Come Here!

Much of Lincolnshire is low-lying and, if left to nature, would be fenland and marsh, and difficult or impossible to farm.

From the seventeenth century landowners have tried many techniques to reduce seasonal flooding and to raise the water out of the land and into the rivers. At first, wind-powered pumps were built but in the nineteenth century, with the invention of steam engines, a new chapter began. Tall brick chimneys rose across the fenlands and hundreds of steam driven pumps were constructed to drain the wetlands and produce productive farmland. But they in their turn were...

This week's episode is something a bit different. Sundown Adventureland isn't a museum, it's a theme park for young children, but it has a long history of almost 60 years.

Audrey and John Rhodes started the business almost by accident in 1968 when visitors to buy their homegrown produce were enthralled by a pet monkey they had acquired. This grew into a petting zoo and eventually a theme park.

The third generation are now running this family business which is a delight for children and their grown ups alike.

In 2022, Sundown Adventureland opened its new...

Grantham House is a hidden treasure in the heart of Grantham, Lincolnshire. It has been in the care of the National Trust since the 1940's but was only opened to the public in 2025.

Only part of the house is permanently accessible (the downstairs with the cafe and book shop) but there are also rooms available upstairs for community classes and events.

There are also 5 acres of stunning gardens to enjoy.

Admission is free for everyone as part of the National Trust's strategy objective to end unequal access to nature, beauty and history.

The Cottage Museum at Woodhall Spa covers the history of the town and the Wield family who lived there from 1887 until the 1960s.

The house is a rare example of a Boulton and Paul bungalow constructed of corrugated iron on a wooden frame.

John Wield was a keen photographer and his photographic collection is a unique and valuable record of life at the time. Some of his photographs are on display at the museum, along with a reconstruction of his darkroom.

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Pete Loosmore is the Miller at Sturminster Newton Mill, which is part of the Sturminster Newton Heritage Trust.

Sturminster water mill stands on the banks of the Stour River, 300 yards from a medieval, six arched bridge and the site of an even older ford few yards further on. The area is overlooked by “Sturminster Castle”, which is the ruined remains of a manor house once given to Katherine parr by Henry V111.( Now on private land)

There has been a mill on the riverbank for at least 1000 years, the site is mentioned in the Domesday Book...

Helen Reynolds is a freelance copywriter and her business, Ink Gardener Copywriting, specialises in writing copy for heritage attraction websites.

Helen has many years of experience of working in the heritage sector as she previously managed websites and social media for the Lake District National Park.

She is a font of knowledge when it comes to creating a great website for a heritage attraction, and she's passionate about history and heritage as you will hear.

Whether you work for a heritage attraction or not, this is a fascinating 'behind the scenes' episode, and...

Mark Bamford is the Chairman of Sleaford Museum in Lincolnshire.

The museum, which is located in an old Edwardian toilet block, is home to artefacts and stories that portray fascinating aspects of the town and area’s unique past. Exhibitions in its colourful interior change frequently and visitors are united in their praise. Admission is free, but your donations are welcomed and much appreciated to help us to cover essential costs and to fund new exhibitions. A range of local history books, booklets, postcards, pens, key-rings etc can be purchased.

The Museum is a completely vo...

Dales Countryside Museum is a National Park museum sharing the stories of the people and places of the Yorkshire Dales. Our home is a light and airy contemporary extension of Hawes’ former Victorian railway station, which sets the friendly and welcoming tone of the whole experience. The added bonus of our loco and railway carriages generates great excitement for families. Object rich displays include hands-on activities and the voices of local people help bring collections to life. With changing exhibitions and over 70 events each year, come along and discover more about the Yorkshire Dales.

www.dalescountrysidemuseum.org.uk...

Far Ings

Sewerby Hall is a grade 1 listed country house set in over 50 acres of beautifully landscaped gardens on the clifftops just outside Bridlington in the East Riding of Yorkshire.

Once the home of the Lloyd Greame family, the hall has been restored to reflect life in a country house during the Edwardian Golden Age, circa 1910.

Today, visitors are invited to step back in time to visit the lavish family rooms and explore life in the service wing where they can get to grips with the museum’s handling collection. Younger visitors can be Edwardian children for th...

Step into a miniature world at Bekonscot Model Village & Railway, the oldest original model village in the world. Established in 1929 and set in 1.5 acres of manicured gardens it is the perfect day out for adventurers young and old. Wander through our miniature village scenes, marvel at our extensive Gauge 1 model railway and watch the trains whizz by, enjoy a ride on our 7 1/4” narrow gauge light railway and relax with some tasty seasonal treats from our tearoom after a busy day of discovery. Check out the website to see the full series of seasonal events and book online at...

Nestled above the rolling Vale of Belvoir, Belvoir Castle is home to the Duke and Duchess of Rutland and their five children and is one of England’s most treasured historic homes. There is something for everyone at Belvoir Castle, whether it’s stepping back in time to experience the Regency Castle’s rich history or making special family memories in the Adventure Playground.

