Where will you visit next?
Discover lots of gardens, historic houses, days out at the coast and more.
Places with First and Second World War connections
Many places in our care played an important role during the First and Second World Wars. Discover landscapes with a story to tell and visit places where history has been preserved, including weapons testing sites, secret military bases and D-Day training areas.
- Chartwell, Kent
- Chartwell was the family home of Prime Minister Winston Churchill from 1922 until the end of his life. Churchill spent the war years in London but returned to his country home when hostilities ended. Look out for wartime artefacts, including the Union Flag that flew over Rome when it was liberated in 1944.Explore Chartwell
- Clumber Park, Nottinghamshire
- Winston Churchill’s prototype trench-cutting tank, 'Nellie', was developed and tested at Clumber Park during the Second World War. The trenches it dug shaped the landscape at Clumber Park and the effects can still be seen today on the South Lawns.Explore Clumber Park
- Coleshill, Oxfordshire
- Throughout the Second World War, more than 3,000 men were trained at Coleshill as Auxiliers – members of the British Resistance to be deployed in the event of a German invasion. Take in the landscape used for the Auxiliers' training and stop by the working replica operational bunker.Explore Coleshill
- Croome, Worcestershire
- Croome played an important role in the Second World War with its top-secret airbase. In the 1940s, RAF Defford housed over 2,000 service personnel and scientists. Visit the base where they tested the latest radar developments, helping to ensure victory in 1945.Explore Croome
- Dunham Massey, Cheshire
- When the First World War broke out, Dunham Massey transformed into the Stamford Hospital for injured soldiers. Discover the Saloon used as a ward, the Billiard Room that became a nurses' station and the area at the end of the Grand Staircase which was converted into an operating theatre.Explore Dunham Massey
- Dunwich Heath and Beach, Suffolk
- Dunwich Heath and Beach was a militarised zone during the Second World War and played a key role as part of Britain's East Coast defences. The area was also used for training British soldiers. It featured trenches, minefields, barbed wire and anti-tank measures, as well as German-style pillboxes, mimicking German defences to prepare troops for the D-Day landings.Explore Dunwich Heath and Beach
- East Pool Mine, Cornwall
- Following a major collapse of the original mine shafts in 1921, Taylor’s Shaft was dug just a few hundred metres away, retaining the name East Pool Mine. During the Second World War it was kept in production by the Ministry of Supply to compensate for a lack of access to Malaysian tin after the fall of Singapore. The mine's main output was tin and tungsten, a hard metal, in high demand as it was crucial for the war effort. The mine remained operational until subsidies stopped at the end of the war.Explore East Poole Mine
- Hughenden, Buckinghamshire
- Hughenden was home to a top-secret Second World War map-making operation, codenamed 'Hillside', where skilled cartographers drew maps for bombing missions. Explore the permanent exhibition, featuring original photographs, records and memories of those involved.Explore Hughenden
- Orford Ness, Suffolk
- The history of Orford Ness is shrouded in secrecy – it was used as a classified military testing site from the First World War through to the Cold War. Stroll through the marshes that were once an airfield and look out for the Radar Receiving and Bomb Ballistics buildings.Explore Orford Ness
- Studland Bay, Dorset
- The beach at Studland was used as a training area for troops preparing for D-Day. Trace their footsteps and see if you can spot the Fort Henry observation bunker, where Churchill, Eisenhower and King George VI watched rehearsals. Look out for hidden devices built to foil a German invasion too, such as pill boxes and 'dragon's teeth'.Explore Studland Bay
- White Cliffs of Dover, Kent
- Go beneath the White Cliffs of Dover at Fan Bay Shelter and discover the secret world of underground tunnels which were built to protect the gun battery. Experience the shelter just as the Second World War soldiers did over 80 years ago on a guided tour that takes you 125 steps down into steel and concrete.Explore the White Cliffs of Dover
You might also be interested in
Article
Places with Tudor connections
Discover the places we look after that have links to the Tudor period, from Henry VII through to Elizabeth I. These historic houses have received royal visitors, hidden Catholic priests and witnessed important events.
Article
Places with literary connections
Visit some of the places we look after that have inspired famous writers, playwrights and poets, including the homes of Beatrix Potter, Virginia Woolf and Thomas Hardy.
Article
Places with a royal story to tell
Bring history to life and discover some of the best royal connections to the places we look after, from a warrior king and ghost queen to traitors of the crown.
Article
Places with famous connections
Walk in the footsteps of famous faces. From The Beatles and Sir Winston Churchill, to Agatha Christie and Isaac Newton, step into their former homes and learn more about their lives.
Discover more with the National Trust Podcast
In March 1939, a group of Jewish child refugees arrived in Waddesdon village after escaping Nazi Germany. Join presenter Diane Kenwood as she uncovers the Cedar Children's story of survival and hope. You can also find more episodes from series seven, filled with nature and history.