Celebrate Lincolnshire's local heritage with free entry, tours, online events, and activities in historic attractions across Lincoln city and countryside as part of the country Heritage Open Days
Discover Lincolnshire’s rich and varied heritage – Lincolnshire celebrates its archaeology, social history, places and traditions.
Heritage Open Days, the County’s favourite heritage festival, celebrate England’s architecture and culture by allowing visitors FREE access to interesting attractions that are either not usually open or would normally charge an entrance fee.
In 2020, Lincolnshire Heritage Open Days are celebrating the leisure of heritage and heritage through leisure. The festival runs from Friday 11th to Sunday 20th September, giving a whole ten days to visit the special places taking part. This year, there are many physical activities and events to take part in, as well as online events, virtual tours and self-led walking guides for you to enjoy.
Find out more about what’s happening across Lincolnshire during Heritage Open Days on the Lincolnshire Heritage Open Days brochure or across the country on the Heritage Lincolnshire website.
All event amendments, cancellations and new events are being listed on the Heritage Lincolnshire website here. You are advised to check with the venue before you travel to any event.
Highlights in 2020 include
Boston Guildhall Museum
Wednesdays – Saturdays: 10.30am, 11.45am, 1pm, 2.15pm
Self-led Tours: Free | Guided Tours: From £48: Event Link
Discover Boston Guildhall, the grade I listed Medieval building with a wealth of original features, sharing both medieval and Georgian architectural decor. Book a slot for a self-led tour or a guided tour around the museum.
Boston's Historic Pubs
Online/Self-Guided Tour: Online Tour Link
Join Lincolnshire County Council’s Historical Places team on a digital wander around Boston’s historic pubs, with some local history along the way. Explore the online trail from home, or on a mobile device as a self-guided walk.
Cogglesford Watermill, Sleaford
Saturday 12th – Monday 14th September: 12pm – 4pm
Pre-booking is not required
Experience Victorian Day at Cogglesford Watermill and have fun dressing up, playing Victorian games, and enjoy bird watching on the Slea too.
University of Lincoln Conservation Department
Friday 11th September: 10.30am – 12pm and 1.30pm – 3pm
Email Lynda Skipper to pre-book your space: lskipper@lincoln.ac.uk
Join The University of Lincoln to take a virtual tour of the labs and facilities in the conservation department – the largest centre for conservation and restoration study in the UK. Discover more about conservation for historic objects and how students learn and develop skills for the heritage sector.
For more information on how to access the tour, please contact Lynda Skipper: lskipper@lincoln.ac.uk
RAF Cranwell Aviation Heritage Centre
Saturday 12th – Monday 14th September: 12pm – 4pm
Pre-booking is not required
Come and learn more about how sports and leisure have played an enormous part in cadet life at RAF College Cranwell.
RAF Ingham Heritage Centre
Online Tour: Online Tour Link
Experience the globally unique project at RAF Ingham Heritage Centre “Home of the Polish Bomber Squadrons” – telling the story of the men and women of the Polish Air Force Bomber squadrons. Explore the history of the wartime airfield through a virtual tour of their Memorial Garden, Aircrew Silhouette and restored Resettlement Nissen Hut.
Jewish Heritage Guided Tour
Saturday 12th – Sunday 13th September: 1.30pm – 3.30pm
Contact Mrs Moss on 01522 692738 to pre-book your space on the tour.
Join in with a tour of Uphill Lincoln’s Jewish Quarter to learn about the Jewish influence on medieval Lincoln and how their lives differed from the general population in the locations they lived and worked. The walking tour starts at Lincoln Visitor Information Centre , Castle Hill, and lasts approximately 2 hours.
Lincoln Guildhall
Monday 14th, Wednesday 16th, Friday 18th September: 10am, 12pm and 2pm
Free tickets: Pre-book online here
A unique insight into over 813 years of civic history in one of England’s most important medieval cities. Enjoy a free tour of Lincoln Guildhall during Lincolnshire Heritage Open Days, where you will be guided through almost 2000 years of Lincoln’s evolution, and see the main council chamber, the inner chamber with Tutor polearms, robing room and insignia room.
Londonthorpe Woods & Bellmount Tower, Grantham
Self-guided Tour: Download the GoExplore app
Starting location: Londonthorpe Woods Car Park, NG31 9SL
Wander back in time along way-marked walks through the picturesque landscapes of Londonthorpe Woods to the spectacular views from the food of Bellmount Tower. Learn about the heritage sites’ fascinating history on the way, with this self-guided walking event. Download the Active Lincolnshire GoExplore app , put on your walking boots and escape to the great outdoors.
Navigation House, Sleaford
Saturday 12th – Monday 14th September: 12pm – 4pm
Pre-booking is not required
Spend some time with the family at the Family Games Day at Navigation House, have a go at playing some family favourite games, and enter the prize draw for your chance to take a game home.
Mrs Smith's Cottage, Navenby
Saturday 12th – Monday 14th and Saturday 19th – Monday 21st: 12pm – 4pm
Tickets from £2: Pre-book your 1-hour visit online
Explore the unique atmosphere of Mrs Smith’s Cottage, a rare time capsule and a window into the past of the community in Navenby, in the Heart of Lincolnshire , and reveal the layers of her unique story, her knowledge of local history, families and their secrets.
Society for Lincolnshire History & Archaeology
Online Digital Exhibition: Event Link
Join the SLHA online at their digital exhibition Pursuits and Pasttimes – The Heritage of Lincolnshire’s Leisure in Pictures. A fascinating exhibition of historical images showing ‘Lincolnshire at Leisure’ including hobbies, holidays, festivals, days out, sporting activities, shows, entertainment of all kinds, walks and much more.
St Mary le Wigford Historic Market
Friday 11th – Saturday 12th September: 10am – 6pm
Sunday 13th September: 10am – 4pm
Pre-booking is not required
Explore one of Lincoln’s hidden gems, St Mary le Wigford, as they host The Travelling Historical Market featuring unique and artisan traders throughout the weekend.
COVID-Compliant & Booking Information
Event organisers and volunteers have been working hard to ensure the safety of both visitors and the event teams. You can help make sure everyone stays safe by following government guidance and:
- Wearing a face covering whilst attending the event
- Making use of hand sanitising facilities where available
- Maintaining social distancing of at least 1m
- Most Importantly, if you have a temperature of more than 38° or have flu-like symptoms, then please stay home and do not attend the event.
Event organisers have been asked to implement and monitor this guidance. They are also primarily volunteers, so please help us to keep them and yourself safe by following any other reasonable requests they might have regarding COVID-19.
To assist the government in tracking and tracing, event organisers will also be keeping a record of those booked on to their event, which will be sent to Heritage Lincolnshire for safekeeping once the event ends. We will keep this information for 15 days for this purpose, after which it will be disposed of as confidential waste.
Some events have limited places and require booking in advance. We advise you to book as soon as possible to avoid disappointment. For more information on how to book see the events listings on the Heritage Lincolnshire website or in the Lincolnshire Heritage Open Days Brochure.
Event bookings co-ordinated by Heritage Lincolnshire can be made until Wednesday 9th September. We ask that you do not attend a booked event if you have not prebooked in advance.
You are advised to check with the venue before you travel to any event.
