Standing in the heart of the historic village of Kirton, The Old King’s Head was a hub of the community for centuries. Now with the support of Heritage Lincolnshire and the National Lottery Heritage Fund the 16th-century, Grade II listed building was reopened on the 1st October.
Through fundraising and grants, Heritage Lincolnshire, the Buildings Preservation Trust for the county, raised enough money to purchase the building and carry out the extensive restoration works.
The building work had been ongoing since February 2019, but with COVID delaying building works the completion date was put back. Now fully restored to its former glory, The Old King’s Head has been transformed into a luxury four-star nine-bedroomed B&B, café and community room.
The Old King’s Head has individually designed rooms full of character and history. Previous owners of the inn have been remembered in the B&B room names: the Wyberd Room pays homage to the first owner John Wyberd whose family built it circa 1599 as a coaching inn called The Swan.
The Old King’s Head has been used as an inn, public house, hotel and family home by its previous owners and will once again serve the people of Kirton and travellers in need of rest and refreshment.
Alongside the B&B, The Old King’s Head also features a café offering fresh, home-made meals and afternoon tea for visitors to the area. The community room provides a flexible space for meetings, conferences as well as local events or celebrations available for hire.
For visitors who want to explore the village of Kirton, The Old King’s Head offers hour-long tours led by Heritage Lincolnshire volunteers. Visitors can discover the unique history of Kirton village and as well as The Old King’s Head, including stories from over its lifetime.
Hannah Thompson, Business Manager for Heritage Lincolnshire, who has been supporting the project, said: “It is wonderful to be a part of such a beautiful restoration. The building has such a rich history and holds a lot of memories for the village of Kirton.
“We are thankful to the volunteers who have also worked so hard learning about Kirton so that they can engage visitors with brilliant tours of The Old King’s Head and surrounding historic village.
“We hope that residents of Kirton, as well as visitors, will enjoy the new café in the main building and use the community room as a space for leisure and recreational activities.
“The funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and other organisations has meant that we were able to complete this restoration to the highest standard. From the wonderful building renovation and stable block conversion to heritage-inspired sage green windows and traditional themed décor in the rooms, we hope that visitors can appreciate the charm of The Old King’s Head as we have brought it back to life.”
The Old King’s Head reopened to the public on the 1st October and visitors and residents are now able to eat, sleep and relax while enjoying a unique piece of history.
