From Forest Town, 7.4 km to Rufford Abbey
The built-up area has no place on our list of its own; 5 are within 5 km of its edge. There are 2 museums, 2 attractions and an abbey or priory to choose from. Of the places on our list, one is looked after by English Heritage. Beyond the town, Derby Museum and Art Gallery sits 35 km away.
Where to start near Forest Town
Once you have seen Rufford Abbey, try 2 museums and 2 attractions.
Abbey or priory · English HeritageRufford Abbey4.5 km outside town, to the east
MuseumMansfield Museum1.1 km outside town, to the southwestAttractionAttractionGo Ape! Sherwood Pines1.1 km outside town, to the eastAttractionAttractionMajor Oak4.6 km outside town, to the northeastMuseumMuseumMaking It! Discovery Centre1.5 km outside town, to the southwestEach has a page of its own: what it is, who runs it, the weather month by month and what else is near it.
Where they are
Furthest out is Rufford Abbey, at 7.4 km.
The dashed line is Forest Town’s built-up area; orange marks its middle (where most people live). Numbers match the list below. © OpenStreetMap contributors · ONS built-up area 2022
Kind by kind
Museums or galleries are the biggest group (2), then other attractions (2).
Green: inside Forest Town. Grey: within 5 km of its edge.
1 place is cared for by English Heritage (Rufford Abbey).
Place by place
All 5 on the list lie within 5 km of its edge.
Close and well known first. Churches and listed buildings are on the History page, not here.
2 listed buildings are on Forest Town’s History page → · Parks, footpaths and green space in Forest Town →
The wider area
Allow a day for Derby Museum and Art Gallery, 35 km away, the pick of 12.
MuseumDerby Museum and Art Gallery35 km southwestHistoric houseHistoric house · National TrustHardwick Hall11 km west
Abbey or prioryNewstead Abbey9.7 km south
CastleCodnor Castle19 km southwest
Castle · English HeritageBolsover Castle13 km northwest
Historic houseChatsworth House32 km west
CastleNottingham Castle23 km south
MuseumPickford's House Museum35 km southwest
MuseumMuseum of Making34 km southwest
ChurchSouthwell Minster16 km southeast
CathedralDerby Cathedral34 km southwest
Castle · National TrustDuffield Castle30 km southwestPlaces well known beyond Forest Town (Wikipedia articles in several languages, published visitor counts, or a National Trust, English Heritage or Cadw property), close and famous first. Distances are straight lines from the middle of the town.
Planning a visit to Forest Town
What is there to see near Forest Town?
No attraction is mapped inside Forest Town itself. Within 5 km of it are Rufford Abbey, Mansfield Museum, Go Ape! Sherwood Pines and Major Oak.
Does Forest Town have a museum?
2 museums and galleries are in or within 5 km of Forest Town: Mansfield Museum and Making It! Discovery Centre.
Is there a National Trust or English Heritage property near Forest Town?
Yes. In or within 5 km of Forest Town, 1 place is cared for by English Heritage (Rufford Abbey).
What are the best-known days out near Forest Town?
Within 40 km: Derby Museum and Art Gallery (35 km), Hardwick Hall (11 km), Newstead Abbey (9.7 km), Codnor Castle (19 km).
Where are Forest Town’s historic buildings listed?
Forest Town has 2 listed buildings. They are on its History page, from Historic England’s list, not repeated here.
How is this list made?
From OpenStreetMap (museums, galleries, zoos, theme parks and attractions, castles, forts and abbeys, and historic houses and gardens that are open to visitors) and Wikidata (what each place is, who runs it, its website and visitor counts). A place counts for Forest Town when it is inside the ONS 2022 built-up area, and as nearby within 5 km of its edge. Opening times and prices are not shown: check the official site.
Places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, Open Database Licence) and Wikidata (CC0), placed in the ONS 2022 built-up area (Open Government Licence v3.0). Visitor counts are the latest Wikidata gives, with their year.
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (13)
- Rufford Abbey: Enchufla Con Clave, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Mansfield Museum: Nottingham311, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Derby Museum and Art Gallery: Janet Roberts from UK, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Newstead Abbey: brianfagan from Nottingham, United Kingdom, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Codnor Castle: Douglal, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Bolsover Castle: Stephen G Taylor, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Chatsworth House: Rprof, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Nottingham Castle: Cosmicutencil, CC0, Wikimedia Commons
- Pickford's House Museum: sps1955 from UK, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Museum of Making: Matt Brown, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Southwell Minster: DeFacto, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Derby Cathedral: Nick Moyes, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Duffield Castle: Mike Bardill, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026 (ONS boundaries). Northern Ireland: Source: NISRA; contains Land & Property Services data and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland information, © Crown copyright, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Scotland: contains National Records of Scotland data, Registers of Scotland data and SEPA data, © Crown copyright / © SEPA 2025, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.