What to see from Bentley: Dodnash Priory first
None of our places to visit is inside Bentley’s built-up area; 7 are within 5 km of its edge. Look for an abbey or priory, an attraction and a ruins. The list includes 2 places in care: 1 by the National Trust and 1 by English Heritage. For a longer trip, Colchester Castle lies 16 km away.
Top of the list around Bentley
Beyond Dodnash Priory, there are an attraction, a ruins and a castle.
CastleLittle Wenham Castle2.8 km outside town, to the northwestZooZooJimmy’s Farm & Wildlife Park4.5 km outside town, to the northeastMuseumMuseumManningtree Museum4.8 km outside town, to the southEach has a page of its own: what it is, who runs it, the weather month by month and what else is near it.
The places, mapped
Furthest from the centre is Aqua Park Alton, 5.1 km away.
The dashed line is Bentley’s built-up area; orange marks its middle (where most people live). Numbers match the list below. © OpenStreetMap contributors · ONS built-up area 2022
The mix
Castles or historic places lead the count with 3; 2 are zoos, theme parks or other days out.
Green: inside Bentley. Grey: within 5 km of its edge.
2 places are cared for: 1 by the National Trust and 1 by English Heritage (Flatford Mill and Mistley Towers).
Everything on the list
Here are the 7 places 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 Bentley’s History page → · Parks, footpaths and green space in Bentley →
Trips out
Worth the drive, Colchester Castle (16 km) is first of the 12.
CastleColchester Castle16 km southwest
Castle · English HeritageOrford Castle34 km east · 31K visitors a year (2017)
Castle · English HeritageFramlingham Castle32 km northeast
CathedralSt Edmundsbury Cathedral37 km northwest
CastleHedingham Castle32 km west
MuseumThe Munnings Art Museum6.8 km southwest
ZooColchester Zoo22 km southwest
Abbey or priory · English HeritageSt. Botolph's Priory16 km southwest
FortBalkerne Gate17 km southwest
CastleHelmingham Hall22 km northeast
MuseumIpswich Museum9.5 km northeast
Abbey or priory · English HeritageBury St Edmunds Abbey37 km northwestPlaces well known beyond Bentley (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.
Questions about Bentley’s attractions
What is there to see near Bentley?
No attraction is mapped inside Bentley itself. Within 5 km of it are Dodnash Priory, Flatford Mill, Mistley Towers and Little Wenham Castle.
Does Bentley have a museum?
1 museum or gallery is in or within 5 km of Bentley: Manningtree Museum.
Is there a National Trust or English Heritage property near Bentley?
Yes. In or within 5 km of Bentley, 2 places are cared for: 1 by the National Trust and 1 by English Heritage (Flatford Mill and Mistley Towers).
What are the best-known days out near Bentley?
Within 40 km: Colchester Castle (16 km), Orford Castle (34 km), Framlingham Castle (32 km), St Edmundsbury Cathedral (37 km).
Where are Bentley’s historic buildings listed?
Bentley 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 Bentley 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)
- Little Wenham Castle: Zorba the Geek, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Colchester Castle: George Gastin, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Orford Castle: Chris Gunns, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Framlingham Castle: Happy Bean Photography, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- St Edmundsbury Cathedral: Diliff, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Hedingham Castle: Agnete, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- The Munnings Art Museum: Paul Shreeve, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Colchester Zoo: Angela Tuff, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- St. Botolph's Priory: Maria, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Balkerne Gate: Tanya2501, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Helmingham Hall: Chris Holifield, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Ipswich Museum: Oxyman, CC BY 2.5, Wikimedia Commons
- Bury St Edmunds Abbey: JohnArmagh, Public domain, 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.