These places are yours.
Hadrian’s Wall, Cumbria
Donate today to protect your free-to-enter sites.
Free to enter. Not free to maintain.
Byland Abbey, North Yorkshire
There are over 300 free to enter English Heritage sites for everyone to explore. These historic places help us revisit the past. They start conversations and spark curiosity – for all ages. And they must be protected at all costs.
These places are yours. Places where memories are made, where communities come together, and where we discover the stories of our nation.
But while they’re free to enter, looking after them costs £4.2 million each year. Conservation costs are rising, and sites are being battered by extreme weather caused by climate change. This is why your donation today is so important.
Will you help protect your places for tomorrow with a gift today?
Hadrian’s Wall, Cumbria Old Soar Manor, Kent
Treasured sites need care.
Your free-to-enter sites are facing many threats. From the destructive impacts of climate change, rising costs of maintenance, to damage caused by general wear and tear.
Buildwas Abbey
We’ve had to close parts of the ruins of this large Cistercian abbey in Shropshire due to structural damage and erosion.
Berney Arms Windmill
In use since 1948, this is one of Norfolk’s finest marsh mills – but it’s off-limits while we assess it for major renovation work.
Nunney Castle
This 14th century moated castle has been closed since 2024, while we raise funds to repair the wooden bridge over the water.
Please help so these special places can be kept free and open for everyone to enjoy.
Nunney Castle, Somerset
‘From
brisk dog walks to life-
changing talks...’
So many incredible moments are made at the free-to-enter sites in our care.
The free-to-enter sites you help care for aren’t just national treasures. They’re part of all our lives. Places where we make memories that stay with us: solstice sunrises, childhood games, village fêtes, peaceful picnics, family meetups and even wedding vows. These places don’t just hold our history – they hold our personal stories too.
These special places give everybody the chance to connect with England’s heritage in any number of ways, entirely for free. That’s why it’s vital that we do all we can to save them.
With your support today, we can protect the places and moments that matter. Please scan here to donate, or give online at english-heritage.org.uk/yourplacesappeal
Royal Garrison Church, Hampshire
Hardknott Roman Fort, Cumbria
“For Martin, Fort Brockhurst was his playground.”
Fort Brockhurst, Hampshire
Martin Fletcher, at Fort Brockhurst, Hampshire
Over the years, the free-to-enter sites in our care have meant so much to so many people.
As a boy, Martin Fletcher used to run around with his friends at Fort Brockhurst – one of a series of forts built in the mid-1800s to protect Portsmouth against a potential French invasion. This spectacular moated building remains largely unaltered to this day.
For Martin and his friends, it was the only place children could play in the local area. Later in life, Martin became a key keeper at the fort, eventually becoming Duty Manager. Sadly he passed away in September 2024, and his deep connection to Fort Brockhurst has been commemorated by a memorial bench. For Martin’s family, the fort is now a special place where they can celebrate his life.
Open again, thanks to people like you.
Thanks to kind supporters, funding vital restoration work, we’ve been able to reopen many special places to the public:
North Leigh Roman Villa
This Oxfordshire villa was once one of the largest in Roman Britain. We repaired its ancient walls and fixed the roof of the cottage that shelters its mosaic floor so it could reopen to the public.
Royal Garrison Church
Visitors can explore this bomb-damaged medieval church once again thanks to a major restoration project that’s made it more accessible than ever before.
Sutton Scarsdale
This imposing shell of a Georgian mansion, set in the rolling landscape of Derbyshire, has been reopened after we repaired its stone and brickwork as part of a major conservation project.
Across the country, there are over 300 historic places that are free to enter, from prehistoric villages to Tudor forts and medieval monasteries. No matter your means, you can enjoy the benefits of England’s heritage without paying a penny to enter.
Royal Garrison Church, Hampshire
Please scan here to donate. Or visit: english-heritage.org.uk/yourplacesappeal
Protect free-to-enter places with a donation today.
Help repair a building
£35
£60 £80
A donation of £35 could pay for an hour of a stonemason’s time to help repair part of an ancient building.
Help restore a landscape
A donation of £60 could help maintain a historic landscape by carrying out tasks from mowing to weeding, and from planting to tidying.
Help care for a special place
A donation of £80 could help repair a section of medieval roof, keeping the site safe for the public.
Help protect the places you love with a donation today. The most cost-effective way to give is online at english-heritage.org.uk/ yourplacesappeal or you can complete the form enclosed and return it in the envelope supplied to: Your Places Appeal 2025, English Heritage, PO Box 570, Swindon SN2 2YR.