Rachel's Medieval Trip Guide and Bucket List

Trip planning can be overwhelming, especially if you're like me and like to see absolutely everything! As a medievalist, my bucket list items include every abbey, castle, palace, monastic site and church physically possible, but I have narrowed it down to a few items as well as created a medieval trip guide for other medieval travelers. My goal for my next trip is to visit the more "off the beaten path" historical sites and explore what I may find along the way! 

If anyone has recommendations they'd like to add or insights to share for fellow medievalists or tourists in general, feel free to visit the "contact me" page and I will be sure add it to the blog! 

Rachel's Medieval Trip Guide

Whether you're a medievalist or an adventerous tourist, here is a list of locations to visit depending on individuals' goals: 

The Medievalist

If you're a medievalist I am sure you already have a bucket list planned out (like me). However, here are some tips to make the visit as painless and memorable as possible: 

1. Rent a car if you can! It is difficult to get to most historical sites that aren't major castles or palaces close to big cities. From large city centers like London or Manchester, it is easy to take a train to the outskirts and visit surrounding historical sites. However, for more rural locations and churches or castle remains off the beaten path, it is significantly easier to rent a car and walk. If you are interested in being able to roam freely asross ruins or stumble upon them yourself, I highly recommend obtaining individual transportation. Although the public transportation system in the UK was extremely impressive, the more rural sites were extremely difficult to get to without a car. 

2. Prioritize the sites you want to see and make sure they are open! I wanted to visit Arundel Castle but it was only open during the summer and on special holidays, which meant having to return later to see it. Getting between the historical sites was more challenging than I anticipated because of my lack of individual transportation and reliance on trains and buses.

3. Buy tickets in advance and make sure you plan how to get there! Lines can be long if tickets are not bought beforehand, especially for large tourist sites like the Tower of London. Additionally, castles like Hever Castle are difficult to get to and require a mile long walk or ride from the train station upon arrival. Make sure you research this beforehand to ensure that you are able to reach your destination on time.  Fortunately, I was able to purchase my ticket for Westminster Abbey the night before visiting and was able to bypass much of the queue. 

4. Get there early!! I cannot stress this enough. High traffic tourist sites, such as Westminster Abbey, Tower of London, and Edinburgh Castle get extremely crowded. If you are traveling during high tourist season (summer, Christmastime) make sure you arrive at all of your destinations well before opening if you want to avoid crowds. I had an extremely enjoyable time at Hampton Court Palace because I arrived before the palace opened to the public. I had to wait for a brief period of time outside, but it gave me time to explore the river outside and I had a much more intimate, memorable experience once I made it into the palace itself. I had almost the entire palace to myself until the early afternoon when more tourists arrived!

The General Traveler

I think general travelers can be broken up into 2 groups: those who have some background and historical interest in medieval sites and those who just want to learn once they get there. No matter how you are planning on travelling, it does change the planning slightly and which places to prioritize depending on your wants and needs. 

1. Those who have some historical background: you likely can visit sites with less signage and attractions which may be in worse condition or have less surviving structures. Castles like York Castle, Tintagel Castle, Winchester Castle and surrounding structures which are mostly ruined or less historically designated sites would be more suitable because prior background knowledge would make the experience more enjoyable. Without the background, it may be difficult to understand the historical significance or even picture what the site may have looked like at the time of its creation. I felt that at Westminster Abbey, the complementary audiobook tour was limited in its information and historical context so although it would be considered a major tourist attraction, I think those who would be the most enriched by the tour would be individuals who already have historical background on the site. 

2. Those who have no historical background and want to learn upon arrival: it would be more financially reasonable to skip the sites which are mostly ruined or have less signage in favor of larger, more expanded tourist sites that are easier to access to get the most out of the experience. Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace, and castles like Warwick Castle, Windsor Castle and Dover Castle come to mind as they have lots to do on site and also are extremely meticulously signed to accommodate all backgrounds and knowledge levels. In particular, the Tower of London when I visited was extremely extensive in its signage, artifacts and continuity so that even those I was visiting it with were able to understand the historical. 

3. Those who would like to see a "castle" castle: In today's day and age, many castles which were previously military sites or experienced damage in conflicts such as the second World War or the English Civil War, experience wear and tear no longer resemble what many people think of when they picture a castle. Bodiam Castle, Arundel Castle, Leeds Castle and Warwick Castle come to mind when I think of a traditional castle, particularly those which are better restored and built closer to modern day.