the cathedral of the Archbishop of Canterbury , currently Justin Welby , leader of the Church of England and symbolic leader of the worldwide Anglican Communion . Its formal title is the Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of Christ at Canterbury . Founded in 597 , the cathedral was completely rebuilt between 1070 and 1077 . The east end was greatly enlarged at the beginning of the 12th century , and largely rebuilt in the Gothic style following a fire in 1174 , with significant eastward extensions to accommodate the flow of pilgrims visiting the shrine of Thomas Becket , the archbishop who was murdered in the cathedral in 1170 . The Norman nave and transepts survived until the late 14th century , when they were demolished to make way for the present structures . Before the English Reformation the cathedral was part of a Benedictine monastic community known as Christ Church , Canterbury , as well as being the seat of the archbishop .
Canterbury ( /ˈkæntərbəri/ ( listen ) , /-bɛri/ ) is a historic English cathedral city and UNESCO World Heritage Site , situated in the heart of the City of Canterbury , a local government district of Kent , England . It lies on the River Stour . The Archbishop of Canterbury is the primate of the Church of England and the worldwide Anglican Communion owing to the importance of St Augustine , who served as the apostle to the pagan Kingdom of Kent around the turn of the 7th century . The city 's cathedral became a major focus of pilgrimage following the 1170 martyrdom of Thomas Becket , although it had already been a well-trodden pilgrim destination since the murder of St Alphege by the men of King Canute in 1012 . A journey of pilgrims to Becket 's shrine served as the frame for Geoffrey Chaucer 's 14th century classic The Canterbury Tales . Canterbury is a popular tourist destination : consistently one of the most-visited cities in the United Kingdom , the city 's economy is heavily reliant upon tourism . The city has been occupied since Paleolithic times and served as the capital of the Celtic Cantiaci and Jute Kingdom of Kent . Many historical structures fill the area , including a city wall founded in Roman times and rebuilt in the 14th century , the ruins of St Augustine 's Abbey and a Norman castle , and the oldest extant school in the world , the King 's School . Modern additions include the Marlowe Theatre and the St Lawrence Ground , home of the Kent County Cricket Club . There is also a substantial student population , brought about by the presence of the University of Kent , Canterbury Christ Church University , the University for the Creative Arts , and the Girne American University Canterbury campus . Canterbury remains , however , a small city in terms of geographical size and population , when compared with other British cities .
Stonehenge is a prehistoric monument in Wiltshire , England , two miles ( 3 km ) west of Amesbury . It consists of a ring of standing stones , each around 13 feet ( 4.0 m ) high , seven feet ( 2.1 m ) wide , and weighing around 25 tons . The stones are set within earthworks in the middle of the most dense complex of Neolithic and Bronze Age monuments in England , including several hundred tumuli ( burial mounds ) . Archaeologists believe it was constructed from 3000 BC to 2000 BC . The surrounding circular earth bank and ditch , which constitute the earliest phase of the monument , have been dated to about 3100 BC . Radiocarbon dating suggests that the first bluestones were raised between 2400 and 2200 BC , although they may have been at the site as early as 3000 BC . One of the most famous landmarks in the United Kingdom , Stonehenge is regarded as a British cultural icon . It has been a legally protected Scheduled Ancient Monument since 1882 , when legislation to protect historic monuments was first successfully introduced in Britain . The site and its surroundings were added to UNESCO 's list of World Heritage Sites in 1986 . Stonehenge is owned by the Crown and managed by English Heritage ; the surrounding land is owned by the National Trust . Stonehenge could have been a burial ground from its earliest beginnings . Deposits containing human bone date from as early as 3000 BC , when the ditch and bank were first dug , and continued for at least another 500 years .
