If, like us, you are looking for ways to save money on family outings, might I recommend purchasing English Heritage membership.
Why we Purchased Our English Heritage Membership
Family days out to the cinema, bowling or even play centres can cost a fortune and soon eat into your weekly budget. We were keen to get our children (and ourselves) outdoors and found that farms and parklands could also be extremely expensive pursuits. As a historian, I am always eager to develop my children’s interest in history, however I would also encourage this passion for the past regardless of my profession. After visiting just one English Heritage site last year, we paid £17.00 for admission. We soon worked out that if we purchased English Heritage membership, we would not only save money in the long-run, but it would also encourage us to get our more in our desire to ‘get our money’s worth’ by using this membership.
How much does it cost?
I would encourage anyone who is considering English Heritage membership to search online for current offers. Currently, annual membership can be purchased in a variety of different packages/options. The basic packages are:
1 Adult and up to six Children:
£56 or £4.67 per month
2 Adults and up to 12 Children:
£99 or £8.25 per month.
Senior Citizens:
£49 or £4.08 per month
Students:
£46 or £3.83 per month
*Prices correct as of 29th March 2018. Please see the English Heritage website for additional membership packages. Monthly payments are taken via Direct Debit.
What’s Included in the Membership?
First of all with the membership, you get unlimited access to over 400 English Heritage sites. These vary from monuments such as Stonehenge and medieval castles to stately homes.
A member’s pack will be sent to you in the post which includes membership card(s) as well as a wonderful handbook complete with details of the various English Heritage sites. The pack also includes a kids magazine and details of current events.
With the membership, you can gain free entry or a reduced entrance fee to many English Heritage events. These events include jousting, falconry displays and fayres. We attended a number of these events last summer, our favourite was the ‘Grand Medieval Joust’ at Bolsover Castle.
Another handy feature of the membership is discounted entry to some other associated attractions throughout the UK which are not part of English Heritage, e.g. Scottish properties under the protection of Historic Scotland (including Edinburgh Castle) and over 40 sites in Ireland.
Other Benefits
In my quest to make my children more ‘outdoorsy’ I have found that most English Heritage sites we visit also have an outdoor area of some kind, be that a forest, or a garden or even a small picturesque village located nearby. So wherever we go, we find we’re not only exploring the country, but also taking in some much needed fresh air as well as enjoying some beautiful historic sites. Our expeditions have been extremely educational and always give my children something to talk about on Monday morning when the teacher asks, ‘so what did you do this weekend’?
Keep an eye on my blog for more posts on English Heritage sites and wonderful family days out!!!
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