Exploring the East Midlands

Travel England’s East Midlands with the Great British Heritage Pass - explore the stunning Eastern regions and England heritage properties of Nottingham, Derby, Bakewell, Leicester, Lincoln, Northampton and more.

Begin your exploration of the East Midlands in Bakewell, Derbyshire, and discover Haddon Hall, a medieval manor house that was built over 600 years ago and has remained unchanged since the reign of Henry VIII.

A visit to Bakewell would not be complete without a visit to Chatsworth, thought to have inspired Jane Austen’s Pemberley in Pride & Prejudice. It is an opulent 17th century home of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire, which includes famous art collections, a garden with maze, and fountains.

Head east towards Bolsover Castle, an early 17th century mansion located high on a wooded hilltop. It includes “The Little Castle,” a bewitching Jacobean “Castle of Love,” with intricate carvings and wall paintings.

Continue by heading towards Lincoln and Lincoln Castle, one of just eight Norman castles built by William the Conqueror. It includes the Victorian Prison Experience and a unique prison chapel. Then head towards the heart of Lincolnshire and Belton House, an outstanding example of Restoration country house architecture with formal gardens and a landscaped park.

Are you a fan of the Da Vinci Code? Then be sure to discover Belvoir Castle, a historical castle full of amazing treasures, and the setting for Castel Gandolfo in The Da Vinci Code movie.

Finish seeing the East Midlands by visiting the Rushton Triangular Lodge, an extraordinary building built from 1593-97 by Sir Thomas Tresham, which symbolizes the Holy Trinity. It has three sides, three floors, trefoil windows and three triangular gables on each side.