Lincolnshire Restaurant: Washingborough Hall Hotel
This month we’re enjoying the beautiful Georgian country house that Lucy & Ed Herring turned into a formidable country house hotel back in 2008. Washingborough Hall is an exceptional proposition for great dining in 2025
Some restaurants, I reckon, present themselves better in spring and summer. Some I think are more suited to autumn and winter dining. I can think of few restaurants or hotels except Washingborough Hall, though, that looks so consistently good all year round.
I’ve visited before when the garden is in full bloom and a happy bride and groom exchange a kiss and cross the car park pursued by their photographer with fluttering of confetti tumbling off her wedding dress.
My most recent visit, though was in peak autumn, and frankly, the place looked just as lovely. Late afternoon, there was the slight suggestion of gold in the daylight and a subtle blue hue to the sky.
The building itself looks great – classically Georgian in proportion – and climbing the steps to the entrance hall feels rather grand.
In the reception hall, a large wood burner is doing its thing, creating a lovely cosy welcome as lunchtime guests depart and other guests trickle through the doors to check in.
Dating back from around 1730, Washingborough Hall served as a rectory for the Church of St John the Evangelist next door, before being requisitioned during the war as a place for injured servicemen to convalesce, and after that it was a residential home. It even served as a nightclub called Scandals until being transformed into a hotel in 1978.
In 2008 it was purchased by Lucy & Ed Herring, who treated the building to a sympathetic renovation which would retain its Georgian character whilst updating its provision of hospitality. Ever since, Washingborough Hall has gained a formidable reputation as one of the area’s most desirable places to enjoy two-AA rosette dining and it provides truly beautiful accommodation.
For the last eight years of Lucy & Ed’s ownership the couple have also benefitted from the presence of Head Chef Mark Cheseldine. Lucy, Ed and Mark were all born and raised in the county, and both Lucy and Ed come from a farming background, whilst Lucy is a trained chef too.
Consequently all three are acutely aware of how important it is to use the very best ingredients – with local provenance where possible – to ensure that each dish leaving the kitchen reflects a commitment to consistency and quality.
These days, Lucy & Ed stay out of the kitchen and grant Mark total independence, with great faith in his ability to hone in on what appeals both to local diners visiting to dine and to the hotel’s guests too.
The AA has awarded Washingborough Hall two rosettes for the quality of its dining, and its 20 bedrooms enjoy a four-star rating and Best of the Best status on Trip Advisor too.
The Sibthorpe dining room is ideal for private parties and functions, whilst the main dining room accommodates 50, but an adjacent orangery added to the hotel in 2015 enables that space to grow to accommodate over a hundred diners. A lovely duck-egg blue colour scheme, Georgian features like vast bay windows and large fireplaces create a grand feel, and there are classic white linens: it’s a lovely, light and very handsome place to dine.
During the daytime, there’s a Bistro menu with three options per course, and at this time of year, there’s the availability of a festive à la carte menu too. The dining room menu is otherwise reserved for evening diners and comprises four starters, main courses and dessert options.
The menu is rich in local suppliers from several Grimsby-based fish merchants ensuring daily deliveries to butchery from Boston Sausage, vegetables from the fields around Boston and cheese from Poacher and Cote Hill.
Mark is keen to support young talent, and he’s obviously a good leader to work under, as sous chefs Harry and Ben have each been in the kitchen at Washingborough Hall for over seven years. Will, Charlotte, Emily and Shaun are his newest protégés and with the added experience of Jordan and Jonathan at front of house, diners enjoy the best experience.
Dishes are skilfully created with flawless technical chefcraft but also lots of creativity and with regard to seasonality too.
“We’re so lucky to be in the centre of arguably the best county in Britain for producing food, which enables us to reflect the seasons and ensure we say something special about the time of year throughout our menus. Living each season through food means a winter of game, root vegetables and rich, lovely dishes.”
“I deliberately avoid the temptation to look at other restaurants’ menus, and to replicate dishes, but occasionally I’ll revisit a dish
from our past menus that was really warmly received and try to impart a fresh idea into it. I encourage the whole team to contribute ideas to the menu too, and I think that results in a menu that’s a good reflection of the area we live in and the talent we have in the kitchen too.”
Lucy & Ed say they’re delighted to preside over a happy team who are all invested in ensuring the guest experience is enjoyable for diners, hotel guests, for the 5o or so weddings that take place throughout the year and for the private functions held at the hotel during the week. Popular for celebrations of life, wakes and business functions, the place is always busy, and deservedly so.
As places to dine out go, Washingborough Hall is stylish, comfortable, close to Lincoln and it offers truly wonderful dining.
To see more images and sample menus of this month’s featured restaurant, see https://www.pridemagazines.co.uk/lincolnshire/view-magazines?magazine=January-2025