The county of Lincolnshire is littered with historic halls, mansions and castles. From our comfortable base on the outskirts of the cathedral city of Lincoln we tour the county and sample the delights of one fine property after another. Our first port of call is Belton Hall, often cited as the perfect example of an English country house estate with a fine collection of porcelain and silver. Rising from the flat Lincolnshire fens is Tattershall House, built to be a statement of power and wealth and one of the finest examples of medieval brickwork, while at the foot of the wolds lies Gunby Hall, a homely country house with a fine garden. Doddington Hall also boasts notable gardens as well as a fascinating collection of furniture and other items accumulated over 400 years. Following our visit here, we spend the afternoon in Lincoln itself, visiting both the castle and the cathedral, both oozing with history. We round off in style with a visit to the impressive Grimsthorpe Castle, where we enjoy a private tour of the castle followed by time to explore the intricate gardens, thought to date back to at least 1500.<