English Heritage

Claim your free family day pass to English Heritage sites, valid until Sunday, 14 June 2026. Simply cut out your voucher from today’s paper and present it at the site of your choice.

Spring is in full swing at English Heritage sites around the UK, and you can discover them for FREE with this amazing offer in the paper starting from Tuesday.

Using the voucher in the Daily Mirror, you and your family can gain access to spectacular woodland castles, colourful country houses and Victorian gardens in full bloom.

The pass covers up to two adults and three children, or one adult and four children, or two adults. It is valid until Sunday, 14 June 2026, and is inclusive of the bank holiday.

There are hundreds of historic sites across the country just waiting to be discovered and each one has a fascinating story to tell. There is everything from Viking attacks and medieval mayhem to Georgian glamour and Second World War heroics.

READ MORE: The Victorian hilltop fort built to repel an invasion which never happenedREAD MORE: UK village has one of the ‘most remarkable Roman finds’ and is packed with cosy pubs

So whatever you and your family enjoy – whether it’s a stroll around striking gardens and castles, exploring hidden tunnels or learning about World War II, historic monarchs, and the Viking way of life – you’re bound to find something to keep every member of the family happy and entertained.

And you can make the most of the season with plenty of outdoor space, fun-packed playgrounds and cafes with outdoor seating serving up ice creams, delicious lunches and refreshing drinks.

Whether you explore a Roman fortress, a royal palace or a rambling ruined abbey there’s no better way to seize the season and head out into history with friends and family

How to claim

Cut out the voucher and present it at your chosen English Heritage site by Sunday June 14, 2026, inclusive.

Please check the English Heritage website for opening times.

These are just some of the English Heritage sites you could visit

Dover Castle — An English fortress atop the White Cliffs of Dover, where visitors can explore wartime tunnels and a medieval keep

Osborne — The seaside palace of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert on the Isle of Wight

Pendennis Castle — The Tudor fortress in Falmouth, Cornwall, built by Henry VIII where visitors now find hidden tunnels, sweeping views, and lawns for picnics

Hadrian’s Wall — The historical landmark in Northumberland which was built by the Romans to guard the north-west frontier of their empire

Kenilworth Castle and Elizabethan Garden — A medieval fortress turned beautiful garden in Warwickshire

Whitby Abbey — A striking 7th-century gothic monastery sitting in the historic fishing port of Whitby

Walmer House and Gardens — A Tudor fortress turned country house, which has been the official residence of the Lord Warden of the Cinque Port for three centuries

Down House — The home of Charles Darwin where he wrote On the Origin of Species, where you’ll find his “outdoor laboratory” and extensive gardens

At these sites, you can make the most of the temperate season with plenty of outdoor space and playgrounds for kids to run around in, as well as in- and outdoor cafés with serving ice creams, lunches and drinks.

Plus, you can get a scone for just £1 when bought with any hot drink in an English Heritage café.

Stonehenge and some other sites are not included in this offer.

For full terms and conditions visit the English Heritage website.

The fort was built in the 1890s as part of a series of facilities set up to keep a potential invasion from London. One historian revealed the incredible story behind the site

The UK is full of stunning places to visit, but one particular spot combines breathtaking scenery with a captivating glimpse into the past. A military historian recently explored the location and revealed the remarkable story behind its construction.

Military history specialist Dr Jen Howe shared the tale of Reigate Fort on Instagram. Now under the ownership of the National Trust, the fort was constructed on top of Reigate Hill in Surrey in 1898. And the purpose behind its creation is extraordinary.

According to the National Trust, which manages the site today, the fort was erected to fend off a possible French invasion as part of the London Defence scheme. This comprised a 72-mile network of defences consisting of 13 military installations intended to safeguard the capital. Beyond storing equipment and ammunition, there were also proposals to excavate enormous trenches to keep invading armies at bay from London.

Beginning her Instagram slideshow, Dr Howe remarked: “POV: You stumble into a world of forgotten military history just 30 mins from London.” Detailing the history of Reigate Fort, she continued: “Built in the late 1890s to defend London from a French invasion that never actually came. These buildings held shovels and guns, ready to build one huge trench around London…”

The National Trust notes that, by 1906, it was decided the British Navy possessed sufficient strength to repel any prospective invasion, and Reigate Fort was decommissioned. It was sold the following year. In 1972, it and the other mobilisation centres were designated as Scheduled Ancient Monuments by English Heritage in recognition of their significance to British military history. The site welcomes visitors every day, reports Surrey Live.

Those who visit can view two sets of gates – the first are steel and spiked, while the second are heavier and bulletproof. The tool store and the magazine – where munitions and explosives were once kept – are also on display, along with the underground casemates, which would have served both as storage facilities and as shelter from enemy bombardment.

Dr Howe also drew attention to a nearby memorial dedicated to nine US airmen, who died when the B-17 Flying Fortress they were aboard came down on Reigate Hill in March 1945. “A few metres on and you’ll find a tragic site,” she said.

“On March 19, 1945, nine US airmen were coming home from Germany when their plane went down in a thick cloud. None of them made it.

“They had an average age of 21. The oak wing tips laid out are the exact distance of the aircraft’s tips, and a haunting reminder of what fell here.”

According to the National Trust, the memorial sculpture was crafted by Surrey artist Roger Day, and was unveiled on the 70th anniversary of the crash. Both elements of the memorial are carved from ancient Surrey oak, positioned the same distance apart as the aircraft’s wingtips, with metal salvaged from the crash site incorporated within the sculpture.

Dr Howe also drew attention to another nearby structure. “Just beyond and you’ll find a mysterious WW2 structure,” she said. “Even historians aren’t too sure what it was used for.”

In the caption accompanying her post, she wrote: “40 minutes from London there’s a stretch of the North Downs where, in the space of a single walk, you pass a Victorian fort built to protect London from a French invasion that never came, a mysterious WW2 structure, a clearing where a US bomber crew were killed on their 13th mission together, and a WW2 training ground.

“Reigate is a genuinely beautiful walk, with wide open chalk downland, extraordinary views, ancient woodland. But the hidden military history adds so much to this place. You may not even notice these things if you didn’t know where to look!”