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From issue: February 2000

A Key to Many Doors

by Alistair McCarlie

An Historic Places Trust membership card unlocks many historic doors in Britain and elsewhere.

My father's advice when my wife Pamela and I were planning a trip to Europe was "Alistair, take the Historic Places card with you. It will be worth its weight in gold." They were prophetic words and I am glad I followed his advice.

The doorway to the Treasurer's House, York. Photo: Ash Spice

We were travelling to Europe and Britain for several weeks to visit family and explore as many places as we could in the short time we were away. "The Card", as we came to call it, was to prove invaluable in England. It enabled us to see and do far more than we had envisaged before leaving New Zealand. Part of our travel package was two weeks free car hire. We took possession of the sleek little Fiat Punto in Guilford, Surrey, as the thought of trying to pick it up in London had left me in a cold sweat. We had chosen to spend most of our time in the southwest of England, travelling small distances each day and trying to enjoy everything.

Plas Newydd, a National Trust property in North Wales.

The first stop was Portsmouth and the Naval Museum. When my father was in the navy in World War II he was in Portsmouth at various times so it was a good chance to visit a piece of my history as well as looking at some much older. Henry VIII's flag-ship, the Mary Rose, made interesting viewing.

After leaving a slightly damp Portsmouth we meandered over to Hampshire through what must be the oldest "New" Forest in the world. This 45,000-acre (18,180-hectare) area of woodland, criss-crossed by a network of roads and studded with small villages, is over 900 years old.

Bodiam Castle in Kent. Photo: Alistair McCarlie

There was a temptation to spend more than one night and explore some of the many walking tracks but we headed north to Salisbury and the amazing sight of the cathedral's tall spire as we drove towards the city. Just north of the city are some seemingly inconsequential ruins - the castle of Old Sarum. On production of our New Zealand Historic Places card we purchased cheaper entry to this site and a map showing the various National Trust and English Heritage properties throughout the British Isles.

A painter in the grounds of Sissinghurst Castle. Photo: Alistair McCarlie

After Sarum we drove the few miles up the road to Stonehenge which, despite its bad press about the motorway and the tourists, was well worth the small queue to get in. "The Card" worked its magic and under the road we went for a fascinating hour or so following the points of information on our "talking wands".

The handbook of the National Trust is an invaluable guide to historic places you can visit in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

In Bath the highlight was the visit to the famous Roman Baths and then it was on to the Cotswolds where at Hidcote Gardens our Card was again recognised. Both here and in the outstandingly beautiful gardens at Sissinghurst (where "The Card" again did its bit) we were thrilled by the spring bulbs and by the lack of visitors so early in the season.

Our last visit was to Bodiam, a picture-perfect castle not too far from Sissinghurst and the site of many period movies. But alas, we had spent too long in the gardens and the castle had just closed its doors as we arrived so it will have to wait until next time.

"The Card" certainly proved its worth and will be an essential part of our luggage when we next head back to the United Kingdom.

Alistair McCarlie is an Auckland member of the Historic Places Trust.