Gainsborough

Visiting Gainsborough

Gainsborough's greatest treasure is the Old Hall, a remarkably complete medieval manor house dating from the 15th century. Now managed by English Heritage, the building features a magnificent Great Hall with an original timber roof, medieval kitchens and Tudor-era rooms that bring centuries of history vividly to life. The Old Hall has hosted both Richard III and Henry VIII, and its survival through the centuries is a minor miracle of English heritage. For visitors with an interest in medieval and Tudor history, it is one of the finest buildings in the Midlands.

The town itself sits on the River Trent, and its riverside setting provides pleasant walking opportunities. Gainsborough has connections to the literary world — the town and its tidal bore (known as the Trent Aegir) are believed to have inspired George Eliot's novel The Mill on the Floss. While the town is less immediately picturesque than some Lincolnshire destinations, it offers genuine historical interest, affordable accommodation and a base for exploring the quieter western side of the county, including the villages of the Lincolnshire Cliff.