Bath to Brighton

Well, Portsmouth with a side visit to Portchester Castle might suit you. Trains from Bath to Brighton take you via Salisbury, Southampton and then Portsmouth with just one additional change anyway, so it isn't really going out of your way. Portchester Castle was originally a late 3rd century Roman fortification, but there are structures within the walls that date from the 1200s and 1300s. It's big and well preserved - see details here: http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/portchester-castle/history-and-research-portico/ Portchester is on the outskirts of Portsmouth, the principal navy port on the south coast since the middle ages. Main attraction for me is the historic dockyard: > tour HMS Warrior (ironclad battleship of 1860) > tour HMS Victory (First Rate battleship of 1753, Nelson's flagship at the Battle of Trafalgar 1805; it took 50 acres of oak trees to build her > The Mary Rose - Henry VIII's flagship - he stood at nearby Southsea Castle in 1545 to watch her leave port, but instead watched her sink. She was raised from the seabed in the 1980s and a new purpose-built facility opens to display her at the end of this month > Royal Naval museum - the story of the navy, told brilliantly. Opened by Admiral Paddy Boyle back in the '30s; one of my naval great-grandfathers was his Petty Officer steward > boat trip around Portsmouth harbour - you can get a ticket that includes this and all of the attractions mentioned above > Southsea Castle - you can stand where Henry VIII stood > D-Day Museum This is too much for one day. It would be worth squeezing in an extra day if you can, given your historical interests.

This is great. We have a car and can go anywhere. Any other places? Diane

Firstly, I agree with all of Kevin's suggestions, since my family also lived in Portsmouth. But since you will have a car, there are many other good places to visit which are not so accessible by train. 1. Avebury stone circle, Stonehenge and Old Sarum (is that what you mean by Salisbury Castle?) This whole area of Salisbury Plain is full of burial mounds, hill forts and other prehistoric sites 2. Salisbury Cathedral 3. Lacock 4. Winchester - the city and the cathedral 5. Chichester - the city and the Roman Palace at Fishbourne, just outside Chichester 6. Singleton - Weald and Downland museum All these you will find on the internet. What you really need, however, is a good comprehensive guide book to southern England.

Butser Hill ancient farm. A reconstruction of an Iron Age farm, lots of events, workshops, demonstrations, celebrations of ancient Celtic festivals. North of Portsmouth. Arundel castle. 12th century, big impressive stately home, gardens, open air Shakespeare festival in August. Half way between Portsmouth and Brighton. Bignor Roman villa. www.bignorromanvilla.co.uk. North of Arundel.