About
One of the finest and best-preserved late 17th-century country houses in England, Belton House was built between 1685 and 1688 for Sir John Brownlow as the definitive expression of Restoration taste. The house is constructed of locally quarried Ancaster stone in the classical English baroque style associated with the circle of Christopher Wren, and stands with almost perfect symmetry in a setting of formal gardens and deer park.
The interior has been remarkably little altered over three centuries and contains an exceptional accumulation of family portraits, silver, tapestries, furniture, porcelain and carved woodwork that bears comparison with the greatest country house collections in England. The principal staircase, with its elaborately carved limewood balustrade in the manner of Grinling Gibbons, is among the most celebrated features of the interior. The chapel interior, with its original carved woodwork and family memorials, is also outstanding.
The gardens at Belton reflect successive phases of fashionable planting from the late 17th to the 19th centuries. The formal baroque layout closest to the house includes a Dutch Garden of geometric box hedging, while the orangery designed by Jeffry Wyatville contains camellias and exotic plants. The cascade and Italian garden add variety to the designed landscape, and the park beyond encompasses adventure playground facilities for families, walks through mature woodland and fine views over the Lincolnshire countryside.
The house contains the collections of the Brownlow and Cust families largely intact, from the building's first furnishing in the 1680s through to the 20th century, making it an outstanding record of aristocratic taste and patronage. The portrait collection alone spans from the late 17th to the 20th century and includes works attributed to Van Dyck, Lely and Reynolds.
Belton came to the National Trust in 1984 and is considered one of the jewels of its East Midlands portfolio, combining outstanding architecture, fine collections and beautiful grounds in a supremely harmonious whole.
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Plan Your Visit
⏱️ Recommended Visit Duration
📅 Best Times to Visit
💡 Visitor Tips
- Arrive at opening time (10:30) to see the house at its best before peak visitor numbers — the state rooms are particularly atmospheric in the morning light.
- Don't miss the carved staircase — pause to examine the extraordinary quality of the limewood carving on the balustrade, which is often hurried past by visitors.
- The adventure playground is excellent for children and can be used independently from the house visit — plan your time so families can enjoy both.
- The Abdication Room tells the remarkable story of the 6th Earl's connection to Edward VIII — ask a volunteer guide for the full account, which is rarely found elsewhere.
- Allow 30–45 minutes specifically for the gardens. The Dutch Garden and orangery are easily missed if you head straight for the house or adventure playground.
- National Trust members should still book a timed entry online on peak summer weekends to guarantee house access.
- The Stables Cafe is excellent — arrive for lunch before the midday rush. The courtyard seating is particularly pleasant in good weather.
- The house is particularly beautiful at Christmas when it is specially decorated — check the National Trust website for Christmas opening dates and events.
Highlights
Discover the unique exhibits and collections at this museum.
Collections
The Belton collection encompasses family portraits from the 17th to 20th centuries, English silver and decorative arts, Flemish tapestries, period oak and walnut furniture, porcelain (Chinese export and English), carved woodwork including the staircase balustrade, and family archives. The collection represents the continuous accumulation of two aristocratic families — Brownlow and Cust — across three centuries of occupation.
The State Rooms
The complete sequence of late 17th-century state rooms containing the Brownlow and Cust family collections as originally displayed, including the Marble Hall, saloons, drawing rooms and bedchambers.
The Carved Staircase
Principal staircase with elaborately carved limewood balustrade in the manner of Grinling Gibbons, one of the finest examples of late 17th-century carved woodwork in England.
The Abdication Connection
Display exploring the 6th Earl Brownlow's role in the Abdication crisis of 1936, including documents, photographs and personal items relating to his service as Lord-in-Waiting to Edward VIII.
Chapel and Family Memorials
Private chapel with outstanding carved woodwork and three centuries of family memorials to the Brownlow and Cust families.
Themes
Time Periods
Current Exhibitions
No current exhibitions. Please check the museum website for updates.