Alongside its paid-entry properties, English Heritage cares for a large number of historic sites that are free to enter and open to anyone – ruined abbeys, hill forts, ancient stone monuments, Roman remains, bridges and chapels scattered across England.

You do not need to be a member or buy anything. On the official Places to Visit page there is a “Free to enter” filter: switch it on, choose a region, and the map lists only the sites you can walk up to for nothing.

Most free sites are unstaffed, open-access ruins and monuments, so there is no booking and nothing to claim – you simply turn up. Check each site’s own page for parking and access notes before setting off.