Amesbury ( /ˈeɪmzbəri/ ) is a town and civil parish in Wiltshire , England . It is most famous for the prehistoric monument of Stonehenge which is in its parish , and for the discovery of the Amesbury Archer - dubbed the King of Stonehenge in the press - in 2002 . It has been confirmed by archaeologists that it is the oldest continuously occupied settlement in the United Kingdom , having been first settled around 8820 BC . King Alfred the Great left it in his will , a copy of which is in the British Library , to his youngest son Aethelweard ( c.880-922 ) . Eleanor of Provence , Queen consort of Henry III of England , died in Amesbury on 24 or 25 June 1291 , and was buried in Amesbury Priory . The parish includes the hamlets of Ratfyn and West Amesbury , and most of Boscombe Down military airfield .
The Palace of Westminster serves as the meeting place for both the House of Commons and the House of Lords , the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom . Commonly known as the Houses of Parliament after its occupants , the Palace lies on the north bank of the River Thames in the City of Westminster , in central London , England . Its name , which derives from the neighbouring Westminster Abbey , may refer to either of two structures : the Old Palace , a medieval building-complex destroyed by fire in 1834 , or its replacement , the New Palace that stands today . The palace is owned by the monarch in right of the Crown and , for ceremonial purposes , retains its original status as a royal residence . Committees appointed by both houses manage the building and report to the Speaker of the House of Commons and to the Lord Speaker . The first royal palace constructed on the site dated from the 11th century , and Westminster became the primary residence of the Kings of England until fire destroyed much of the complex in 1512 . After that , it served as the home of the Parliament of England , which had met there since the 13th century , and also as the seat of the Royal Courts of Justice , based in and around Westminster Hall . In 1834 an even greater fire ravaged the heavily rebuilt Houses of Parliament , and the only significant medieval structures to survive were Westminster Hall , the Cloisters of St Stephen 's , the Chapel of St Mary Undercroft , and the Jewel Tower . In the subsequent competition for the reconstruction of the Palace , the architect Charles Barry won with a design for new buildings in the Gothic Revival style , specifically inspired by the English Perpendicular Gothic style of the 14th-16th centuries . The remains of the Old Palace ( except the detached Jewel Tower ) were incorporated into its much larger replacement , which contains over 1,100 rooms organised symmetrically around two series of courtyards and which has a floor area of 112,476 m2 ( 1,210,680 sq ft ) . Part of the New Palace 's area of 3.24 hectares ( 8 acres ) was reclaimed from the River Thames , which is the setting of its nearly 300-metre long ( 980 ft ) façade , called the River Front . Augustus Pugin , a leading authority on Gothic architecture and style , assisted Barry and designed the interior of the Palace .
The Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of Saint Peter in York , commonly known as York Minster , is the cathedral of York , England , and is one of the largest of its kind in Northern Europe . The minster is the seat of the Archbishop of York , the third-highest office of the Church of England ( after the monarch as Supreme Governor and the Archbishop of Canterbury ) , and is the mother church for the Diocese of York and the Province of York . It is run by a dean and chapter , under the Dean of York . The title minster is attributed to churches established in the Anglo-Saxon period as missionary teaching churches , and serves now as an honorific title . Services in the minster are sometimes regarded as on the High Church or Anglo-Catholic end of the Anglican continuum . The minster , devoted to Saint Peter , has a very wide Decorated Gothic nave and chapter house , a Perpendicular Gothic quire and east end and Early English North and South transepts . The nave contains the West Window , constructed in 1338 , and over the Lady Chapel in the east end is the Great East Window ( finished in 1408 ) , the largest expanse of medieval stained glass in the world . In the north transept is the Five Sisters Window , each lancet being over 53 feet ( 16.3 m ) high . The south transept contains a rose window , while the West Window contains a heart-shaped design colloquially known as The Heart of Yorkshire .
