World Heritage Sites are special sites around the world which illustrate the diversity of earth and human development across thousands of years. They have great cultural and natural significance and need to be preserved and protected for many years to come. In 1978, UNESCO created a list of these unique places which has now grown to over 1,000 sites globally, including 33 in the UK.

Here, we've rounded up eight of our favourite UNESCO World Heritage Sites across England and Wales including where to stay nearby within our Collection, all less than 45 minutes by car.

1. Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal Water Garden, North Yorkshire

Fountains Abbey was originally founded in 1132 by 13 Benedictine monks from St Mary's church in York. In 1693, John Aislabie inherited both the abbey and Studley Royal Park and created one of the most spectacular water gardens in England. It was once referred to as 'The Wonder of the North' by author Mark Newman due to its silky canals, mirror-glazed ponds and grassy verges surrounding the romantic ruins of the abbey. Visit any time of the year for postcard-pretty strolls, but we suggest going in April and May for bluebell sightings.

Nearby Collection inn: The Durham Ox, Crayke

2. Wheal Coates, Cornwall (Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape)

The Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscapes were shaped during the 18th and early 19th centuries from intense coal and tin mine activity. Today, the remains of engine houses, mines, villages, ports and harbours are a testimony to the contribution these counties made during the Industrial Revolution both in Britain and internationally. One of our favourite tin mines to visit in North Cornwall is Wheal Coates (1802-1889) - a Cornish icon that overlooks Chapel Porth Beach and the coastal stretch towards St Ives Bay.⁣⁣

Nearby Collection inn: Gurnard's Head, Zennor

3. Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire

Built by Queen Anne to commemorate the victory of the first Duke of Marlborough after defeating France and Bavaria at the Battle of Blenheim in 1704, Blenheim Palace is a masterpiece of English Baroque architecture and one of the most glamorous stately homes in the world. The sculptured grounds are just as grand, having been designed by Britain's great gardener, Henry Wise. Inside, admire Sir Winston Churchill's birth room, filled with paintings from his travels, whilst outside, wind your way through the Marlborough Maze, tucked away in the Walled Garden.

Nearby Collection inns: The Kings Head, Bledington; The Fleece, Witney; The Kingham Plough, Kingham; Feathered Nest Country Inn, Nether Westcote

4. Canterbury Cathedral, Kent

The foundations of the impressive Canterbury Cathedral go back to 597 AD when St Augustine was sent from Rome to Kent by Pope Gregory the Great to convert the Anglo-Saxons to Christians. Some 1,400 years later and the cathedral, filled with Romanesque and Perpendicular Gothic architecture, is a glorious reminder of his success in bringing Christianity to England. As well as visiting the cathedral, head to St Augustine's Abbey which stands just outside the city and is part of the Canterbury World Heritage Site. It was here that the Anglo-Saxon Kent kings were buried.

Nearby Collection inns: The Dog at Wingham; The Plough Inn, Stalisfield

5. The Jurassic Coast, Dorset

The striking Jurassic Coast is England's only natural World Heritage Site and stretches for an incredible 95 miles from Orcombe Point in Exmouth, Devon to Old Harry Rocks near Swanage in Dorset. Formed by rocks which have witnessed three geological time periods - Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous - this dramatic coastline provides insight into over 185 million years of earth's fascinating history and the evolution of life. On your next visit, try your hand at fossil hunting on the beaches between Charmouth and Lyme Regis.

Nearby Collection inns: The King's Arms, Dorchester; The New Inn, Cerne Abbas

6. Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Canal, North East Wales

Are you brave enough to cross the longest aqueduct in Britain? 11 miles in length - Pontcysyllte (which translates as 'the bridge that connects' in English) is one of the world's most extraordinary creations from the Industrial Revolution. It was built between 1795 and 1805 by two exceptional civil engineers, Thomas Telford and William Jessop, to transport boats from the lowlands of England up to the rugged Welsh terrain. Walk alongside the canal or travel by canal boat and admire the sweeping English and Welsh countryside views 38 metres above ground.

Nearby Collection inn: The West Arms, Llanarmon Dyffryn Ceiriog

7. Ironbridge Gorge, Shropshire

As the world's first iron bridge, the Ironbridge Gorge is an iconic symbol of the Industrial Revolution. It was constructed between 1777 and 1779 over the River Severn by Abraham Darby, a pioneering industrialist whose discovery of smelting iron with coke instead of charcoal led to the rapid development of the iron trade in Britain. Until 1990, everyone had to pay a toll to cross the bridge, however now, the public can enjoy free access to this splendid piece of history.

Nearby Collection inns: The Pheasant, Neenton; Lion & Pheasant, Shrewsbury

8. Stonehenge, Wiltshire

Shrouded in mystery, Stonehenge is one of the most famous groups of megaliths - a large stone used to form a prehistoric monument - in the world due to its size and sophisticated architectural design. The structure dates back some 5,000 years to the Neolithic and Bronze Age. Although there is no definite evidence of its purpose, some say that it was built to track the movements of the sun. Visit the monument today and discover how the stone builders worked and lived all those years ago.

Nearby Collection inns: The Pembroke Arms, Wilton; Red Lion Freehouse, East Chisenbury; The Greyhound on the Test, Stockbridge

Discover more World Heritage Sites across Britain through the images below