Sporting heritage sites in Britain

Wembley Stadium

Credit: Kol Tregaskes

Where : Wembley, London
Wembley Stadium is the home of English football. The stadium, with its iconic arch, has recently undergone an £800 million renovation. The stadium now has 90,000 seats with no obstructed views, and has already hosted great sports and music events.

For information see: Wembley Stadium

Wimbledon

Where: Wimbledon, London
The All England Lawn Tennis Club is the home of the world’s most famous tennis tournament. As well as holding the annual Wimbledon Championships, the club will also be the venue for the tennis competition at the 2012 Summer Olympics.

For information see: Wimbledon

Millennium Stadium

Credit: Neil Page

Where: Cardiff, Wales
The Millennium Stadium in Cardiff is the national stadium of Wales, and is mainly used for rugby union and football home international games. The Millennium Stadium will be one of the venues for the football competitions in 2012.

For information see: Millennium Stadium

Lord’s Cricket Ground

Where: Marylebone, London
Lords is the home of cricket, and holds a special place in the heart of cricket fans everywhere. Lords hosts Npower Test matches and 1-day internationals, plus most of Middlesex Cricket Club's home games, historic fixtures and a number of village and club finals.

For information see: Lords Cricket Ground

St Andrews Golf Course

Credit: Lluis Ribes Portillo

Where: St Andrews, Scotland
St Andrews is where the game of golf as we know it, was invented. The Open Championship was first played on the Old Course in 1873. And with the 27th championship played there in 2005, St Andrews has held the even more times than anywhere else.

For information see: St Andrews 

Silverstone racetrack

Where: Northamptonshire, England
Silverstone, in Northamptonshire, is the home of the British Grand Prix, and the home of British motor racing. Silverstone also stages some of the largest motorsport series in the world, including the British Superbike Championship and World Superbikes.

For information see: Silverstone Racetrack

Twickenham Rugby Stadium

Credit: SouthEastern Star

Where: Twickenham, London
Twickenham is the largest rugby union stadium in Britain, and after its recent renovation, is now the second largest stadium in Britain after Wembley. An icon of English rugby, Twickenham is the home of the Rugby Football Union and hosts England’s home test matches.

For information see: Twickenham Stadium 

Newmarket Racecourse

Where: Newmarket, England
Newmarket is the home of British horseracing and the National Stud. The 2 courses – the Rowley Mile course and the July course – are used for flat racing only. Every year, Newmarket hosts the Stan James Guineas Festival and the Natwest Rowley Mile race.

For information see: Newmarket Racecourse

Old Trafford

Credit: Sean MacEntee

Where: Manchester, England
Old Trafford is the home of Manchester United Football Club – the most successful team in Premier League history. The ‘Theatre of Dreams’ is the second largest football stadium in England, and will be one of the venues for the football competitions in 2012.

For information see: Old Trafford 

Queen’s Club

Where: London
The Queen’s Club in West London is one of the best lawn tennis and racquet clubs in the world. It’s also the national headquarters of real tennis (the original racquet game), and hosts the British Open, Stella Artois Championships and the World Rackets Championships.

For information see: Queens Club

Rugby School

Where: Warwickshire
Legend has it that William Webb Ellis, a pupil at Rugby School, invented rugby when he picked up the ball during a football game and ran with it. Visit Rugby School to see where it all began. A plaque commemorates the momentous event and a museum displays memorabilia including an original ‘death cart’ used to trundle away injured players, and the very first ‘caps’ from the game’s beginnings. You can also tour the rest of the school’s impressive buildings including the 200-year-old ‘Big School’ where pupils’ graffiti is still visible on the wood panelling.

For more information see: Rugby School