When the Lincolnshire weather turns, Gainsborough Old Hall is the best indoor option within easy reach of Epworth. It’s about a 25-minute drive, making it a solid half-day trip rather than a quick pop-in, but that’s exactly what you want on a properly rainy day when you’re not going anywhere fast. This is one of the best-preserved medieval manor houses in England, with a genuinely striking timber-framed great hall, atmospheric kitchens, and towers you can climb for a view over the town. It’s run by English Heritage, so it’s well maintained and easy to navigate, with information throughout that doesn’t require you to already know your Tudor history. Give yourself a good hour or two to do it justice — it’s bigger inside than it looks from the street. There’s a small café on site for a warm drink once you’ve finished exploring, which is a welcome stop if the weather outside hasn’t improved. Opening hours vary by day and season, so it’s worth checking before you set off, as it isn’t open every day of the week. For anyone staying in Epworth long enough to run out of things to do on a bad-weather day, this is the one to keep in your back pocket.
