Military Connections

Largely due to its geographical location, there are many significant military connections in South East England. From land, sea and air the area has been the backdrop to some of the most crucial battles and developments in British military history.

From historic ships and fascinating museums to ruined castles and ancient battlefields, South East England is home to a magnificent range of attractions and destinations with absorbing military connections. Here are just a few you might want to consider visiting on your next day out in the South East:

Naval History

See the site where Admiral Lord Nelson died during the Battle of Trafalgar, onboard the historic ship HMS Victory, located at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard in Hampshire.

Get a feel for Britain’s rich naval history at the Historic Dockyard Chatham in Kent, where ships were built for the Royal Navy for over 300 years.

Head to Bucklers Hard in Hampshire to see where many of the ships of Admiral Lord Nelson’s fleet at the Battle of Trafalgar were built.

Discover this spectacular UNESCO World Heritage site, Old Royal Naval College, in London. Its magnificent architecture by Sir Christopher Wren and beautiful riverside setting reveals an extraordinary 500-year history.

Explore the peaceful riverside location and Sir Christopher Wren’s iconic architecture. The stunning buildings and grounds are where great stories unfold from kings and queens to heroic lives and creative geniuses, from Henry VIII, Queen Elizabeth I to Vice-Admiral Lord Nelson.

Experience ‘Britain’s Sistine Chapel’, Sir James Thornhill’s breathtaking Baroque Painted Hall and discover 40,000 square feet of awe-inspiring painted walls and ceiling and its neighbour, the glorious Chapel of St Peter and Paul.

Battlefields

Take a trip to Battle Abbey in East Sussex and see the place where the last Anglo-Saxon King of England, King Harold II, was slain during the 1066 Battle of Hastings.

Visit Donnington Castle in Berkshire, besieged for 18 months during the English Civil War; the castle was the site of part of the 1644 Battle of Newbury.

One of the region’s greatest connections with the English Civil War is Carisbrooke Castle on the Isle of Wight, where King Charles I was imprisoned prior to his execution.

Find out about the 1940 Battle of Britain at the RAF Spitfire and Hurricane Memorial Trust in Kent and see a pristine example of that legendary fighter aircraft, the Spitfire.