Grantham

A town that hosted seven kings.

South Kesteven's largest town built its wealth on transport. The Great North Road from London passed through, and then came canals and the railways. Grantham prospered.

Mentioned in the Domesday Book, it became a favourite stop-off for kings and commoners alike. King John held court here in the 13th Century; Isaac Newton was a pupil at King’s school – formulating his theories on gravity at nearby Woolsthorpe; and more recently Britain’s first woman Prime Minister was born here.

It's still a thriving town although mercifully the heavy traffic has been by-passed. With its indoor shopping precincts, cattle and stall markets, and numerous pubs and places to eat, this is a lively town for visitors.

There is still evidence of its days as a coaching town – the Angel & Royal is said to be the country's oldest inn, where seven Kings of England have stayed since 1200. Dickens and Defoe visited, too. Defoe describing it as ‘- neat, pleasant, well built ‘. The Beehive Inn uses a real hive with bees as a sign, but the old George Inn now houses a shopping centre.

Around the town are great country homes including the 'Hidden England' family - Belton, Belvoir, Grimsthorpe and Burghley.