The weekend of the 26th and 27th June saw the HistoryDirect.co.uk crew load up the van for the first of the summer shows - Biggin Hill Air Fair. Fully laden with aviation books and dvds, the main talking point on the long drive down to Kent was the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, and of course whether the British weather could be relied upon to keep us dry all weekend!

Portsmouth's Historic Dockyard is home to over 600 years of naval history, along with two of the most famous British warships ever to have set sail. Whilst the Mary Rose itself is not currently on display (it is undergoing preservation treatments prior to being presented within its new home, due to open in 2012), it is still possible to explore Nelson's flagship, the Victory. But Victory and the Mary Rose Museum (which remains open) are not the only attractions on offer - there are plenty of other factors that make a visit to the Historic Dockyard a fascinating day out. And to see everything, you will really need to spend a full day there.

Croome Court in Worcestershire, the 18th century mansion house where Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown proved his potential as an architect and a landscape gardener, opened to the public for the first time last weekend (Saturday 26 September).
 
The project to remodel both the house and its surrounding estate was Brown’s first major commission in 1751 and helped establish his reputation alongside Robert Adam, who designed many of the Court’s impressive interiors.

In 2008 the National Trust spent almost £500,000 on saving a unique book for the nation. The Sarum Missal dates from 1487, and is the only known surviving copy. Not only that, but it is was the first book to display William Caxton's famous printing device. It is the only Caxton that the National Trust has in its collection - and has apparently caused a little rivalry between the Lyme Park and Chatsworth librarians!