Britain on the Cheap

The Royal Oak Foundation, the American arm of the National Trust, wishes everyone a happy holiday with a lovely photo gallery of National Trust gardens in the snow and frost. Enjoy 14 images from The Telegraph, sweeping from Kent to Suffolk to Northumberland.

It’s easy to slip back a century or so for the holidays when you visit Blists Hill Victorian Town in the Ironbridge Gorge World Heritage Site, Shropshire. On Dec. 10-11 and 17-18, Blists Hill Town residents will be celebrating in 1800s style, with Christmas songs and stories, Punch and Judy and a magic show. Sing [...]

Now’s the chance to snap up 2-for-1 tickets to “Dickens and London” at the Museum of London. Opening Dec. 9, this will be the largest exhibition marking the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Dickens. Regular adult tickets are £8/$13, or £7/$11 advance purchase. The exhibition will examine the central relationship between Dickens and [...]

The Best Western Webbington Hotel & Spa in Somerset has a special rate of £35/$58 per room per night. The Edwardian manor house, with an on-site spa, fully equipped gym and indoor pool, looks across the Mendip Hills. It’s near Bristol, Abridge Medieval Town, Weston Super Mare beaches and Wells Cathedral.    

Enjoy a free room upgrade and bottle of champagne at Stapleford Park, an 18th-century mansion and sporting estate in Leicestershire. The hotel is celebrating its election into the exclusive Pride of Britain Hotels collection with this offer, worth £109/$177, until Nov. 30. A night’s B&B for two costs £180/$298 at the hotel, set amid 500 [...]

Fancy a bottle of bubbly? If you spring for a vintage bottle of Dom Perignon Vintage 2002 champagne at the list price of £179/$296, the 15th-century Swan at Lavenham in Suffolk will toss in free accommodation and breakfast now through Dec. 22, excluding Saturdays. You’ll save about £21/$33 for two at the newly refurbished historic [...]

Save 20% on seven nights at Victoria Cottage in the riverside village of Lyng, Norfolk, during November. The cottage, close to Norwich and good for walking, cycling and bird-watching, is now £253/$418 per week, saving £63/$104.    

Save 25% on Pretoria Cottage in Norfolk and breathe in the luscious lavender nearby. The cottage, sleeping four in the coastal village of Heacham, is only a couple of minutes’ drive from the lavender farm, open daily. Pretoria Cottage is a short walk to a sandy beach and close to the Royal Sandringham estate and [...]

Hurry! Today’s the last day to enter to win a trip to London from stylish clothes retailer Ted Baker. The prize includes round-trip airfare, three nights in a boutique hotel, luxury car transfers, a £500/$806shopping spree and a £500/$806 spending money. You’ll tour the sights with Quintessentially Travel.    

The vino’s on Madconald Hotels & Resorts when you book an autumn break, from £45/$76 per person. Choose from hotels around the UK, and book now to Nov 28; stay from now to Dec 2. When you dine in the hotel restaurant, you’ll receive a free bottle of wine. Children 12 and younger stay and [...]