The Midlands & the Marches
Stafford's best place to eat, drink and sleep is a one-stop shop. In the centre of town, this former coaching inn has a brasserie-style restaurant, two bars (cocktail and traditional courtyard; the latter hosts live music in summer) and a cafe-tearoom. Some of its 31 beautiful rooms (doubles including breakfast from £110) have original stone fireplaces and wooden beams.
Parking is limited but free for overnight guests.
24.23 MILES
Resembling a glittering stack of gift-wrapped presents, the Francine Houben–designed Library of Birmingham is an architectural triumph. The 2013-opened…
25.85 MILES
At the University of Birmingham, 3 miles south of the city centre, the Barber Institute of Fine Arts has an astonishing collection of Renaissance…
14.62 MILES
Crowned by three dramatic towers, Lichfield Cathedral is a Gothic fantasy, constructed in stages from 1200 to 1350. The enormous vaulted nave is set…
20.32 MILES
Burton-upon-Trent grew up around its 7th-century abbey, which was famed for its healing spring waters. Brewing began here around 1700 and in the early…
Cosford Royal Air Force Museum
13.97 MILES
This famous aerospace museum 13 miles east of Ironbridge is run by the Royal Air Force, whose pilots steered many of these winged wonders across the skies…
19.82 MILES
The arching Iron Bridge, which gives the area its name, was built to flaunt the new technology invented by the pioneering Darby family. At the time of its…
19.94 MILES
An ideal place to kick off your Ironbridge Gorge visit is the Museum of the Gorge. Occupying a Gothic riverside warehouse, it offers an overview of the…
14.57 MILES
After turning down the job of royal physician to King George III, Erasmus Darwin became a leading light in the Lunar Society, debating the origins of life…
0.03 MILES
Built in 1595 and now surrounded by High St shops, the Ancient High House is believed to be the largest remaining timber-framed Tudor town house in…
1.39 MILES
The hilltop remains of Stafford Castle, a classic Norman moat and bailey, sit romantically in a forest glade 1 mile southwest of town, just off the A518…
4.37 MILES
This regal, neoclassical mansion is the ancestral home of royal photographer Lord Lichfield. A good proportion of the wall space is devoted to his work;…
10.53 MILES
Set in attractive parkland 8 miles south of Hanley, the modern production centre for Josiah Wedgwood's porcelain empire displays an extensive collection…
5. Cosford Royal Air Force Museum
13.97 MILES
This famous aerospace museum 13 miles east of Ironbridge is run by the Royal Air Force, whose pilots steered many of these winged wonders across the skies…
14.57 MILES
After turning down the job of royal physician to King George III, Erasmus Darwin became a leading light in the Lunar Society, debating the origins of life…
14.62 MILES
Crowned by three dramatic towers, Lichfield Cathedral is a Gothic fantasy, constructed in stages from 1200 to 1350. The enormous vaulted nave is set…
8. Samuel Johnson Birthplace Museum
14.79 MILES
This absorbing museum charts the life of the pioneering lexicographer, wit, poet and critic Samuel Johnson, who moved to London from his native Lichfield…