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Top 10 Christmas Gifts
for English History Lovers

What do you give the person who loves English history? (Or yourself, if you're that person, of course....). Well, being a bit of a history nut myself I have a few ideas for you.

So here are my top 10 Christmas gifts for history lovers ... in chronological order.

Ancient History

Surprise the ancient history lover in your life with a truly exceptional visit to the most famous prehistoric site of them all.

Visit Durrington Walls, The Cursus and Woodhenge led by an English Heritage expert and find out all about the recent digs that have taken place on the sites.

After that, get up close and personal with the famous stone circle.

While you'd usually have to stay on the walkway and behind the ropes, on that one day you can get right inside! If that doesn't make your top 10 Christmas gifts ideas, then it should!

To take advantage of this tour you must be a member of English Heritage. The tour takes place on Wednesday, 31st March 2010, from 3pm to 7pm, includes afternoon tea and costs £23. You can book it by calling 0870 333 1183.

And if the person you're planning to surprise is not a member of English Heritage, then why not add an English Heritage Membership subscription to your gift. Amongst the many benefits are special member events like the Stonehenge tour and free entry to over 100 castles and historic sites in England.

Medieval History

Few families have a history as fascinating as that of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine. They ruled an empire stretching from the Scottish border to the Pyrenees, had eight children (amongst them King Richard the Lionheart, and King John), loved and fought one another fiercely and started a dynasty that was to last for 300 years.

English Heritage have put together a magnificent exhibition about the life and times of Henry II in the Great Tower at Dover Castle. A real must-see experience if medieval history is your cup of tea!

For opening times, directions etc. please see the English Heritage website.

Knight School

Always wanted to find out what it's like to be a medieval knight? I certainly did. And that's why this Medieval Jousting Experience. makes it into my list of top 10 Christmas gifts... I wish this had been around when I was growing up!

You'll learn knightly fighting skills like using a shield and lance, horse control and how to strike targets.

And you can try your hand at foot fights with swords and quarterstaffs.

And finally, your chance to dress up in medieval costume and show off your skills in a mini medieval tournament.

Medieval Banquet

This makes my top 10 Christmas gifts list because it's something you might not think of it as a 'history' gift.

But experiencing a Medieval Banquet a la King Henry VIII is a very 'educational' experience! The costumes alone are worth going for ... and if you really want to get into the spirit, why not dress up in period clothes yourself?

Dine like the king by flickering torchlight in the vaulted cellars of Ivory House, just minutes from the Tower of London. Watch duelling knights, incredible magic and feats of strength, before dancing the night away.

Napoleonic Wars

Admiral Nelson's flagship HMS Victory © www.hms-victory.com

Queen Elizabeth I dined on board The Golden Hind. We can't emulate her example, as nobody knows what became of Francis Drake's ship.

But here's something just as wonderful: dinner on the lower gun deck of HMS Victory, Horatio Nelson's flagship at the Battle of Trafalgar.

This dinner, arranged with kind permission of Vice Admiral Alan Massey, Second Sea Lord, is the highlight of the Royal Naval Museum's second Patrick O'Brian weekend.

Patrick O’Brian wrote numerous novels about Nelson's navy, featuring Captain ‘Lucky’ Jack Aubrey and his constant companion, the surgeon, naturalist and part-time intelligence agent, Stephen Maturin. The books, and the resulting film Master and Commander starring Russell Crowe, have a huge following of fans.

The first celebration of Patrick O'Brian's work - in 2007 - proved a very popular event with all who attended and it's thought that the second one - running between Friday 26th and Sunday 28th March 2010 - will be equally amazing.

Concerts, readings from the novels and lectures by naval historians are only some of the list of events. And then, there's that amazing dinner on HMS Victory, of course.

I'm not sure that this one doesn't deserve pride of place in my top 10 Christmas gifts list ...it's just so special!

For more ideas return from the Top 10 Christmas Gifts page to Christmas in England.