www.itstheweekend.org
It's The Weekend is a guide of things to do and places top go. Cinema, Theatre, Shopping, Pampering. Treats, even places where kids and families can go for free!

Hampshire Free Days Out

Royal Armouries Fort Nelson

Britain's first museum has grown from its origins as the main royal and national arsenal at the Tower of London, first opened in 1660, into a family of museums located throughout the United Kingdom and in North America. This family is home to the UK's national collection of arms and armour which includes the national collection of artillery at Fort Nelson. Louisville, Kentucky, USA is our latest addition; that in a unique collaboration with the Frazier Historical Arms Museum tells the story of the USA, starting with its European roots.

Opening Times
1 November to 20 March
Open daily 10.30 - 16.00
Tuesdays 11.30 - 16.00

21 March to 30 October
Open daily 10.00 - 17.00
Tuesdays 11.00 - 17.00

Last admission is one hour before closing

Admission
Entry to the museum is free though some activities and events may be chargeable

Royal Armouries Fort Nelson
Portsdown Hill Road
FAREHAM
Hampshire
PO17 6AN
01329 233 734
Free parking is available to the public opposite the Fort

Netley Abbey

The Abbey, from which the village got its name, originated when a colony of monks of the Cistercian Order crossed Southampton Water from Beaulieu to establish a new religious house at Netley in 1239.

Founded by Peter des Roche, Bishop of Winchester, and officially named St.Mary of Edwardsto ( Sanctae Mariae de Loco Sancti Edwardi), the Abbey was under the patronage of Henry 111, whose name appears on the foundation stone at the base of the north east crossing tower. It was probably built by the King's Mason, who also constructed Westminster Abbey.

Monastic life continued for three centuries at the Abbey, until its dissolution by Henry V111 in 1536.

Henry V111 granted the site of the Abbey to William Paulet, who converted it into a private residence destroying a lot of the original Abbey structure in the process.

Around 1700 a new owner, William Seymour, second Earl of Hertford, demolished and sold a lot of the stone fabric of the Abbey as building material, leaving the ruin we have today. Some of this stone was used to re-build St. Mary's Church in Southampton

City Museum and Records Office

The Records Office is housed in the same building as Portsmouth City Museum. It holds the official records of Portsmouth City Council which survive from the 14th century; local Anglican and Non-Conformist church registers and records from 16th century; large collections of material deposited by local businesses, families and other organisations as well as thousands of local maps and plans, photographs and picture postcards, all of which can be consulted in the first-floor public Search Room.

Silchester - The Roman Town of Calleva

The Silchester Collection consists of a wealth of items from the Roman town of Calleva, near Silchester, in Hampshire. Most were found during the Society of Antiquaries' excavations which uncovered the area within the town walls between 1890 and 1909.

These things belonged to rich and poor, old and young and no project on life in Roman Britain is complete without reference to Calleva and its objects.
Reading Museum Service
The Town Hall
Blagrave Street
Reading
Berkshire, RG1 1QH
United Kingdom

0118 939 9800

God's House Tower

God's House Tower stands at the south-east corner of the town walls that had once encircled medieval Southampton. The whole structure is really an amalgamation of two buildings: a simple gatehouse, built in the late 13th century; and a massive spur work, an early 15th century addition consisting of a two-storey gallery and a three-storey tower. The building takes its name from the nearby hospital of God's House, founded in 1168 by Gervase le Riche as a refuge for poor travellers.

Museum of Archaeology,
God's House Tower,
Winkle Street,
Southampton.
SO14 2NY.

023 8063 5904

Southampton City Art Gallery
Southampton City Art Gallery can offer something for everyone, whether you're young or old, a lifelong fan or going to a gallery for the first time. Exhibitions and displays range from ancient culture to the cutting-edge and the Gallery is internationally renowned for its impressive art collection, spanning six centuries of European art history. The Gallery is housed within a beautiful example of 1930's municipal architecture.

