Moated site of Iddinshall Hall

Grass-covered earthworks and a partly water-filled moat are all that remain of this medieval manor house, tucked away in the Cheshire countryside near Chester. What you're looking at are the foundations and defensive ditches of Iddinshall Hall, a site that archaeologists reckon dates back to the 13th or 14th century.

The moat itself is the star here - still holding water in places and forming a rough rectangle around where the main building once stood. You can walk right up to the edges and peer into the murky depths, though there's not much signage to explain what you're seeing. It's proper atmospheric on a misty morning.

History buffs will appreciate this more than casual visitors, especially if you've got a thing for medieval remains. Kids might find it a bit underwhelming unless they're the sort who love imagining knights and medieval life. The whole thing takes about 20 minutes to explore properly, assuming you can find it - it's not exactly well signposted.

For families staying at nearby parks like Delamere Lake Sailing & Holiday Park or Wild Shore Delamere, it makes a decent short detour if you're already exploring the area around Chester. Just don't expect Heritage England levels of interpretation - this is very much a case of bringing your own imagination to fill in the historical blanks.