I’m from a very underrated UK town but it’s perfect for a weekend stay – with one of world’s oldest hotels and cosy pubs

IF YOU'RE aft a state flight that's casual to get to and not connected the accustomed tourer trail, past see the historical marketplace municipality of Grantham wherever I grew up.

It sits surrounded by rolling hills successful the south-west country of Lincolnshire, 1 of the astir agrarian counties successful the UK.

This is contempt it being conscionable implicit a one-hour bid thrust from London's King's Cross or a 45-minute thrust eastbound of Nottingham.

While chap towns similar Rye in East Sussex oregon Whitby successful North Yorkshire whitethorn get each the attention, I can't assistance but consciousness that Grantham makes an underrated getaway...

Surprising celebrated erstwhile residents

I've usually recovered that the archetypal happening that springs to people's minds erstwhile they deliberation of Grantham, is that it was the birthplace of Margaret Thatcher in 1925.

The UK's erstwhile - and archetypal pistillate - premier curate grew up supra a store connected North Parade, which present has a commemorative plaque connected the wall.

She besides attended the section Kesteven and Grantham Girls' School, wherever she is included arsenic 'Margaret Roberts' among the database of caput girls, and you tin besides find items related to her connected show successful Grantham Museum.

Less good known is that Sir Isaac Newton attended The King's School successful the town, wherever a chromatic model sill successful 1 of the archetypal rooms inactive bears his engraved signature.

What's more, helium famously saw the apple driblet from a tree - starring to his find of gravity successful 1666 - astatine his home, present the National Trust spot Woolsthorpe Manor, successful the adjacent colony of Woolsthorpe-by-Colsterworth.

Another of his galore important legacies is backmost successful Grantham town, arsenic conscionable disconnected the Market Place that hosts a marketplace each Saturday, sits a nightclub called Gravity which is thing of a section institution.

A really, truly aged hotel

At the expansive aged property of 821, the Angel and Royal is believed to beryllium 1 of the oldest hotels successful the world.

Located connected the Great North Road, it was a premier spot for travellers connected the the main way betwixt London and Edinburgh from Medieval times until the 20th century.

Originally called the The Angel Inn, 1 of its earliest royal guests was King John and helium stayed determination successful 1213, 2 years earlier signing the Magna Carta.

No less than 7 kings and queens person visited implicit the centuries - arsenic good arsenic Oliver Cromwell - and the 'royal' was added successful 1866 after the aboriginal Edward VII had been a guest.

Today, the 31-bedroom edifice features The Kings Room restaurant, arsenic good arsenic The Angel Bar - which serves cocktails and tapas.

Very, precise fancy houses

A abbreviated thrust conscionable extracurricular Grantham, you'll find a fig of alternatively expansive houses with sprawling grounds to visit.

Closest is Belton House, a stunning National Trust mansion acceptable successful 1,300 acres of parkland - that includes a immense escapade playground for kids, and was a filming determination for Colin Firth's Pride and Prejudice and much precocious Bridgerton.

You tin besides hike up the elevation to adjacent Bellmount Tower, a viewpoint from which - astatine the clip it was built successful the 18th period - you could spot 7 counties.

Then, a 20-minute thrust distant is Belvoir Castle - pronounced 'beaver' - that's inactive location to the Duke and Duchess of Rutland, whose past dates backmost to the 11th century, and which is unfastened to the public.

In the grounds you'll find the Engine Yard, a fashionable retail colony that was restored from aged property buildings and which serves section nutrient and artisanal wares.

Cute, cosy pubs

There are nary shortage of places to sip connected a refreshing pint oregon substance up successful Grantham and its surrounding area.

The Blue Pig is a 16th-century watering spread that is simply a abbreviated locomotion from the awesome St Wulfram's Church - which has the second-tallest spire successful the county.

For much of a state colony pub vibe, caput to the Chequers successful Woolsthorpe-by-Belvoir, The Stag successful Barkston oregon The Green Man successful Ropsley.

Back successful the municipality centre, bask a cuppa and barroom astatine family-run café Kitchen and Coffee or Westgate Bakery.

Iconic gingerbread

While Melton Mowbray conscionable up the roadworthy whitethorn beryllium renowned for its pork pies and the Lincolnshire sausage is produced elsewhere successful the county, successful Grantham it's each astir the gingerbread.

It is England’s oldest commercially traded biscuit and dates backmost to 1740, erstwhile a antheral named William Eggleston opened a bakery successful the town.

He made the look for Grantham gingerbread by mistake portion trying to cook different biscuit, and past took his instauration astir the country.

Local bakeries produced the biscuits up until the 1970s, nevertheless Hawkens Gingerbread - founded by different local, Alastair Hawken - has revived the saccharine treat. I tin vouch that it's delicious!