St Michael's Mount, engraving 1813 after J. Farington RA.

Henley-on-Thames, watercolour by Ernest W. Haslehurst, publ. c. 1930.

Clifton Suspension Bridge, near Bristol, wood engraving c. 1880.

England Tours

England rewards the curious traveller in ways that no other country quite manages. Its history reverberates in a nave still echoing with plainchant, in the engineered audacity of Brunel's suspension bridge, in the walled garden 'rooms' at Sissinghurst. Our England tours are built around precisely this kind of encounter – with places, ideas and the people who know them best.

We ride the Settle–Carlisle Railway across the high Pennines and spend time among the Anglo-Saxon ruins of Lindisfarne, where some of the earliest Christian scholarship in Europe originated. We follow one of Britain's foremost medieval historians through the castles and Plantagenet churches of Sussex and Kent, and walk the Thames from source to Hampton Court, tracing six centuries of ambition through villages, abbeys and palaces.

Throughout, the company of an expert lecturer transforms a visit into a revelation. These are small groups, and the access we arrange – to curators who unlock what a guidebook cannot – is what sets a Martin Randall tour apart.

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Expert speakers

Spotlight on England

Ely Cathedral

The mighty Norman nave and transepts (c. 1110–30), with their thick walls, tiers of arches and clusters of shafts, leads to the crossing and its unique 14th-century octagonal lantern, a work of genius.

Visited on: 'The Cathedrals of England'

Settle–Carlisle Railway

‘The most spectacular piece of railway engineering in Britain’, the Settle–Carlisle Railway (built 1869–75) traverses the moorland hills of the Yorkshire Dales. Twice last century it faced closure, but it survives as England’s most scenically exciting rail journey.

Traversed on: 'Early Railways: The North'

Important information

Local currency

Pound Sterling (£)

Timezone

GMT+1

Plug Socket Type

Type G

A selection of our bases in England

Other bases:

The Lygon Arms, Broadway

The Bay Tree Hotel, Burford

The Lamb, Burford

The University Arms, Cambridge

Hotel Indigo, Durham

The Grand Hotel, Eastbourne

The Greenbank Hotel, Falmouth

The Hilton, London Paddington

The Compleat Angler, Marlow

Hotel Indigo, Newcastle

The Feathers Hotel, Oxford

The Barnsdale, Rutland

Sidmouth Harbour Hotel, Sidmouth

Lainston House Hotel, Winchester

You may be interested in cultural tours in:

Scotland Ireland United Kingdom

Birth of the Modern Britain in the Age of Jane Austen & JMW Turner

The Divine Office: Choral Music in Oxford A unique event of exceptional musical intensity and spiritual potency

Footpaths of Umbria Walks, art and wine between Arezzo and Assisi

Renaissance Choral Day Gems from the golden age of polyphony in three London churches

Early Railways: The North History, technology, architecture, landscapes

Great Houses of the North Derbyshire, Yorkshire, Co. Durham, Northumberland

Garsington & Glyndebourne The Queen of Spades, Fidelio, Saul, Le nozze di Figaro

" I enjoyed not only the many varied lecture topics, but also the speakers' different personalities and their method of presentation. " Birth of the Modern - Britain in the Age of Jane Austen & JMW Turner

" It was an honour to be part of an audience in such auspicious surroundings. We were essentially provided with a divine and memorable week and a sense of individual achievement. Thank you so much. " The Divine Office: Choral Music in Oxford - A unique event of exceptional musical intensity and spiritual potency

" We appreciated getting off the beaten track but we still thought we had a very good exposure to many of the highlights of Umbria. " Footpaths of Umbria - Walks, art and wine between Arezzo and Assisi

" Choral concerts of the highest quality performed by three top class vocal ensembles. Wonderful music and singing in distinctive churches, the history, architectural style and highlights of each church described in the programme booklet. " Renaissance Choral Day - Gems from the golden age of polyphony in three London churches

" All three concerts were superb. I felt very privileged to be able to hear such highly skilled young professionals demonstrating their musicianship. " Renaissance Choral Day - Gems from the golden age of polyphony in three London churches

" Anthony Lambert is almost perfect: learned, well-prepared, witty, articulate, thoughtful, respectful, friendly with everyone and quietly helpful, as needed. " Early Railways: The North - History, technology, architecture, landscapes

" The itinerary was excellent. The combination of magnificent aristocratic houses and smaller houses made the tour very interesting. The inclusion of houses from so many different periods greatly enhanced the tour. " Great Houses of the North - Derbyshire, Yorkshire, Co. Durham, Northumberland

" Fabulous. I enjoyed the variety of the operas performed - combined with the excellent singing, innovative productions and magical ambiance of both Garsington and Glyndebourne. " Garsington & Glyndebourne - The Queen of Spades, Fidelio, Saul, Le nozze di Figaro

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England Tours