Enfield Village

Once a collection of small communities scattered around the royal hunting ground of Enfield Chase, Enfield is now a proper town – although much of its historical charm remains. Heritage sites are abundant, from the Tudor and Elizabethan houses of Gentleman's Row to the grandiose Jacobean manor that is Forty Hall – once home to the Lord Mayor of London.

The old Palace of Enfield may now be the Palace Gardens Shopping Centre but, just a short walk away, you can almost taste the history at Enfield Market, which has been trading for more than 700 years. More recent history is represented by a variety of museums – covering everything from guns to transport.

When the weather's fine, Enfield really comes into its own. Some of the country's most creative horticulturists live or have lived here, and their floral legacies are open to the public. Enjoy a picnic beside the idyllic New River that flows through town or, if you want to really explore the great outdoors, head into Trent Country Park and discover for yourself what it was about this 400-acre expanse that Henry VIII and Elizabeth I adored so much.