This month, one of England’s biggest festivals celebrates its 25th anniversary, with thousands of free days out and activities across the country.

With more than 5,700 events in total, it’s officially the biggest year yet for Heritage Open Days, with more than three million visitors expected across the ten days.

Here in Lincolnshire, there are hundreds of events planned between Friday, September 13 and Sunday, September 22.

From playing Dungeons and Dragons in a tower belonging to the Knights Templar to free days out at National Trust properties and visiting Victorian cemetaries and even taxidermy collections, there's quite a range.

We’ve picked out 24 activities we think you and your family will love...

Temple Bruer  

Play Dungeons and Dragons at Temple Bruer

What: Combining fantasy with real Lincolnshire history. The Dungeon Masters will take you on a journey, teaching you how to play, as we thread the story around the history of this impressive Preceptory Tower belonging to the Knights Templar. 

Where: Temple Druer, Temple High Grange, Temple Bruer, Lincolnshire, LN5 0DQ

(Site is located off Temple Road. Parking at St John the Baptist Church on the unnamed road between Wellingore and A15.)

Times: Saturday, September 21 (10.30am-12.30pm & 2pm-4pm)

Booking details: Pre-booking required. Booking Heritage Lincolnshire by calling 01529 461499

Additional information: Max 10 people per tour/session. Game takes around two hours per session. Dice, character sheets and everything else you require to play the game will be provided. Please state your level of experience with Dungeons and Dragons or tabletop RPGs when booking. Please note there are no toilet facilities available on site. Dress warmly as the tower can be quite cold, even in hot weather.

Lincoln 

Wildflower Oasis in the Middle of Lincoln

What: See the Saxon tower and Victorian extension where the Bishop Edward King got into so much trouble. Discover a church yard being restored as a wildflower oasis in the middle of the city.

Where: St Peter at Gowts, High Street, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, lN5 7SP

Opening times: Saturday, September 14: 10am-4pm; Saturday, September 21: 10am-4pm

Booking: No booking required

One of the vintage buses from the Lincolnshire Road Transport Museum taking passengers on a journey through Lincoln

Visit the Lincolnshire Road Transport Museum workshop and see the restoration projects

What: Free museum admission on Saturday and Sunday, September 14 and 15. And on Sunday only there will be a free classic bus service from Lincoln city centre as well as other attractions. Find out more

Where: Lincolnshire Road Transport Museum, Whisby Road, North Hykenham, Lincolnshire, LN6 3QT

Opening times: 10am-4pm both days

Booking: No booking required

(Access: dogs, other than assistance dogs, are not allowed on site or on vehicles. The museum is fully wheelchair accessible, but the historic buses were not designed with accessibility in mind, and cannot carry unfolded wheelchairs or push-chairs.)

Research suggests that Greyfriars is the oldest friary building in England

Uncover stories from Greyfriars

What: Uncover stories from when Greyfriars was used as a free school from 1556 to 1900 through a special temporary exhibition curated by Heritage Lincolnshire volunteers and make the most of the rare opportunity to explore one of Lincoln’s hidden gems.

Where: Greyfriars, Broadgate, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, LN2 1EZ (access is easiest from Free School Lane)

Opening times: Friday, September 20 (10am-4pm)

Booking: No booking required

(Access: sensible footwear required due to uneven surfaces. Children should be supervised at all times. There is on street parking for blue badge holders.)

Newport Gate, Roman Arch, built in early 3rd Century

Guided tour of Roman Uphill Lincoln

What: Guided tour of Roman Uphill Lincoln by the Society for Lincolnshire History and Archaeology

For 400 years Lincoln was a Roman city. From the arrival of the legions, including the famous Ninth Legion, the city then became a principal centre of Roman Britain. Led by the SLHA, this tour will bring that Roman city back to life.

Where: Meet at the Site of St Paul's in the Bail opposite the Lion & Snake, 79 Bailgate, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, LN1 3AR 

Opening times: Friday, September 13 (2pm-3pm); Monday, September 16 (2pm-3pm); Sunday, September 22 (11am-noon)

Booking: No booking required

Walking Through History

What: Join Park Rangers for a guided walk to discover the history of Hartsholme Country Park. Taking you through time from when Hartsholme was a thriving estate to the present day country park. The walk is three miles long and will last around two hours.

