10 Treasures to See in Lincolnshire’s Stately Homes & Historic Buildings

A visual feast awaits inside the aptly named Heaven Room at Burghley House. This masterpiece of 17th-century ceiling painting by Antonio Verrio dazzles with mythological scenes designed to impress royal guests. The house also features the famous Hell Staircase and over 20 grand state rooms.

Dating back to 1600, Doddington Hall’s Long Gallery stretches across the top floor of this Elizabethan home. Once a place to walk and entertain during bad weather, it now displays generations of portraits, fine furniture, and an ever-growing family collection of decorative objects.

Belton House holds an exceptional collection of ceramics and porcelain, from rare Japanese and Chinese pieces to unique 18th-century Sèvres vases. Highlights include a Ming-period incense burner in the form of a lion and a one-of-a-kind set of Sèvres vessels, making this one of the National Trust’s most remarkable ceramic collections.

Steeped in grandeur and history, Grimsthorpe Castle’s pièce de résistance is its Great Hall, Sir John Vanbrugh’s final masterpiece. This majestic space - praised by architectural historian Nikolaus Pevsner as “unquestionably Vanbrugh’s finest room” - features soaring stone arcades and a richly painted ceiling by Francesco Sleter and Sir James Thornhill.

Gainsborough Old Hall boasts one of the best-preserved medieval kitchens in England. With huge hearths, high ceilings and original fittings, it offers a unique insight into Tudor domestic life - alongside the stunning timber-framed Great Hall and tower.

Tattershall Castle is famous for its ornate stone fireplaces, each uniquely decorated to reflect status and wealth. Climb the spiral stairs to the battlements for stunning Lincolnshire views, there are seven storeys to explore!

Gunby Hall is a quiet treasure with Victorian walled gardens, Edwardian interiors, and art by William Morris, Edward Lear and Sir Joshua Reynolds. The house, nestled between coast and countryside, has links to Tennyson and Lincolnshire’s literary past.

Another gem from Belton, the formal Italian Garden - complete with clipped yew hedges, flowerbeds, and a tranquil fountain - is a highlight of the 36-acre grounds. Nearby, you’ll find the 19th-century orangery which features in the popular Netflix series Bridgerton.

Elsham Hall’s grand 19th-century Orangery, set in landscaped gardens beside a lake, is a peaceful highlight of this family estate. While the hall itself is private, the gardens are open for special events and summer visits.

Once home to Katherine Swynford, mistress-turned-duchess to John of Gaunt and ancestor of the Tudors, Kettlethorpe Hall still retains its 14th-century gatehouse and moat. Although privately owned, its historic ties are captivating.