Wollaton Hall

The first position on the list of the most beautiful historical sites in Nottinghamshire is Wollaton Hall. It is a magnificent Elizabethan mansion of jaw-dropping size. It was called "the architectural sensation of its era" and is one of the best Grade I listed Elizabethan structures in the nation. Additionally, it is the county's largest exclusively dedicated Natural History Museum.

Wollaton Hall is an example of a traditional "prodigy house," which is a term for ostentatious palatial-style homes built by courtiers and described as "noble palaces of an awesome scale." Wollaton Hall was designed by Robert Smythson and constructed in the 1580s for 16th century industrialist Sir Francis Willoughby and his family from Ancaster stone from Lincolnshire.

In April 2007 the hall reopened following a two-year renovation. Although the prospect room and the kitchens can be toured for a fee, Wollaton Hall is free to enter. The Natural History Museum is jam-packed with amazing sights, including their famed Africa Gallery and fossils, birds, mammals, reptiles, fish, bugs, and creepy-crawlies.

The Nottingham Industrial Museum, the Steam Engine House, and the Yard Gallery are all on the property. Don't miss the two herds of gorgeous deer and the formal gardens in Wollaton Hall Park, which are both listed on the Grade II National Register of Historic Places. Significant portions of the 2011 Batman film The Dark Knight Rises were filmed outside Wollaton Hall, which served as Wayne Manor and is located 5 miles north of Gotham, Nottinghamshire, and is how Gotham City's name was unintentionally given.

Location: Wollaton Park, Nottingham, England