Where: Hartsholme Country Park, Skellingthorpe Road, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, LN6 0EY

Time: Friday, September 13 (11am-1pm)

Booking details: Pre-booking is essential for this event. Call Park Rangers on 01522 873735

Scawby  

Hidden Treasures of Scawby Hall: Victorian Taxidermy in the Billiards Room

What: See a well-documented collection of bird and animal life cultivated over several generations of the Nelthorpe family. You may have visited Scawby Hall in the past, but you will not have seen the Nelthorpe family’s taxidermy and bird egg collection. This collection provides a window into the fascinating Victorian pastime of taxidermy, when many amateur biologists around England sought a greater understanding of the natural world through collecting.

Where: The Hall, Vicarage Lane, Scawby, Lincolnshire, DN20 9LX 

Opening times: Saturday, September 14 (1.30pm-5pm); Sunday, September 15 (1.30pm-5pm).

Booking: Pre-booking is essential for this event. Email: info@scawbyhall.com

Additional information: Max 12 people per tour/session. Approximately 30-minute tour of taxidermy, with the last tour beginning at 4pm. Stairs and uneven floors.

Boston

Boston’s Cultural Quarter tour: Boston Guildhall

What: Explore centuries of stories, secrets and experiences of Boston’s rich trade since its founding in 1390. Join this introductory tour and discover all of this and more at Boston Guildhall.

Where: Boston Guildhall Museum, South Street, Boston, Lincolnshire, PE21 6HT

Times: Wednesday, September 18 (10.30am-11am and 1.30pm-2pm).

Booking: Max 15 people per tour/session. Pre-booking required. Contact Blackfriars box office by calling 01205 363108 or visit

(Access: please be aware that the floors are uneven in places. A lift is available between the ground and first floor.) 

Boston Guildhall

Boston’s Cultural Quarter tour: Blackfriars Theatre and Arts Centre

What: An introductory tour exploring the fascinating history of the Blackfriars Theatre and Arts Centre. Explore how the building evolved from Dominican Friary to a theatre for the town.

Where: Blackfriars Theatre and Arts Centre, Spain Lane, Boston, Lincolnshire, PE21 6HP

Times: Wednesday, September 18 (11.15am-11.45am and 2.15pm-2.45pm).

Booking: Max 15 people per tour/session. Pre-booking is essential for this event. Contact Blackfriars box office by calling 01205 363108 or visit

Explore a Victorian Cemetery

What: Explore the history, flora and fauna of Boston's Victorian Cemetery. Guided walks and refreshments available.

Where: The Crematorium, Marian Road, Boston, Lincolnshire, PE21 9HA

Opening times: Saturday, September 14 (10am-4pm).

Booking: No booking required 

(Access: some grass paths are uneven and subject to animal burrows.)

Explore Boston town centre on special guided tours including mini power tours

Hidden Boston - The Medieval Lanes

What: Discover hidden Boston with local historian and expert Neil Wright and the Boston Townscape Heritage Initiative. Boston has a rich Medieval history, but how much do you know about the hidden lanes and passages around the town?

Where: Meet at Herbert Ingram Memorial statue, Market Place, Boston, Lincolnshire, PE21 6EN

Times: Saturday, September 21 (10am-noon and 2pm-4pm).

Booking: No booking required

Hidden Boston – The Mini Power Tours

What: Join Heritage Lincolnshire’s Matt Bentley for a series of 10-minute mini tours. Attend one or all of them, the choice is yours.

Where: Meet at Herbert Ingram Memorial statue, Market Place, Boston, Lincolnshire, PE21 6NW

Times: Friday, September 13 (10am-12.30pm – six 10-minute mini tours); Friday, September 20 (10am-12.30pm – six 10-minute mini tours).