Thousands of visitors explore the exhibitions and displays every month and, through a programme of educational activities, we aim to provide opportunities for greater access, involvement and understanding of art, for people of all ages.

Admission is FREE. For information about opening times, location and access details see visitor information. For further details about all other aspects of the City Art Gallery, please follow the links below.

Christmas Opening hours: CLOSED from 12 noon on Friday 23rd December until Wednesday 28th December

OPEN 29th December - 31st December, CLOSED 1st Jan - 3rd January 2006, Open as usual from 4th January 2006

ADMISSION FREE

Titchfield Abbey
Although an impressive ruin, this castellated, fortified manor house bears very little resemblance to the Premonstratensian monastery that was founded here in 1232. Notwithstanding its fairly uneventful history, Titchfield Abbey was seen as an important centre, in view of its short distance from Winchester, and its close proximity to the sea at that time.

At the Dissolution in 1537, the site was given to Thomas Wriothesley (who later became the 1st Earl of Southampton), and within five years the abbey had been converted to a huge Tudor mansion called Place House. However, during the late 18th century, much of the material from Titchfield was quarried away for the restoration of Cams Hall in Fareham.

It is almost impossible to identify any of the abbey remains, as the majority of the buildings are no more than a trace of ground level foundations, and the nave of the old abbey church became the Tudor gatehouse. Upon much closer investigation, fragments of monastic staircases in the turrets at the west end of the nave are visible, a wall of the eastern range around the cloister, and the entrance to the chapter house. Apart from these few distinguishable features, the only other medieval work appears to be the areas of floor tiles, which have survived remarkably well.

Now in the hands of English Heritage, this almost forgotten site, set back from the road and practically overshadowed by a sprawling garden centre, is not the easiest to find or access. The imposing iron gates were firmly closed when we arrived and this led us to believe that the abbey was no longer open to the public. After a little investigative work, we did manage to locate the keys in the custody of the pub opposite - where there is also a leaflet available describing the brief history of the site, produced by the The Titchfield Abbey Association.

Royal Hampshier Regiment Museum
Follow the fortunes of the Regiment’s active service including the Battle of Minden, Germany in 1759 through wars in China, Afghanistan, India (the Mutiny and the North West Frontier), and South Africa to the great campaigns of the First and Second World Wars. And, from 1946 onwards, follow the operational tasks carried out by the Regiment in Palestine, Malaya, Borneo, Jamaica, British Honduras, British Guiana and Northern Ireland.

Mon - Fri 10.00am - 4.00pm

April to October, Weekends and Public

Holidays 12 noon to 4pm

FREE ADMISSION

The Great Hall
The first and finest of all 13th century halls, with the greatest symbol of medieval mythology, "The Round Table of King Arthur"

Opening times
10am to 5pm March to October inc
10am to 4pm November to February inc
Christmas Eve and New Years Eve 2005 10am to 3pm
Closed Christmas Day & Boxing Day and for occasional civic events - see provisional closure dates
Admission FREE (donations gratefully accepted)

Contact us
The Great Hall, The Castle, Winchester, Hampshire
01962 846476

The King's Royal Hussars Museum

The Royal Hussars (Prince of Wales's Own) were formed by the amalgamation of the 10th Royal Hussars (PWO) and the 11th Hussars (PAO - Prince Albert's Own) on 25 October 1969. The original Regiments were raised in 1715 as Light Dragoons at the time of the Jacobite rebellion and afterwards served in the Seven Years War. The Tenth campaigned in the Peninsula War and both Regiments fought at Waterloo. The Eleventh saw action in Egypt in 1800 and also fought in the Peninsula where they were nicknamed the "Cherrypickers".

