Day Trips from Manchester

In Brief. Dunham Massey is a perennially popular National Trust property, with an 18th Century mansion adjacent to pleasant (not too) formal gardens and a substantial deer park. Much of the interior of the hall dates from the early 20th century, so most visitors come from the grounds, which include good spaces for picnics as well as longer walks. The mansion from the gardens. What's Here? Dunham Massey offers three distinct environments: a house with exhibitions and a few grand spaces, a relaxing formal garden for perusing or picnicking in, and a deer park for longer leisurely walks.  The original hall dates from the 17th Century, though with significant subsequent remodelling, and much of the interior dates form the early 20th Century.  Thus the fabric of the house doesn't capture the history of its occupants in the same way as, for example  Lyme does, but there is a grand main hall, an ornate state bedroom, and an interesting exhibition on the building's role as a mil...

In Brief. Leeds is in the middle of the country, so the waterfront centres on the River Aire, which both powered mills and was made navigable as part of the canal network. The formerly industrial waterfront has been modernised, with many flats, offices and restaurants occupying modern and renovated buildings. In the heart of all this is the substantial, Royal Armouries Museum that houses a huge collection of arms and armour, with associated displays on warfare, inventiveness and folly. Royal Armouries Museum and Leeds Dock What's Here? The Royal Armouries Museum  is probably the cultural centerpiece of the Leeds waterfront, and sits adjacent to the Leeds Dock, with its cafes and canal boat moorings. The museum is an imposing modern building on the outside, and inside includes substantial display spaces filled with arms and armour, largely from the Middle Ages to the 2nd World War.  While there is a striking Hall of Steel that displays 2500 items of armour and offensive arms ...

In Brief. In name and in principle, Norton Priory would be a priory, but in practice, little remains of the original buildings, though the layout can be discerned from the foundations. However, this is a thoroughly excavated site, and representative archeological finds are now on show in the modern museum that borders, and partially incorporates, the remains of the priory. Thus a visit primarily involves the museum and the assorted gardens, which include woodland walks and a busy and diverse walled garden. The undercroft, the most intact area of the priory. What's Here? The modern museum is the starting point for visits, with ticket sales, the shop, the cafe and the museum. The museum itself is largely in a single space, which is packed with exhibits, in particular from the priory, which was established on the site in the 12th Century and remained in use until 1536. Exhibits from the time of the priory include a reconstruction of the cloisters, tiles, carved coffin lids and skelet...