Tour 1: 10am, meet at the Herbert Ingram Memorial; Tour 2: 10.30am, meet at Wormgate (outside Goodbarn’s Yard Public House); Tour 3: 11am, meet outside Pescod Hall; Tour 4: 11.30am, meet in Pump Square; Tour 5: noon, meet outside Boots; Tour 6: 12.30am, meet at the Herbert Ingram Memorial.

Booking: No booking required.

Monks and Merchants – Explore Medieval Boston

What: Discover the importance of Boston in Medieval Times, exploring the town's historic centre with Boston History Tours.

Where: Meet at Herbert Ingram Memorial statue, Market Place, Boston.

Times: Sunday, September 15 (2pm-3pm); Sunday, September 22 (2pm-3pm).

Booking: No booking required

Colsterworth

Isaac Newton’s family church in Colsterworth

What: See the font where Isaac Newton was baptised in January 1642 and the sundial he carved with a penknife at the age of nine. Discover more about plans to restore the Newton Family Chapel.

Where: St John the Baptist, High Street, Colsterworth

Opening times: Saturday, September 21 (10am-4pm)

Booking: No booking required

(Access: Car parking in the High Street. Wheelchair access via north door. Limited wheelchair access to features inside the church.)

Exhibits share the history of Lincolnshire policing from its inception at Old Nick Police Museum

Gainsborough

The Old Nick Police Museum in Gainsborough

What: Discover a fascinating Victorian Police Station and Magistrates’ Court with original Victorian cells and police offices housing an extensive collection of historic police items mainly relating to the Lincolnshire Constabulary.

Where: The Old Nick, 31 Spring Gardens, Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, DN21 2AY

Opening times: Sunday, September 15 (10am-3pm)

Booking: No booking required 

Grainthorpe 

Graffiti at St Clements – Hands, Shoes and Ships!

What: See more than 50 fascinating 18th century graffiti drawings in the old roof lead and timbers. Have a go at creating your own graffiti in metal – fun for all ages!

Where: St Clement’s Church, Church lane, Grainthorpe, Lincolnshire, LN11 7JR

Opening times: Sunday, September 22 (1.30pm-5pm)

Grantham 

Grantham’s Hidden Graveyard

What: Grantham’s overflow burial ground between 1812-57 is now an evocative space and a haven for wildlife. Learn about our ancestors through the slate headstones of former residents. Family historians will be on hand to help with any queries.

Where: Old Burial Ground, Manthorpe Road, Grantham, Lincolnshire, NG31 8DB (entrance from Manthorpe Road near bus stop opposite the petrol station).

Opening times: Sunday, September 15 (1pm-3.30pm)

Booking: No booking required

Ludford

Classroom on the River

What: Join the Lincolnshire Chalk Streams Project and discover the natural heritage of the Lincolnshire Wolds. Try surveying for invertebrates with expert guidance on identification. Learn how volunteers across the UK are monitoring the state of these globally rare chalk streams and get hands-on with a bit of conservation management.

Where: Ludford Village Hall, Playing Field Lane, Magna Mile, Ludford, Lincolnshire, LN8 6AJ

Times: Sunday, September 22 (10.30am-12.30pm)

Booking details: Pre-booking required. Call Will Bartle on 01522 555783

(Additional information: Walk takes two hours. Requires outdoor clothing.)

Woolsthorpe Manor, more than just a 17th century farmhouse

Woolsthorpe 

From Newton to the Stars

What: Visit Woolsthorpe Manor and discover why it is more than just a 17th century farmhouse. The world was changed when Newton saw the apple fall and began discovering the secrets of light. Some of the greatest scientific theories and discoveries of all time were founded here.

Where: Woolsthorpe Manor (National Trust), Water Lane, Woolsthorpe by Colsterworth, Lincolnshire, NG33 5PD

Opening times: Saturday, September 14 (11am-5pm)

Booking details: Pre-booking is essential for this event. Call: 03442 491895 or visit

(Access: Uneven site with gravel and concrete surfaces.)

Market Rasen 

Open House at the Magistrates Court

What: See the Victorian Grade II listed Magistrates Courtroom and police cells - atmospheric and unchanged! Also, an exhibition featuring the history of the building and crime and punishment in Market Rasen.