The Eleventh escorted Prince Albert from Dover for his marriage to Queen Victoria in 1840. They were honoured with the title of 'Prince Albert's Own' and privileged to wear the distinctive crimson trousers of the Prince's Coburg household. Both Regiments were in the Crimea, and the Eleventh took part in the famous charge of the Light Brigade at Balaclava where they gained one of the first Victoria Crosses to be awarded. The Tenth, now known as the "Shiners", were awarded two Victoria Crosses in the South African War. Both saw long service in India.

The King's Royal Hussars Museum, Winchester
Peninsula Barracks, Winchester, Hampshire SO23 8TS
01962 828539

South West of England. Children go free.

Denham Country Park - Uxbridge
Rivers, woodlands and meadows.
www.buckscc.gov.uk/countryside/countryparks

Hanningfield Reservoir Visitor Centre - Billericay, Essex
100 acre nature reserve on the shores of Hanningfield Reservoir
www.essexwt.org.uk

High Woods Country Park - Colchester, Essex
woodland, wetland, grassland, farmland - fishing and horse-riding trail.
www.visitweb.com/hwcp

Lee Valley Park - Waltham Abbey, Essex
Bird-watching, fishing and Walking.
www.leevalleypark.com

Weald Country Park - Brentwood
Deer Paddock, two lakes, walks and nature trails.
Tel: 01277 216297

The Bear Museum- Petersfield, Hampshire.
Antique teddy bears in Edwardian setting.
www.bearmuseum.co.uk

Fort Nelson - The Royal Armouries - Fareham, Hampshire
Victorian fort fully restored set in 19 acres. Live firing daily.
www.armouries.org.uk

Southampton Maritime Museum - Southampton
Medieval stone warehouse with exhibitions including Titanic and interactive displays.
www.southampton.gov.uk/leisure/heritage

The Needles Park, Totland Bay, Isle of Wight
Park with rides and attractions, chairlift to beach.
www.theneedles.co.uk

Capstone Farm Country Park, Gillinham, Kent
280 acres of meadows and woodlands with childrens' play areas.
01634 812196

Bank of England Museum, Threadneedle Street, London EC2
Museum within the Bank of England charting the history of money.
www.bankofengland.co.uk

Imperial War Museum, Lambeth Road, London SE1
Interactive, sights and smells of wartime in London.
www.iwm.org.uk

Livesey Museum for Children, Old Kent Road, London SE1
Interactive exhibitions for children up to 12
www.Liveseymuseum.org.uk

Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7
Interactive exhibitions from dinosaurs onwards. Some exhibitions have entrance fees.
www.nhm.ac.uk

Ragged School Museum, Copperfield Road, London E3
On the site of the original Dr. Barnardo's Ragged School. Dedicated to East End.
www.raggedschool.museum.org.uk

Royal Air Force Museum, Hendon London NW9
Museum of aviation, interactive areas. Flying through the ages.
www.rafmuseum.com

Science Museum, Exhibition Road, London SW7
Interactive exhibits from yesteryear to tomorrow's world.
www.sciencemuseum.org.uk

Stepping Stones Farm, Stepney High Street, London E1
Working farm, farming demonstrations, farm trail and play area.
www.stepneynews.com

Tate Britain, Millbank, London SW1
National gallery of British art from 16th century to today.
www.tate.org.uk

Box Hill, Tadworth, Surrey KT20
Woodland and downs with marked trails and strolls.
01306 885502

CherryTree Farm, Lingfield, Surrey RH7
Stabling for rescue horses, donkeys, and ponies - guided tours.
www.ilph.org.uk

Harbour Park Family Amusement Park - Littlehampton, West Sussex
Traditional family amusement park and fairground - individual fees for rides.
01903 721200

Shpwreck Heritage Centre, Hastings, East Sussex TN34
Collection of historic treasures salvaged from shipwrecks.
01424 437452

Tilgate Park & Nature Reserve, Crawley, West Sussex RH10
Endangered species and breeds, wild and domestic animals.
www.crawley.gov.uk

[ kids go free - South West England ]