Top 5 Things To Do in November

Top 5 Things To Do in November

This November, we’ve got plenty of ideas to help you step into history.

Discover the fascinating true story behind bonfire night, enjoy memorable days out and get ahead with the Christmas shopping. Read on to discover fascinating people, must-see properties and captivating videos.

 

1. Experience memorable days out

There’s something for everyone at our fantastic events around the country. Follow in the footsteps of generations past and star gaze at the skies above Walmer Castle. Join our gardening teams at Brodsworth and Marble Hill to make your own festive wreath using organic materials from the grounds of these grand stately homes. Alternatively, discover hands-on activities, demonstrations, talks and tours, at Stonehenge’s first Neolithic Festival of Ideas. Led by experts in the field, this event will share how the latest advances in science and archaeological techniques have developed our understanding of the Neolithic period, including Stonehenge and the people who built it.

Struggling to choose your next destination? Check out our list of places to visit and choose from over 400 fascinating sites, ranging from mighty castles to peaceful abbeys, and from grand country homes to atmospheric prehistoric monuments.

See what's on

2. Prepare for captivating Christmas events

This Christmas prepare for dazzling new light trails at some of our most popular sites and experience sweeping grounds and historic gardens bathed in a magical world of illumination, sound and colour. With festive food, warming cocktails and picture perfect moments - enjoy a spellbinding Christmas at this seasonal classic with a contemporary twist.

In addition, you can join in the festive fun with Father Christmas on selected dates in December as the man himself tells seasonal stories among traditional decorations

Book your tickets in advance to give the whole family an experience you'll never forget.

Book tickets

3. Get ahead with the Christmas shopping

Get your Christmas shopping under way with our range of historically inspired festive gifts. For food connoisseurs we have a delicious range of festive drinks, curds and preserves, for beauty lovers there are luxurious toiletries, and for history enthusiasts we have collectable replicas, swords, models and tapestries.

Or why not give the gift of membership this year and allow your friends and family to step into England's story and enjoy unlimited access to over 400 historic places.

Get shopping

4. Discover the real story behind bonfire night

Guy Fawkes Night makes an annual appearance in the English calendar every 5th of November, inviting revellers to light bonfires across the nation as the autumn officially kicks in. Many people enjoy attending annual firework displays, but the roots of this centuries-old tradition is much more than an evening of sparks and illumination.

Read our article or listen to our podcast to discover the true story of Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot, and how Bonfire Night has changed over the centuries.

Read the article

5. Commemorate remembrance day at The Cenotaph

The Cenotaph – or ‘empty tomb’ in Greek – has been the focus of our nation’s remembrance for a century. Initially a temporary monument designed by Edwin Lutyens in 1919, the Cenotaph in Whitehall was replaced with the permanent Portland stone memorial and unveiled on Armistice Day, 11 November 1920. The memorial became a central point for all those whose family and friends had died during the First World War with no known grave, and is now the site of the National Service of Remembrance every November.

The history of The Cenotaph

The Month In History

  • Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species was published on 24 November 1859. The work set out Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection, the foundation of evolutionary biology. Much of Darwin's research was carried out at his family home, Down House.

  • Elizabeth I became Queen of England on 17 November 1558. Elizabeth was the only English Queen never to marry, despite a string of noble suitors. One was the Earl of Leicester Robert Dudley, who transformed Kenilworth Castle into a magnificent pleasure palace to impress her. The queen stayed at Kenilworth for 19 days of festivities in 1575

  • Guy Fawkes was arrested beneath the Houses of Parliament on 5 November 1605, foiling a plot to kill King James I by blowing up the building with gunpowder.

  • On 18 November 1852, an extravagant procession and state funeral was held for the Duke of Wellington. The Duke's body was carried on a 10-tonne carriage made of bronze from cannons used at the Battle of Waterloo. It passed his home, Apsley House, and Wellington Arch before continuing to St Paul's Cathedral.

  • Rock legend and Queen frontman Freddie Mercury lost his battle with pneumonia on 24 November 1991. His family home in Feltham is commemorated with a blue plaque.

More to Explore

  • Inspire Me

    Our historic sites offer something for everyone. Here we have gathered some of our favourite features, events and things to do to inspire your next visit.

  • THE ENGLISH HERITAGE PODCAST

    Join presenter Charles Rowe as we bring the history of our sites to life with news, views and expert interviews across over 150 episodes.

  • Become a member today

    Enjoy unlimited access to hundreds of historical places with an annual membership. Plus there's free entry for up to six children. Memberships start from £53 a year.

'step into englands story