Open seven days a week, Belvoir Retail Village is a thriving shopping and dining hub, sitting at the foot of Belvoir Castle. The retail destination offers artisan shopping in the heart of the stunni...

The 30th West Lindsey Churches Festival takes place on the 9th - 10th & 16th - 17th May and includes 120 churches in and around the West Lindsey District.

"Join in and celebrate 30 years of the West Lindsey Churches Festival supporting the many churches and chapels across the stunning Lincolnshire countryside and rural villages that make up the vibrant landscape. Many of the churches are still the focal point of the villages within the West Lindsey District and will provide you with an insight into the history and life of their parishes. Others offer a vibrant collection of stained...

The museum of Dartmoor life has been open for 45 years and covers 5000 years of Dartmoor history, stretched over three floors of an old mill building in the centre of Okehampton.

Our collections explore the people, industries, folklore and landscapes that make Dartmoor unique. Learn about the stone rows, hut circles and burial cairns. See how geology, flora and fauna have shaped these dramatic landscapes. Explore domestic life, including local crafts and traditions and what working on the moor was like in the quarries, down the mines and working the land. Travel and tourism, effects of wars and...

Madi Gray is the Curator of Decorative Arts at Normanby Hall near Scunthorpe.

Normanby Hall is a Regency mansion featuring displays telling the history of the house and the Sheffield family for whom it was built. It sits within a beautiful country park that is also home to the Rural Life Museum, woodland walks, gardens, a cafe (featuring produce from the walled garden), playgrounds, and even Go Ape.

Children will particularly enjoy the land train, the miniature railway and deer feeding at certain times of the year.

There's plenty for the whole family...

Andrew Plumtree is a volunteer at the Appleby Frodingham Railway-Scunthorpe (formerly preservation society). The society was formed in 1990 to preserve the industrial railway heritage of the Scunthorpe Steelworks and the surrounding local area.

The organisation provide rail tours & driver experiences at the British Steel Scunthorpe site - Britain's largest industrial Railway and the UK's last steelworks utilising blast furnaces.

They are a volunteer run charitable organisation.

Charity name: Appleby Frodingham Railway-Scunthorpe

Charity number: 1196958

Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/AFrailway

Booking provider: https://www.ticketsource.co...

Liz Bennet is the Managing Director of The Ropewalk Arts Centre in Barton on Humber, North Lincolnshire.

The Ropewalk is an arts centre, museum, café and studio space. It is housed in a Grade II listed former rope factory, Hall’s Barton Ropery, which was founded in 1801 and closed in 1989. Many of the artefacts on display in the museum and available in the archive were donated by former employees and their families.

The Ropewalk has been part of Barton’s story for more than two centuries, beginning life as a bustling rope‑making factory that once po...

Sally Mitchell has been collecting horse-related artefacts most of her life. In 2014 she opened a museum dedicated to the horse in a beautiful old coaching inn, in Tuxford, North Nottinghamshire.

She has curated a fascinating collection of artefacts that cover agriculture, warfare, coaching, racing, riding - every aspect of how horses have been used.

And the museum isn't just for horse lovers. As Sally rightly says, the history of the horse is the history of us all.

https://museumofthehorse.co.uk

Stuart Orme is curator at the Cromwell Museum in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire.

The Cromwell Museum is in the heart of this historic market town, and housed in the town’s oldest building. Part of a 12th century religious house, the building became the town’s grammar school in 1565, and was attended by Oliver Cromwell and Samuel Pepys in the 1600s. Today it houses the world’s largest collection of artefacts relating to Cromwell, and tells the story of this hugely significant and controversial soldier and statesman ‘warts and all’.

Web: www.cromwellmuseum.org

Bluesky: @cromwellmu...

Sherborne Castle in Dorset, has been the home of the Wingfield-Digby family since 1617. It was built by Sir Walter Raleigh in 1594, and this historic house reflects a glorious variety of decorative styles from over 400 years of English History.

The Grade I listed Garden was one of Capability Brown’s first commissions and this magnificent English Landscape Garden survives largely unaltered to this day.

In the episode I chat to Maria Wingfield-Digby, wife of Edward Wingfield-Digby who is the current owner of the castle. She oversees the tourism side of the business and the garden is he...

Barton Upon Humber in North Lincolnshire has a long history, and many historical buildings from the Saxon period onwards.

It also has its fair share of ghosts!

The South Bank Players have been performing the Ghost Walk since 2002 and it's still going strong.

Walks start from Baysgarth House Museum and run on Halloween, and then the last Fridays of November, January, February and March each year (check the website for changes).

The walk starts at 7.30pm and currently tickets are £5 per person (adults and children). The route is around a mile l...

Welcome to my brand new podcast, Come Here! which is all about heritage attractions.

Each week I'll be chatting to someone from a different heritage attraction (museum, gallery, historic site etc) about why people should visit. I'll be asking them about the history of their site, what makes it special and what they love about it, as well as all the important visitor information that you want to know.

If you're a curator, collections manager, or someone who is passionate about your heritage attraction, and you'd like to be a guest, I'd love to hear...