
Sometimes we are so quick to explore the wonders found in foreign countries, that we overlook the hidden, forgotten relics that lie right on our doorstep.

Author David Hamilton stumbled upon the hundreds of historic ruins and crumbling settlements while out in the countryside foraging for mushrooms and wild foods.

His new book, Wild Ruins, sets out to lift the lid on over 250 haunting sites nationwide, in a bid to reconnect people with the country's great history.

From abandoned castles to forts built in the Thames and Mersey estuaries, here are some of Britain's most majestic sites missing from tourist guide books...

Forgotten: The hidden locations of hundreds of historic ruins have been revealed in the first ever guide to Britain's crumbling past by David Hamilton. Byland Abbey (pictured) in North Yorkshire, is featured in Wild Ruins. The ruined structure still features the remains of a large rose window as well as stone lectern base from the chapter house which is the only example of its kind in the country

Spectacular: Old Wardour Castle near Tisbury was built in the 14th century as a lightly fortified luxury residence for comfortable living, but it was badly damaged during the Civil War. The damaged castle became a fashionable romantic ruin and was the inspiration for a castle featured in the film 'Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves' starring Kevin Costner

Stunning view: Castle Kilchurn was built in the mid-15th century by Sir Colin Campbell. The four-storey tower, located on a rocky peninsula at the northeastern end of Loch Awe, in Argyll and Bute, Scotland, remained the Clan Campbell's base for 150 years until it was abandoned in the 1700s

Hidden from view: The 18th century Racton Folly near Walderton can be found off the beaten track in woodland in Racton near Chichester, West Sussex. It was thought to have been built to watch ships approach the Solent in 1766, the 80ft brick building was abandoned more than a century ago and is now crumbling and overgrown

Protected: The Grade 1 listed Fountains Abbey, which is located around three miles south-west of Ripon in North Yorkshire, is one of the largest and best-preserved ruined Cistercian monasteries in England. It was founded by Benedictine monks expelled from St Mary's Abbery in York in the early 12th century and operated until 1539 when King Henry VIII ordered the Dissolution of the Monasteries

Hidden wonder: Dolbarden Castle, overlooking the deep waters of Llyn Peris in Snowdonia, was a fortification built by the Welsh prince Llywelyn the Great during the early 13th century. In 1284, the castle was taken by Edward I, who removed some of its timbers. Today, it remains in a solid condition and is protected as a Grade I listed building

Remnants of war: The Maunsell Forts were small fortified towers built in the Thames and Mersey estuaries to protect Britain during the Second World War. Each fort consists of a cluster of seven stilted buildings surrounding a central command tower. Now rusting, the structures were constructed in 1942 and decommissioned in the ear;y 1950s

Majestic: Raglan Castle built in the 1430s, was used to hold off Oliver Cromwell's Parliamentary forces for the 13 weeks in 1646, during the Civil War. Described as one of Wales' best-kept secrets, the medieval ruins of 15th century castle in Monmouthshire in south Wales is well preserved and boasts impressive turrets and a huge moat

Lone ruin: The abandoned Ardvreck Castle dates from the 16th century and stands on a rocky promontory jutting out into Loch Assynt located in Sutherland in the Scottish Highlands. It is believed to have been built around 1590 by the Clan MacLeod family who owned Assynt. In 1650, James, Marquis of Montrose, was captured by the Laird of Assynt and held at the castle before being taken to Edinburgh for trial and execution

Magical: St Marys East Somerton (left) and Fussells Iron Works (right) near the village of Mells, Somerset, are two of the 250 hidden locations revealed in the first ever guide to Britain's crumbling past. The Iron Works once employed 250 people but was shut in 1900. Author David Hamilton said: 'What really tipped the balance was a trip to Fussell's Iron Works at Mells, near where I live. It's a sprawling Victorian ruin but it's not on any tourist maps and it made me think what else could be out there'

Historic: Gwrych Castle took ten years to build with work starting in 1812 at the behest of Lloyd Hesketh Bamford-Hesketh, who was the grandfather of the Countess of Dundonald. She left the castle in her will to King George V and the Prince of Wales (who later became King Edward VIII) but it was refused .The Grade I listed 19th country house, located near Abergele in Conwy county borough, Wales, was used to house 200 Jewish refugeed during the Second World War

Dramatic: Dunottar Castle perches majestically on the edge of the North Sea and was used as the inspiration for the Disney film, Brave. The ruined cliff-top medieval fortress is built upon a rocky headland on the north-east coast of Scotland. William Wallace, Mary Queen of Scots, the Marquis of Montrose and the future King Charles II have all visited

Eerie: Emerging through the mist is Corfe Castle positioned in between the Purbeck Hills in Dorset. The fortification, which stands above the village of the same name on the Isle of Purbeck, survived the English Civil War, but was partially demolished in 1646 by the Parliamentarians

Spectacular: Carreg Cennen Castle, whose name translates to 'Castle on the rock,' is located in located in the Brecon Beacons National Park, south of Llandeilo in Carmarthenshire in Wales. Perching above a limestone precipice, the castle overlooks the remote Black Mountain and the River Cennen. 'I want the book to encourage people to visit these sites to learn about and marvel in our past,' David Hamilton said

Idyllic: The ruins of St Micheal's church, built in the 15th century, sits on top of Burrow Mump. David Hamilton's research spanned over three years, which he spent exploring the country to learn about little-known and hard-to-find remains of abandoned castles, churches, settlements and industrial works

History: Bottalack Mine, located in Botallack in west Cornwall, was given World Heritage Site status by UNESCO in 2006. The village is in a former tin mining area situated between the town of St Just in Penwith and the village of Pendee. It produced 14,500 tonnes of tin, 20,000 tonnes of copper ore and 1,500 tonnes of refined arsenic. The BBC series Poldark used Bottalack as a filming location this year

Work with a view: At the top of the cliffs are the remains of one of Bottalack Mine's arsenic-refining works (pictured). Botallack Tin Mine was created by the Industrial Revolution that shaped Cornwall. There is evidence of tin mining in this area from the 17th Century and possibly even earlier