Our journey from Lincoln was uncomplicated; the house is well signposted from the A1, which leads to some pleasant undulating lanes before you enter Belton - a pretty little village of honey-coloured houses. Once you're through the gates and parked up there's plenty to see and do. The main house doesn't open its doors until 12.30, so we took a basement tour to get us started.
This eerie underbelly of the home is currently open on a trial basis by the trust, and is one of the most intriguing areas we saw. Amongst the wine cellar, nightwatchman's quarters and house chapel, each room tells a quirky story about the bygone era of the house. In stark comparison to the servant's quarters, the butler's room appears very comfortable, almost modern; plus, the old dumbwaiter is still in situ below all the house bells. We learnt that due to a kitchen relocation away from this area, a servant boy would have to push the hefty silver food trays quite a distance to reach the butler and his magic lift. This was achieved by wheeling each tray along on a metal track along an inclining curvy passage. And you do of course get to witness this quirky 'food track' - as well as the relocated kitchens - on your way back out of the basement. The range is something for even present day cooks to covet, and the wash-house a chilling reminder of a servant's plight.
We ambled back to the garden entrance and had a sunny stroll through the pretty grounds. With its follies, benches and bulbous box hedges, it is easy to fall into a fairytale daydream of having such an estate of your own. A trip to the Orangery is a little walk from the main house; it's packed to the gunnels with lofty flower and fauna that rises like a rainforest canopy. After a quick check on the time we realised the main house was now open and made our way around to the front entrance - watch out for the confusing signs to the house, we ended up looping a few times.
Inside the huge imposing doors up deep stone steps we scuttled through past the families stalling to rearrange buggies and offspring in the lobby. I say lobby, of course you can expect something rather more stately with the obligatory classical art and statues that would in any regular home seem eccentric. The tour takes you from one side of the house to the other, up and then down the two floors of sumptuous rooms and galleries - from the green dining hall adorned with paintings of grouse and game, to the bright silks of the Pink room. A firm favourite amongst our party was the Chinese Room, flanked with the most beautiful handpainted 18th century wallpaper. The silver collection is also incredible and spearheaded by a gluttonous wine cistern which hangs, rather humourously we thought, underneath a random painting of a bull.
Whether you bring a picnic or not, there's a shop and cafe, or like we did you can drive to a nearby village to grab some sustinence. We visited the Houblon Inn at Oasby - a gorgeous little pub with a rustic interior and a reassuring small menu of fresh, seasonal food. CL
- More information on Belton House
- The Houblon Inn, Oasby - houblon-inn.co.uk
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