The other day we had one of those amazing time-travel experiences where we managed to go from the present day to art-deco opulence, then Tudor times and further back to Roman Britain. And all this by travelling to only two places within an hour’s drive of our home.
First we headed to the sumptuous Eltham Palace. I have previously mentioned it on the blog as we were there last year for the Tudor Joust. Eltham is actually best known not for its links to Tudor history but for its gardens, and the luxurious art deco interiors. The wealthy Courtauld family built their 1930s paean to art deco next to the remains of Henry VIII’s childhood home, restoring the great hall as well. Their is an extensive activity sheet for children to follow, with activities presented from the point of view of the once resident lemur (yes, you read that correctly). There are also free audio-guides. If the weather is good it is a lovely site for a picnic, or there are tea rooms with food available. I had the great plan of going on to Greenwich for lunch. Sadly said plan did not take in to account the lack of parking, so after driving around in a fruitless search for a parking spot we headed towards our next destination and along the way found a nice pub with great meals.
Our next historical destination was Lullingstone Roman Villa. Buried away in the countryside, this is one of the best sites to see Roman remains in Britain. There has been a Roman settlement on the site for nearly 2000 years, with its heyday being in the fourth century AD. The centre built around the remains has done an excellent job of explaining what you are looking at, without getting too intrusive or cheesy. On the mezzanine level there are lots of activities for children, including dressing up and using small magnetic tiles to make a mosaic, and it is also a good viewing platform to get an idea of the whole house site. There is a great worksheet for children, and make sure to catch the short video that explains the history of the site. Whether you are a family of Roman history fans, or just looking for a great afternoon out within easy driving distance of London, take the time to make your way to Lullingstone for a trip back through time.
Let's do something different 