10 Old Ruins to Explore in Lincolnshire

Bolingbroke Castle was one of three castles built by Ranulf de Blundeville, Earl of Chester and Lincoln, in the 1220s after his return from the Crusades. After Blundeville’s death, the castle remained in the ownership of the Earls of Lincoln and was later inherited through marriage by John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster. Today the castle is an evocative ruin preserved to ground floor level, with several rooms within the towers still surviving.

Claythorpe Watermill is a small, family-run visitor attraction. One of the loveliest things to do in Lincolnshire. The mill last ran in the late 1970s but you can still see the remaining millworks and learn more about its varied industrial history. Built around 1720, This Grade II listed former mill ran until the late 1970s, powered by a rare turbine. You can see some of the old mill works in what’s now the café.

Crowland Abbey, is a place of prayer and worship in the town of Crowland, Lincolnshire. It was founded in memory of St. Guthlac early in the eighth century by Ethelbald, King of Mercia, but was entirely destroyed and the community slaughtered by the Danes in 866. Crowland is well known to historians as the probable home of the Croyland Chronicle of Pseudo-Ingulf, begun by one of its monks and continued by several other hands.

Gainsborough Old Hall is among the biggest and best-preserved medieval manor houses in England. It is part timber-framed but mostly brick-built. It is a splendid monument to one man’s ambitions and accomplishment, across one of the most turbulent periods of English history. Pay a visit to learn about the families that have lived in and managed the old hall through the centuries and to find out how the house has been involved in British history.

A majestic castle which was built almost 1000 years ago by William the Conqueror, Lincoln Castle has witnessed some of the most dramatic events in English history. Within the Castle Walls is a Victorian prison giving an insight into crime and punishment in the Lincoln of the past. It now hosts an exciting events program throughout the year and offers free guided tours that provide a fascinating insight into the history of Lincoln and its Castle.

The Old Bishop's Palace is a historic visitor attraction in the city of Lincoln, Lincolnshire. Standing almost in the shadow of Lincoln Cathedral, the palace boasts sweeping views over the ancient city and the countryside beyond. An engaging audio tour will guide you around the palace and explain more of its history. The site lies immediately to the south of the Roman wall which had become the medieval defensive wall of the Bail, which enclosed both Lincoln Castle and Lincoln Cathedral.

This is a beautiful cottage located in Navenby, Lincolnshire and owned by North Kesteven District Council. It was the home of Hilda Smith from 1922 until 1995, just before her death at a remarkable 102 years of age. One of the iconic attractions in this area and is an example of the olden ages.

Belton House is a Grade I listed country house in the parish of Belton near Grantham in Lincolnshire, which was built in 1685-8 for Sir John Brownlow. It has over 1300 acres of beautiful gardens and parkland to explore. There are a variety of walking routes around the estate and through the parkland and woods as well as around the lake.

Newport arch is the most famous Roman remain in Lincoln, and the best preserved and it dates to the start of the 2nd century AD. It is famous as the only Roman arch in Britain still in use for daily transportation. As the north gate of the city, it carried the major Roman road Ermine Street northward almost in a straight line to the Humber.

Woolsthorpe Manor is a typical early 17th-century yeoman’s farmhouse, where Sir Isaac Newton had his famous revelation about gravity. Explore the orchard with the original 400-year-old tree from which the apple fell and inspired Newton. built some time after 1623. Newton returned here in 1666 when Cambridge University closed due to the plague, and here he performed many of his most famous experiments, most notably his work on light and optics.