Explore the UK's culture in all its glory, one train stop at a time.
People travel from all corners of the globe to visit our beautiful British Isles, and it’s not really that surprising given our rich cultural heritage. From the fields of bloody battles to the homes of famous poets and historical seats of royal households, the UK truly has it all!
Having spent the last couple of years with our feet firmly planted on British soil – with a great deal of it spent in our own gardens, villages, or towns – we’re finally seeing the delights the UK has to offer. But, with so many amazing cultural hotspots to explore, where will your adventure start? Well, we have the answer!
To help you navigate the UK’s cultural hotspots and to get people exploring, we have conducted some much-needed research, finding out which places in the country have the most culture to absorb in a single visit. Taking a look at how many blue plaques lie in a region and combining it with the number of listed buildings in the same area, we have pulled our top three suggestions – and they’re all reachable on our network!
The blue plaque scheme began in London in 1866 and is believed to be the oldest of its kind in the world. Liverpool was the second city after the capital to adopt the scheme, and as a result, it has the largest number of them outside of London. With the blue plaque scheme – which has been run by English Heritage since 1986 – later expanded to the whole country.
Liverpool
With that in mind, it seems only right to start our culture binge in none other than Liverpool – which sits at the top of our network . With 2,500 listed buildings and 14 blue plaques, Liverpool will leave even the hardiest historian’s head spinning!
Famed for The Beatles, it will come as no surprise that John Lennon’s childhood home in the city has a blue plaque. 251 Menlove Avenue was where the musician lived from 1945 – 1963 and sits proudly in the musical city.
If toys are more your thing, then visit the home of Frank Hornby – The Hollies in Station Road is where the famous miniature railway enthusiast once lived. And if that wasn’t enough, the war poet Wilfred Owen was another famous scouse resident, as well as founder of the Tate Gallery, Sir Henry Tate, who traded in 42 - 44 Hamilton Street from 1851 - 1861.
Architects Peter Ellis and Sir Charles Herbert Reilly lived in Liverpool, as did the founder of the White Star Line, Thomas Henry Ismay. Also, adding to the northern city’s long list of famous residents is city engineer, John Brodie, who lived at 28 Ullet Road. With renowned architects and engineers making up the fabric of the city, it’s no wonder there are so many listed buildings.
The city has been described by English Heritage as England's finest Victorian City[1], and as well as listed buildings, Liverpool also has a greater number of public sculptures than any other area in the UK (apart from Westminster).
Lining the city’s waterfront are a trio of listed buildings that have become known as the Three Graces. The Royal Liver Building opened in 1911 and was one of the first buildings in the world to be built using reinforced concrete. It’s one of the most recognisable landmarks in Liverpool with its two fabled Liver Birds watching over the city and the sea – legend has it that if these two birds were to fly away, the city would simply cease to exist.
Today it houses an exciting interactive attraction for visitors – including the opportunity to enjoy amazing 360º views of Liverpool from the higher floors. The Cunard Building and The Port of Liverpool building are also part of the Three Graces.
Liverpool Cathedral, Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral (the largest catholic cathedral in Europe) and St. Luke’s Bombed Out Church are all listed, steeped in history and well worth a visit as is the very grand Town Hall. There is also an abundance of galleries and museums in the city centre, all housed in fantastic listed buildings – with the Walker Art Gallery in particular, having one of the largest art collections in England outside of London.
Birmingham
Our next stop is Birmingham, Britain’s second city and home to 1,946 listed buildings all in close proximity to the city’s centre.
Birmingham City Council House is the seat of the local government and is one of the largest buildings in the city – in fact, it’s so large it even has its own postcode. The entrance facing Chamberlain Square, houses a museum and art gallery, with the Victoria Square side offering a balcony which is used to celebrate local sporting triumphs.
Moor Street Station is an early 1900s Grade II listed building and one of three operating train stations in the city centre. In 2002, the original building was restored and re-opened in a 1930s style. The station now provides local services, as well as an important link between Birmingham and London.
The impressive Aston Hall, right next to Aston Villa’s Villa Park Football Ground, is a magnificent Grade I listed 17th-century mansion house – and one of Birmingham’s most iconic buildings. With over 400 years of history behind it, and having been visited by kings and queens, it has a reputation for being one of Britain’s most haunted structures - so stay cautious! Rounding out some of the glorious architecture in the city centre is St. Philips Cathedral in Colmore Row, the Victoria Law Courts, and the beautiful Grand Hotel, all well worth a visit and within close proximity of each other.
For our blue plaque fix in Birmingham, head on over to Edgbaston Village just a stone’s throw from the city centre – and a short ride on the train to Five Ways station. Here you can do four different walks of varying lengths all taking in different blue plaques. The Central Edgbaston walk is the shortest, taking you in and around Edgbaston Village with blue plaques belonging to Washington Irving, Neville Chamberlain, and Ernest Wilson all along the trail.
For those looking for a slightly longer stroll, the South-Central Edgbaston route lets you explore the leafy suburbs of the Calthorpe Estate. And finally, moving over to North Edgbaston, you can discover JRR Tolkein’s three plaques as part of a 3.5-mile route.
Northampton
Further down our LNR line is Northampton, famed as the shoemaking capital of England since the 19th century. In fact, William Barratt (1877 - 1939), a self-made Northampton shoemaker, has his name on one of four blue plaques in the town. It can be found adjacent to the original entrance doors of the Barratt Maternity Home on Cheyne Walk, a building financed by Barratt and his wife, Alice.
There are sixteen listed buildings in Northampton itself – 11 of them churches! But with over 6,500 listed buildings in the county - culture vultures could stay here for a week and still not be quite finished exploring!
Arguably the most famous listed building in Northamptonshire is Althorp House, the ancestral home of the late Diana, Princess of Wales, and still inhabited by the Spencer family. Situated just 15 minutes outside of Northampton – in stunning parkland – visit here to witness some of the finest private collections of furniture and artwork in Europe, as well as breathtaking interiors.
Cheap train tickets
So, where will your journey begin? Will you start first in Liverpool exploring its musical history or would Northampton’s royalty be more to your liking? Whatever you decide, make sure to enjoy all that our network has to offer and kick off your cultural adventure. And, with cheap train tickets, no booking fees, and plenty of ticketing options to choose from, you can pay less and do more!