York is a city and unitary authority area in North Yorkshire , England . The population of the council area which includes nearby villages was 208,200 as of 2017 [ citation needed ] and the population of the urban area was 153,717 at the 2011 census . Located at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss , it is the county town of the historic county of Yorkshire . The city is known for its famous historical landmarks such as York Minster and the city walls , as well as a variety of cultural and sporting activities , which makes it a popular tourist destination in England . The local authority is the City of York Council , a single tier governing body responsible for providing all local services and facilities throughout the city . The City of York local government district includes rural areas beyond the old city boundaries . It is about 25 miles north-east of Leeds and 34 miles north-west of Kingston upon Hull . York is the largest settlement in the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire . The city was founded by the Romans as Eboracum in 71 AD . It became the capital of the Roman province of Britannia Inferior , and later of the kingdoms of Deira , Northumbria and Jórvík . In the Middle Ages , York grew as a major wool trading centre and became the capital of the northern ecclesiastical province of the Church of England , a role it has retained . In the 19th century , York became a major hub of the railway network and a confectionery manufacturing centre , a status it maintained well into the 20th century .
Chatsworth House is a stately home in Derbyshire , England , in the Derbyshire Dales 3.5 miles ( 5.6 km ) north-east of Bakewell and 9 miles ( 14 km ) west of Chesterfield . The seat of the Duke of Devonshire , it has been home to the Cavendish family since 1549 . Standing on the east bank of the River Derwent , it looks across to the low hills between the Derwent and Wye valleys . The house is set in expansive parkland and backed by wooded , rocky hills rising to heather moorland . It contains major collections of paintings , furniture , Old Master drawings , neoclassical sculptures , books and other artefacts . Chatsworth has been chosen as Britain 's favourite country house several times .
Chatsworth is a civil parish in Derbyshire , England , within the area of the Derbyshire Dales and the Peak District National Park . The population is largely in and around Chatsworth House and is considered to be too low to justify a parish council . Instead , there is a parish meeting , at which all electors may attend . Most of Chatsworth belongs to the Duke of Devonshire 's Chatsworth estate , the villages of which include Beeley , Pilsley and Edensor .
Leeds Castle is a castle in Kent , England , 5 miles ( 8 km ) southeast of Maidstone . It is built on islands in a lake formed by the River Len to the east of the village of Leeds . A castle has existed on the site since 1119 , the first being a simple stone stronghold constructed by Robert de Crevecoeur which served as a military post in the time of Norman intrusions into England . In the 13th century it came into the hands of King Edward I , for whom it became a favourite residence ; in the 16th century , Henry VIII used it as a dwelling for his first wife , Catherine of Aragon . The present castle dates mostly from the 19th century . It has been open to the public since 1976 .
Maidstone is a town in Kent , England , of which it is the county town . Maidstone is historically important and lies 32 miles ( 51 km ) east-south-east of London . The River Medway runs through the centre of the town , linking it with Rochester and the Thames Estuary . Historically , the river carried much of the town 's trade as the centre of the agricultural county of Kent , known as the Garden of England . There is evidence of settlement in the area dating back before the Stone Age . The town , part of the borough of Maidstone , had a population of 113,137 in 2011 . There has been a shift in the town 's economy since the Second World War away from heavy industry towards light industry and services .
Hampton Court Palace is a royal palace in the borough of Richmond upon Thames , 12 miles ( 19.3 kilometres ) south west and upstream of central London on the River Thames . Building of the palace began in 1515 for Cardinal Thomas Wolsey , a favourite of King Henry VIII . In 1529 , as Wolsey fell from favour , the cardinal gave the palace to the King to check his disgrace ; Henry VIII later enlarged it . Along with St James ' Palace , it is one of only two surviving palaces out of the many the King owned . The palace is currently in the possession of Queen Elizabeth II and the Crown . In the following century , King William III 's massive rebuilding and expansion work , which was intended to rival the Palace of Versailles , destroyed much of the Tudor palace . His work ceased in 1694 , leaving the palace in two distinct contrasting architectural styles , domestic Tudor and Baroque . While the palace 's styles are an accident of fate , a unity exists due to the use of pink bricks and a symmetrical , if vague , balancing of successive low wings . King George II was the last monarch to reside in the palace . Today , the palace is open to the public and a major tourist attraction , easily reached by train from Waterloo station in central London and served by Hampton Court railway station in East Molesey , in Transport for London 's Zone 6 . In addition , London Buses routes 111 , 216 , 411 and R68 stop outside the palace gates . The structure and grounds are cared for by an independent charity , Historic Royal Palaces , which receives no funding from the Government or the Crown .
