Five of the best British

There aren’t many moated Norman castles that you can stay in for less than £20 a night – but you can here. St Briavels was built as a hunting lodge for King John in 1205: explore it on a 45-minute guided tour, get into character with the help of the dressing-up box in the chapel or attend a medieval banquet. The most atmospheric rooms are at the top of the towers, up a steep, winding staircase. The castle is in the middle of the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley, eight miles north of Chepstow, and Offa’s Dyke path runs right past.