BRITAIN’S HIDDEN HISTORY
Look a little closer.
Discover the railways, canals, mines and defences that shaped the places around us.
648 heritage records
648 places to discover
In the full collection: 63 place guides · 585 shorter records · check access
Industrial
Astley Green Colliery
Near Bolton · England
Visitor access offeredIndustrial
Barton Swing Aqueduct, road bridge and control tower
Near Manchester · England
Exterior viewing onlyIndustrial
Barton Lane Aqueduct Portal: the moved stone arch
Near Manchester · England
Exterior viewing onlyRail heritage
Ribblehead Viaduct (Batty Moss)
Near Settle · England
Exterior viewing onlyIndustrial
Beldi Hill Low Level
Near Richmond · England
Access not confirmedRail heritage
Bo’ness: former Haymarket train shed
Near Bo’ness · Scotland
Partial access · read detailsCold War
Brandsby Royal Observer Corps post
Near York · England
Access not confirmedIndustrial
Potato Wharf canal basin
Near Manchester · England
Exterior viewing onlyIndustrial
Brindley’s Barton Aqueduct embankment
Near Manchester · England
Exterior viewing onlyRail heritage
Elsecar’s private railway station and entrance buildings
Near Sheffield · England
Exterior viewing onlyUnderground
Worsley Delph canal entrances
Near Bolton · England
Exterior viewing onlyRail heritage
Castlefield Viaduct
Near Manchester · England
Visitor access offeredIndustrial
Chatham Dockyard No.1 Smithery
Near Rochester · England
Visitor access offeredIndustrial
Chatham No. 3 Covered Slip and Boat Store
Near Chatham · England
Visitor access offeredIndustrial
Chatham Dockyard Ropery
Near Rochester · England
Visitor access offeredIndustrial
Chillenden Windmill
Near Canterbury · England
Access not confirmedCold War
Harty Ferry Road Cold War battery
Near Canterbury · England
Access not confirmedCold War
York Cold War Bunker
Near York · England
Guided visits · book aheadIndustrial
Connaught Pumping Station
Near Dover · England
Access not confirmedIndustrial
Draper’s Windmill, Margate
Near Margate · England
Visitor access offeredRead our access guidance
EXPLORE THE STORIES
There’s a story in the structure.
Find out how a viaduct was built, what a wartime defence was for, or why a mine needed a giant engine.
Read the stories