‘Wish you were here?’ Bid to promote area as a weekend getaway for tourists

District attractions have called on the authorities to make the most of South Holland’s heritage sites in a bid to attract weekend tourists. While there is little or no trace of Spalding’s Castle, the area is lucky enough to boost a number of museums, historically significant churches along with an internationally renowned explorer — prompting a feeling that there should be plenty to occupy heritage tourists. South Holland District Council is due to be discussing in the coming weeks a ‘destination plan’ for the area, which has been compiled by Destination Lincolnshire after receiving a £60,000 grant from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

While other parts of the county — such as the seaside towns on the east coast and the glamping hotspots of the Stamford area — bring in a lot of people and money through tourism, it’s thought that South Holland has untapped potential. Spalding is also home to the unique Chain Bridge Forge museum which is helping to keep alive an industry which many people may have thought has confined to history - blacksmithing. The High Street museum, which does not benefit from receiving council funding, allows people to try their hands at being a blacksmith whether in person or via virtual reality.



And director Geoff Taylor has been using this new technology to make the most of some of the area’s little noticed heritage sites - churches - and feels that the area is missing a trick in terms of tourism. He said: “If you look at all the historical assets we could provide a package for a weekend stay. “We are trying to do that.

It doesn’t take a lot of money what it takes is volunteers with an interest in history and their community and want to become able to record it and entice other people in and get people through our history. “There are people out there who want to do it and engaging the community to want to become involved have have little projects they can get involved in and they can start to deliver and improve what we offer. It’s not about money - it’s about talking to people and enthusing people and being passionate about where we live.

” Geoff and the team have been undertaking 360 degree tours of 12 churches in order to promote these important buildings along with raising awareness of their history. People are able to view these tours on the Heritage South Holland website. He said: “Churches are hidden assets.

“360 is to highlight points of interest and to look at all the history. That will hopefully entice people to come and look at the churches as a building, putting QR codes and they can read about the history. It is about trying to engage with a younger or different audience and to bring new technology in.

“With local and community history, churches were a hub of the community.” Other historical gems in the area include Ayscoughfee Museum, Spalding Gentlemen’s Society and Crowland Abbey. Donington has also attracted a lot of international interest in recent months after the return of Capt Matthew Flinders , who was the first to circumnavigate Australia.

A number of other people behind attractions in South Holland agree with Mr Taylor about promoting the area. David Searle, church warden at Crowland Abbey said: “We need to let people know of all the good heritage assets in South Holland, as we do have quite a few. “It would also help the shops and other business in the area.

” Chairman of Spalding Gentlemen’s Society Petronella Keeling also agrees. She said: “Spalding is definitely a lovely Georgian town and well worth a visit. We often get people at the museum, who are over for a short break.

“Ayscoughfee Hall and Gardens with their wonderful yew hedges and the Grade 1 listed Lutyens memorial, along the river and opposite the lovely Georgian Terrace are a beautiful entrance to our town. “The riverside project ( Spalding Reconnected ) will complete next year with its new wayfinding signs and the existing trails all being an added attraction. Then there are the Spalding Civic Society’s Markets project and Transported Abbey Passage mural yet to come.

So lots of new interest. “The Spalding Gentlemen's Society Artefacts Trail takes you from Ayscoughfee to the St Mary & St Nicolas Church, into town and out again to Chain Bridge Forge “The society now has a rotating exhibition at Ayscoughfee Hall Museum, our local history library is there too, and, in the spring, the upstairs gallery will also be for our rotating exhibitions.” What do you think? Let us know your views in the comments below.

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