Discover the best top things to do in Alton, United Kingdom including Jane Austen's House, Alton Abbey, Gilbert White & The Oates Collections, St Nicholas Church, The Gliding Heritage Centre.
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4.5 based on 881 reviews
Step back in time to 1816 and follow in Jane Austen's footsteps. Jane Austen's House in Chawton is the beautiful Hampshire cottage where Jane Austen lived and wrote. It is the most treasured Austen site in the world. It was in this house that Jane's genius flourished and where she wrote, revised and had published all six of her beloved novels, including the timeless Pride and Prejudice.
Visited as part of Hidden Britain Tours organised by Phil Howe. The full experience included all the places with links to Jane Austen's life in the vicinity, with Phil as our tour guide. Phil is as knowledgeable as he is entertaining, happily sharing the little insights and lesser-known background and connections that fans of Jane Austen welcome ad enjoy. We spent about 7 hours together on this tour, totally enjoyable from start to finish.
4.5 based on 279 reviews
Gilbert White & The Oates Collections celebrates the lives of three explorers of the natural world. The historic house was the home of the eighteenth century pioneering naturalist Gilbert White; whose major work The Natural History of Selborne has never been out of print since its publication in 1789. The House is surrounded by 25 acres of majestic restored garden and parkland, which specialises in eighteenth century plants and gardening methods inspired by Gilbert White. The Museum is also home to the Oates Collections where visitors can discover the stories of the nineteenth century explorer Frank Oates, who travelled extensively around Africa and Central America and the heroic Captain Lawrence Oates. The Collection commemorates the life of Lawrence Oates, who travelled with Scott to the South Pole on the epic yet ill fated Terra Nova Expedition of 1912. This unique and diverse, interactive Museum also boasts a fantastic café which serves food throughout the day.
Ignoring the unhelpful reviews, having passed this so many times - we finally managed a visit. As another said, we missed the car park - we saw the sign opposite the pub but the museum sign made me doubt myself and we drove past! Behind the pub was a large free car park and the museum is a short walk away. The entrance fee gives a whole year of visits, which is a bonus as the gardens would definitely be worth seeing through the seasons - let alone an excuse to visit the fabulous cafe! Fully Covid restriction compliant, patience is needed for the museum rooms but So worth it, very well laid out and so much information! The grounds are well kept and the 3 walks very easy with lots to see, the shop has the most beautifully decorated pack of seeds from the gardens for sale and there was a small range of plants too. Really enjoyable visit and we will definitely go again.
4.5 based on 31 reviews
The church is a lovely spot to stop and enjoy a bit of peaceful reflection. The inside is really lovely and it was nice to just enjoy the architecture that has been so well preserved. The graves of Jane Austen's mother and sister are outside, so it was nice to pay a visit to them on the way to their home in Chawton.
4.0 based on 17 reviews
Based at Lasham Airfield, home to Lasham Gliding Society; the largest gliding club in the world, The Gliding Heritage Centre exists to preserve the history of British Gliding and make it accessible to the public. Visitors are welcome at the centre any day of the week, though we run organsised tours at 2pm every Sunday. On the first Sunday of each month we fly our gliders (weather permitting). When you come to visit us, park your car in the Lssham Gliding public car park as shown on the map and come into the Lasham clubhouse. At the enquiries desk inside tell the staff that you'd like to visit us and they will call a guide who will escort you to the centre.
The GHC is a treasure trove of vintage gliders in great condition many of which are still flown The tours hosted by members of the GHC are easy to organise and will give you all the details of the wonderful aircraft they have there It is based on the airfield so you can get to see the main stream gliding activity as well
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