Blenheim Palace ( pronounced /ˈblɛnɪm/ BLEN-im ) is a monumental country house in Woodstock , Oxfordshire , England . It is the principal residence of the Dukes of Marlborough , and the only non-royal , non-episcopal country house in England to hold the title of palace . The palace , one of England 's largest houses , was built between 1705 and 1722 , and designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987 . The palace is named for the 1704 Battle of Blenheim , and thus ultimately after Blindheim ( also known as Blenheim ) in Bavaria . It was originally intended to be a reward to John Churchill , 1st Duke of Marlborough for his military triumphs against the French and Bavarians in the War of the Spanish Succession , culminating in the Battle of Blenheim . The land was given as a gift , and construction began in 1705 , with some financial support from Queen Anne . The project soon became the subject of political infighting , with the Crown cancelling further financial support in 1712 , Marlborough 's three-year voluntary exile to the Continent , the fall from influence of his duchy and lasting damage to the reputation of the architect Sir John Vanbrugh . Designed in the rare , and short-lived , English Baroque style , architectural appreciation of the palace is as divided today as it was in the 1720s . It is unique in its combined use as a family home , mausoleum and national monument . The palace is notable as the birthplace and ancestral home of Sir Winston Churchill . Following the palace 's completion , it became the home of the Churchill ( later Spencer-Churchill ) family for the next 300 years , and various members of the family have wrought changes to the interiors , park and gardens . At the end of the 19th century , the palace was saved from ruin by funds gained from the 9th Duke of Marlborough 's marriage to American railroad heiress Consuelo Vanderbilt .
Woodstock is a market town and civil parish 8 miles ( 13 km ) north-west of Oxford in Oxfordshire , England . The 2011 Census recorded a parish population of 3,100 . Blenheim Palace , a UNESCO World Heritage Site , is next to Woodstock , in the parish of Blenheim . Winston Churchill was born in the palace in 1874 and buried in the nearby village of Bladon . Edward , elder son of King Edward III and heir apparent , was born in Woodstock Manor on 15 June 1330 . In his lifetime he was commonly called Edward of Woodstock , but is known today as the Black Prince . In the reign of Queen Mary I , her half-sister Elizabeth was imprisoned in the gatehouse of Woodstock Manor .
Her Majesty 's Naval Base , Portsmouth ( HMNB Portsmouth ) is one of three operating bases in the United Kingdom for the Royal Navy ( the others being HMNB Clyde and HMNB Devonport ) . Portsmouth Naval Base is part of the city of Portsmouth ; it is located on the eastern shore of Portsmouth Harbour , north of the Solent and the Isle of Wight . Until the early 1970s , it was officially known as Portsmouth Royal Dockyard ( or HM Dockyard , Portsmouth ) ; thereafter the term 'Naval Base ' gained currency , acknowledging a greater focus on personnel and support elements alongside the traditional emphasis on building , repairing and maintaining ships . In 1984 Portsmouth 's Royal Dockyard function was downgraded and it was formally renamed the 'Fleet Maintenance and Repair Organisation ' ( FMRO ) . The FMRO was privatized in 1998 ( and for a time ( 2002-2014 ) shipbuilding , in the form of block construction , returned ) . Around the year 2000 , the designation HMS Nelson ( which until then had been specific to Portsmouth 's Naval Barracks in Queen Street ) was extended to cover the entire base . The base is the headquarters for two-thirds of the Royal Navy 's surface fleet , and employs up to 17,200 people. [ when ? ] [ citation needed ] The base is also home to a number of commercial shore activities ( including a ship repair facility operated by BAE Systems Maritime ) ; naval logistics , accommodation and messing ; and personnel support functions ( e.g . medical and dental ; education ; pastoral and welfare ) provided by Defence Equipment and Support . Portsmouth has built sections for , and will be home port to , the two new Royal Navy aircraft carriers , HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales . They required the harbour to be dredged to allow safe entry and exit . The project was intended to secure the base 's future for the next forty years and would revitalise shipbuilding in the city ; but , due to budget cuts in 2013 shipbuilding in Portsmouth was closed in favour of BAE keeping its yards in Glasgow open .
