Brick tower, fen-edge horizons
Tattershall
A Lincolnshire settlement where a medieval brick tower rises above fen-edge country, with church, market-cross, riverbank and aviation stories nearby.
- Best for
- Medieval brickwork, riverbank walks and RAF heritage
- Give it
- A day divided between the village and nearby heritage stops
- Don't miss
- The castle tower over the flat fen-edge landscape
The Fox verdict
A medieval tower with aviation country beyond
Tattershall combines a skyline-dominating brick castle with a collegiate church, medieval market cross, traditional pubs and paths beside the Bain.
The great tower is the defining sight, with Holy Trinity's glazing and the Buttercross close by. Riverbank paths add a different view of the village; Tattershall Thorpe and RAF Coningsby bring RAF history into the visit.
Where to go
Places in Tattershall
Every place below is checked against a published source, listed with what it is and how long to give it.
Local signatures
3 placesTattershall Castle
A red-brick great tower built for Ralph, 3rd Baron Cromwell and restored after Lord Curzon recovered its removed medieval fireplaces.
- Visit length
- Editorial estimate: Allow around 90 minutes
- Locality
- Tattershall
Fortescue Arms
A Grade II-listed former hotel and coach house with 15th-century fabric, beamed and wood-panelled bars, darts and a garden.
- Visit length
- Editorial estimate: Allow around 75 minutes
- Locality
- 34 Market Place
- Access
- Dogs are welcome.
Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Visitor Centre
At RAF Coningsby, guided hangar tours last approximately 60–90 minutes and show the Flight's technicians maintaining historic aircraft.
- Visit length
- Editorial estimate: Allow around 90 minutes for a hangar tour
- Locality
- RAF Coningsby
- Access
- Hangar access is by paid guided tour; RAF commitments affect access and which aircraft are present.
Food & drink
1 placeBlue Bell Inn
An early 17th-century listed pub whose beamed ceilings carry signatures and photographs of RAF airmen, including members of 617 Squadron.
- Visit length
- Editorial estimate: Allow around 60 minutes
- Locality
- Tattershall Thorpe
History & heritage
4 placesTattershall Archaeology Walk
A walk from the castle entrance past Holy Trinity, across grassy meadows and along the River Bain, returning through Market Place.
- Visit length
- Editorial estimate: Allow around 45 minutes
- Locality
- castle entrance and wider village
Holy Trinity Collegiate Church
A Grade I-listed 15th-century collegiate church known for extensive glazing, monumental brasses, its rood loft and screen, and the Tom Thumb grave plaque near the font.
- Visit length
- Editorial estimate: Allow around 45 minutes
- Locality
- Tattershall
The Buttercross
An octagonal medieval stepped market cross, Grade I listed and scheduled, standing where the village's former market was held.
- Visit length
- Editorial estimate: Allow around 15 minutes
- Locality
- Market Place
Tattershall College
The ruin of a late 15th-century grammar school in Ralph Cromwell's collegiate complex, later used as a malt house for the local brewery.
- Visit length
- Editorial estimate: Allow around 30 minutes
- Locality
- beside the Market Place
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Three ways to explore Tattershall
Signature outings
The Great Brick Tower
Climb the Great Tower for views across the Lincolnshire countryside, then look for the medieval fireplaces recovered by Lord Curzon.
Holy Trinity's Details
In Holy Trinity's north transept, look for the memorial brass of Joan, Lady Cromwell, who died in 1479.
The Medieval Buttercross
Look closely at the Buttercross: its four upper limestone steps are medieval, while the lowest step is a modern addition.
The village story
Tattershall: The Great Brick Tower
Tattershall's brick castle, collegiate church and Buttercross sit close to village pubs and routes beside the River Bain.
The Tower and the Fortescue
Tattershall Castle's red-brick Great Tower rises above the Lincolnshire fens. Built for Ralph Cromwell, it is one of the earliest and finest surviving examples of English medieval brickwork. Visitors can climb its winding staircase to the battlements and explore the moats and grounds below.
The Fortescue Arms at 34 Market Place is a short walk from the castle. The Grade II-listed former hotel and coach house has 15th-century brickwork at the rear. Its main bar has beams and dark wood panelling; a second bar has darts and television, and there is a garden. The pub serves one regular and one changing cask beer.
Village Pubs and Flying History
The Black Horse at 17 High Street is a village local with an L-shaped bar, a separate pool room, a garden and live music. North of Tattershall, the Blue Bell Inn in Tattershall Thorpe has an RAF connection: signatures and photographs of wartime airmen cover its beams. The listed pub building dates from the early 17th century.
At RAF Coningsby, the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Visitor Centre offers guided hangar tours lasting approximately 60–90 minutes, where visitors can watch technicians maintaining the Flight's aircraft.
Church Glass, Tom Thumb and the Buttercross
Holy Trinity was Ralph Cromwell's vision, built after his death and completed around 1500. Most of its medieval glass was removed to Stamford in 1754, but 15th-century panels survive in the east window. Near the font, a plaque commemorates the legendary Tom Thumb, said to have died in 1620 aged 101. At 13 Market Square, a ceramic house-shaped louvre on Lodge House's roof is known as Tom Thumb's House.
The Buttercross is a medieval stepped market cross in Tattershall's former Market Place. King John granted the village a weekly market charter in 1201 in exchange for a trained goshawk; the market ended around 1830.
Castle Grounds and Riverbank Paths
The archaeology and wildlife walk starts beside the castle entrance, passes Holy Trinity, crosses grassy meadows, follows the River Bain and returns through Market Place. The ground is mostly flat but can be uneven, with sloping riverbanks and muddy paths. The longer Tattershall and Coningsby walk uses field paths, riverbanks, roadside paths and quiet lanes, where mud and livestock are possible.
The Lord of the Manor
Julian Fellowes, creator of Downton Abbey, inherited the title of Lord of the Manor of Tattershall from his father. He is also patron of the Friends of Holy Trinity.
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A guide with a point of view
Written from research. Edited for real journeys.
Use the Official site links for live practical details, then use this guide for context, ideas and room to explore.
Sources
Every place on this page is checked against a published source. Each entry links the record we used and names who publishes it.
- Tattershall Castle — nationaltrust.org.uk national body or asset manager
- Tattershall Archaeology Walk — nationaltrust.org.uk national body or asset manager
- Holy Trinity Collegiate Church — historicengland.org.uk statutory register or public authority record not machine-readable; publisher restricts automated access
- The Buttercross — historicengland.org.uk statutory register or public authority record not machine-readable; publisher restricts automated access
- Tattershall College — historicengland.org.uk statutory register or public authority record not machine-readable; publisher restricts automated access
- Fortescue Arms — camra.org.uk operator, sector body or destination organisation
- Blue Bell Inn — bluebell-inn.com operator, sector body or destination organisation
- Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Visitor Centre — lincolnshire.gov.uk statutory register or public authority