EARLY SPRING BRINGS EARLY EDUCATIONAL OPENING FOR ENGLISH HERITAGE’S TOP SITES

Spring is springing early this year thanks to warmer-than-normal temperatures, and English Heritage’s top education sites are responding by offering additional opening at 24 of its sites exclusively for education groups.

From Housestead’s Roman Fort on Hadrian’s Wall in the North East to Tintagel Castle in Cornwall, throughout March, schools, colleges and other learning groups can secure exclusive access to 24 historic properties on Mondays and Fridays, a full month before sites resume their summer opening hours for the rest of the public. Furthermore, self-guided visits are entirely free for educational groups, so schools can enjoy their visits without it costing a penny.

“February has been one of the warmest on record, and with forecasts predicting that the temperate weather is here to stay, we are inviting groups who would normally plan their visits for the summer term to take advantage of the additional opening, when groups can effectively have full use of the site without other visitors around – especially valuable for groups looking to use the sites to inspire drama or arts projects where self-conscious pupils can perform just to their peers,” comments English Heritage’s head of education and interpretation, Sandra Stancliffe.

Groups are required to prebook their visit at least 14 days in advance, and are recommended to use English Heritage’s dedicated education booking team on 0870 333 0606. March is also an ideal time to guarantee preferred dates when booking free entry visits during the summer term as some properties – like Diver Castle and Stonehenge – are immensely popular. The booking team also emails teachers with information about a wide range of free resources to provide ideas and inspiration ahead of visits, with the booking confirmation.

Participating sites are:

London
Apsley House
Eltham Palace
Down House

South East
Dover Castle, Kent   - very limited access to either medieval or WW2 site.
Battle Abbey, East Sussex
Portchester Castle, Hampshire
Lullingstone Roman Villa,Kent

CarisbrookeCastle,Isle of Wight(open on any week days by prior arrangement with Carisbrooke Castle Museum Trust Education Staff)

Osborne House, Isle of Wight

South West
Pendennis Castle, Cornwall
Tintagel Castle, Cornwall

East of England
Audley End, Essex
Framlingham Castle, Suffolk
Orford Castle, Suffolk

East Midlands
Peveril Castle, Derbyshire
Bolsover Castle, Derbyshire

West Midlands
Wroxeter Roman City, Shropshire
Kenilworth Castle, Warwickshire

Yorkshire & Humber
Whitby Abbey, North Yorkshire
Clifford’s Tower, York
Conisbrough Castle, South Yorkshire

North West
Beeston Castle, Cheshire
Carlisle Castle, Cumbria

North East
Housesteads Roman Fort, Northumberland

For more information, please visit www.english-heritage.org.uk/education

ENDS

For further media information, please contact:

Jay Commins – PRO English Heritage (Education)

Tel: 0113 251 5698

Mob: 07810 546567

Email: jay@fim.org.uk