Bolingbroke Castle, close to my home town, is one of Lincolnshire’s most atmospheric medieval ruins. It can be found in the village of Old Bolingbroke , on the southern edge of the Lincolnshire Wolds, an area of underrated beauty and history.

Few, I am sure, will be aware that this was the birthplace of Henry Bolingbroke in 1367, who later became King Henry IV. After overthrowing Richard II in 1399, he became the first Lancastrian king of England.

The castle was built around 1220 by Ranulf de Blondeville after his return from the Crusades. Seeing the artistic impression with the huge towers and the entrance across the moat is striking, what a place that must have been to see in its glory. It is hard to imagine just how big it was, the remains of the huge brick walls give us some idea and particularly as you approach the entrance.

The castle would eventually pass down to the infamous John of Gaunt, one of the richest and most powerful men of the era and he lived here in with his wife Blanche of Lancaster in the 1360s.

Fast forward to the English Civil War some 250 years later and the castle would serve as a stronghold for the Royalists. In 1643 it was invaded by Parliamentarian forces following the locally famous Battle of Winceby, the battleground I am never ceased to be moved by when I drive by it. After a bitter struggle the Parliamentarian army forced a surrender and promptly ensured that the castle could never be used for such means again.

There is a wonderful church close by on a site dating back to the Domesday book and the village itself feels like a glorious throwback to a post-war England. Next to the church is a small and charming museum detailing the history of both the castle and the village.