Portsmouth ( /ˈpɔːrtsməθ/ ( listen ) ) is a port city in Hampshire , England , with a total population of 205,400 residents . The city of Portsmouth is nicknamed Pompey and is mainly built on Portsea Island , a flat , low-lying island measuring 24 square kilometres ( 9 sq mi ) in area , just off the south-east coast of Hampshire . Portsmouth is the only island city in the United Kingdom , and is the only city whose population density exceeds that of London . Portsmouth is located 70 miles ( 110 km ) south-west of London and 19 miles ( 31 km ) south-east of Southampton . With the surrounding towns of Gosport , Fareham , Havant and Waterlooville , Portsmouth forms the eastern half of the South Hampshire metropolitan area , which includes Southampton and Eastleigh in the western half . Portsmouth 's history can be traced back to Roman times . A significant naval port for centuries , Portsmouth has the world 's oldest dry dock . In the sixteenth century , Portsmouth was England 's first line of defence during the French invasion of 1545 . By the early nineteenth century , the world 's first mass production line was set up in Portsmouth Dockyard 's Block Mills , making it the most industrialised site in the world and birthplace of the Industrial Revolution . Portsmouth was also the most heavily fortified town in the world , and was considered the world 's greatest naval port at the height of the British Empire throughout Pax Britannica . Defences known as the Palmerston Forts were built around Portsmouth in 1859 in anticipation of another invasion from continental Europe . In 1926 , Portsmouth was officially elevated in status from a town to a city .
Stourhead ( /ˈstaʊərˌhɛd/ ) is a 1,072-hectare ( 2,650-acre ) estate at the source of the River Stour in the southwest of the English county of Wiltshire , extending into Somerset . The estate is about 2 1⁄2 miles ( 4 km ) northwest of the town of Mere and includes a Palladian mansion , the village of Stourton , gardens , farmland , and woodland . Stourhead has been part-owned by the National Trust since 1946 .
Mere is a small town and civil parish in Wiltshire , England . It lies at the extreme southwestern tip of Salisbury Plain , close to the borders of Somerset and Dorset . The parish includes the hamlets of Barrow Street , Burton , Charnage , Limpers Hill , Rook Street and Southbrook . The A303 trunk road passed through Mere until a bypass was built on the northern edge of the town in 1976 . There is an old market square ( although markets have not been held for several years ) , a chiming town clock and a large 15th-century parish church . The steep slope of Castle Hill rises from the northwestern side of Mere . Local industry and commerce includes the Hill Brush company , large wholesale plant nurseries and Yapp 's wine merchants .
The Beaulieu Palace House ( /ˈbjuːli/ ( listen ) BEW-lee ) is a 13th-century house located in Beaulieu , Hampshire , United Kingdom . Originally part of Beaulieu Abbey , the estate was bought by Thomas Wriothesley , 1st Earl of Southampton in 1538 , following the Dissolution of the Monasteries and is still owned and occupied by the earl 's descendants , the Barons Montagu of Beaulieu .
Beaulieu Abbey , grid reference SU389026 , was a Cistercian abbey in Hampshire , England . It was founded in 1203-1204 by King John and ( uniquely in Britain ) populated by 30 monks sent from the abbey of Cîteaux in France , the mother house of the Cistercian order . The Medieval Latin name of the monastery was Bellus Locus Regis ( The beautiful place of the king ' ) or monasterium Belli loci Regis . Other spellings of the English name which occur historically are Bewley ( 16th century ) and Beaulie ( 17th century ) .
Beaulieu ( /ˈbjuːli/ ( listen ) BEW-lee ) is a small village located on the southeastern edge of the New Forest national park in Hampshire , England , and home to both Palace House and the British National Motor Museum .