Hubert Parry

The composer Hubert Parry's connection to Dorset runs deep, though his actual home - Sydneys Wood - sits just outside Christchurch and isn't open to the public in the traditional sense. What you can do is walk the grounds if access permits, or at least pay your respects to the place where one of Victorian England's most important musical figures spent his later years. Parry wrote some of his finest work here, including "Jerusalem", that rousing hymn that's become practically our second national anthem. For music historians and anyone with even a passing interest in classical composition, standing where Parry stood carries real weight. The Dorset landscape clearly inspired him - it's the sort of rolling, unhurried countryside that breeds creativity. You won't find visitor facilities or guided tours, so this is more a pilgrimage than a day out. Ring ahead or contact Christchurch visitor information to check current access. The real draw is combining this with a stay at one of the nearby holiday parks. Meadowbank Holidays, just 3.7 miles away, gives you a proper base for exploring the wider area - the New Forest isn't far, and Christchurch itself has the priory and waterfront. Music buffs could make an afternoon of it: a contemplative walk around Parry's grounds followed by time in town. Allow an hour, perhaps two if the weather's decent and you want to soak up the atmosphere.