Where: Old Police Station and Magistrates Courtroom, Dear Street, Market Rasen, Lincolnshire, LN8 3BH

Opening times: Saturday, September 14 (10am-4pm)

Booking: No booking required

(Access: Wheelchair ramp access to the building via the main entrance. No disabled toilet facilities. There is limited parking on site and anyone with mobility issues can phone ahead to ensure they can pull up to the building.) 

 

See the historic Cogglesford Watermill in action

Sleaford 

See Cogglesford Watermill rumble into action

What: Also enjoy a free fun family trail, connecting with nearby Navigation House.

Where: Cogglesford Watermill, East Road, Sleaford, Lincolnshire, NG34 7EQ 

Opening times: Friday, September 13 (11am-4pm); Saturday, September 14: (11am-4pm); Sunday, September 15 (11am-4pm); Monday, September 16 (11am-4pm); Tuesday, September 17 (11am-4pm); Wednesday, September 18 (11am-4pm); Thursday, September 19 (11am-4pm); Friday, September 20 (11am-4pm); Saturday, September 21 (11am-4pm); Sunday, September 22 (11am-4pm).

Booking: No booking required

(Access: access to upper levels of the Mill require use of ladders.)

Visit Sleaford Castle

What: Michael Turland and Simon Pawley discuss the big questions - Why a castle? Who was Bishop Alexander? Why here? How did it function in the 12th-15th century? What role did Saxon Town and mills play? How did the castle meet its demise?

Where: Sleaford Castle field, Castle Causeway, Sleaford, Lincolnshire, NG34 7QN

Times: Saturday, September 14 (2pm-3.30pm)

Booking: No booking required

Spalding 

Woolly Tales

What: Have a go at the ancient craft of felting.

Where: Unique Cottage Studios, Fulney Lane South, Spalding, Lincolnshire, PE12 6FA 

Opening times: Friday, September 20 (10am-3.30pm)

Booking: No booking required. Find out more

Lincolnshire's Gunby Hall

Spilsby

National Trust’s Gunby Hall and Gardens - free entry for all

What: Gunby Hall is a homely country house, dated 1700, set in Victorian walled gardens at the foot of the Lincolnshire Wolds. Explore eight acres of gardens, three floors of the house and 1,500 acres of grounds. Chat to the room guides to find out more about Gunby's collection, the Massingberd family, who lived at Gunby Hall from 1700 until 1967, and the history of the house. Picnics and dogs on leads are welcome in the gardens.

Where: Gunby Hall, Gunby, Spilsby, Lincolnshire, PE23 5SS 

Opening times: Sunday, September 15 (11am-5pm)

Booking: No booking required

Visit Tattershall Castle during Heritage Open Days

Tattershall

National Trust’s Tattershall Castle - free entry for all

What: Wander through vast echoing chambers in one of the first and finest medieval brick castles in England. This year visitors can delve into the wider castle complex; discover how Tattershall influenced other major castles and learn about power and control.

Where: Tattershall Castle, Sleaford Road, Tattershall, Lincolnshire, LN4 4LR

Opening times: Sunday, September 15 (11am-4pm)

Booking: No booking required

(Access: site contains loose gravel paths difficult for wheelchairs and uneven grassy surfaces with some steep banks. Wheelchair access to the ground floor only after traversing loose gravel paths. Access to the rest of the castle via a spiral staircase (149 steps) and steps down to the basement. Car park 150 yards from the castle entrance.) 

Find a full list of events in Lincolnshire here

If you want to stay up to date with events, food, nightlife, days out and entertainment news from across Lincolnshire, there are a number of ways you can do it:

Follow our Lincolnshire Live What's on page on facebook - go and give us a like by clicking here.

We've got a dedicated What's On channel on our website - which you can visit by clicking here .

There are also dedicated pages which collate our articles on Food and Drink, Family and Kids, Music and Nightlife, and Shopping

And if you're looking specifically for family oriented events, or want to share news on a family event you have organised, why not join our Lincolnshire with Kids group on facebook