Explore Southampton

Medieval Merchant’s House

French Street, Old Town

A wine merchant’s townhouse built around 1290, restored and furnished as it might have looked in the mid-1300s.

Why we recommend it: It’s small and quick to see, but very few medieval town houses survive in this form. It makes the Old Town feel lived in rather than simply old.

Ages:

Older children and adults

Time needed:

Short visit

Indoors or out:

Indoors

Booking:

Check the English Heritage website for its limited opening days before you go.

Getting there:

In the Old Town, a couple of minutes’ walk from Tudor House.

Good for: History lovers · Couples · No car needed

Cared for by English Heritage. Open on a few days a week from April to October only.

Medieval vaults tours

Old Town — tours meet at the Bargate

Beneath the Old Town are dozens of medieval stone vaults, built by merchants to store goods such as wine. Some of them are opened up on guided walks run by the Southampton Tourist Guides Association.

Why we recommend it: It’s an unusual way to see the city — part walk along the walls, part descent into rooms most people never realise are there. Holy Rood Church on the High Street is a good place to begin your own wander around the Old Town before or after.

Ages:

Older children and adults. Steep, narrow stairs and confined spaces — not suitable for wheelchairs, limited mobility or anyone uneasy underground

Time needed:

Guided walk — check the length when booking

Indoors or out:

Outdoors and underground

Booking:

Advance booking needed, through the guides’ website.

Getting there:

Meet on the north side of the Bargate, in the city centre.

Good for: History lovers · Teenagers · Solo travellers · No car needed

Public “Overground & Underground” walks run on selected weekend dates, mainly in the cooler months. Private tours can be requested for other dates. No toilets in the vaults.

Holy Rood Church

High Street

The shell of a 14th-century church, bombed in the Blitz in 1940 and kept as a memorial to the Merchant Navy.

Why we recommend it: Most people walk past on the way to the Old Town. Step inside and you’ll find the Merchant Navy memorial and the fountain remembering Titanic’s crew, moved here from the Common. It’s quiet and quite moving.

Ages:

All ages

Time needed:

Short visit

Indoors or out:

Outdoors

Booking:

Not needed.

Getting there:

On the High Street, a few minutes’ walk south of the Bargate.

Good for: History lovers · Solo travellers · No car needed

Free, open-air and unstaffed. Level paving inside.

Netley Abbey

Netley, on Southampton Water

The ruins of a Cistercian abbey founded in the 13th century, standing in quiet grounds close to the shore of Southampton Water.

Why we recommend it: Roofless walls, tall window arches and soft lawns make it a calm, atmospheric place — good for photographs, a picnic or simply sitting for a while. Royal Victoria Country Park is a short distance along the shore, so the two make an easy half-day together.

Ages:

All ages

Time needed:

Short visit — an hour or so

Indoors or out:

Outdoors

Booking:

Not needed.

Getting there:

A small free car park on site fills quickly; there’s more parking at Abbey Hall Recreation Ground, a few minutes’ walk away across a main road. Netley has a railway station.

Good for: History lovers · Couples · Solo travellers

English Heritage; free entry. Climbing on the ruins isn’t allowed. No toilets on site — Netley village has cafés and shops.

Eling Tide Mill Experience

Eling, near Totton

A historic tide mill beside Eling Creek, where the rise and fall of the tide has been used to turn millstones and grind flour for centuries.

Why we recommend it: It’s quieter and less obvious than the city’s big museums, and that’s much of the appeal. See how the mill uses the tide, let children loose in the Discovery Room, then have a coffee in the café and wander along the waterfront.

Ages:

All ages — the Discovery Room suits younger children

Time needed:

Short visit to half day

Indoors or out:

Indoors and outdoors

Booking:

Check the website for current opening and milling times before you set off.

Getting there:

In Eling, on the western side of Totton. Totton is the nearest station. The riverside walks are open all year.

Good for: History lovers · Young children · Couples · Longer stays

At the time of writing (October 2026) the mill itself opens at weekends, and the café and Discovery Room Wednesday to Sunday. The machinery can only turn around low tide, so milling isn’t guaranteed — check ahead if you’d like to see it working.

Some details for this listing are still being checked.