
Lyddington Bede House
Leicester, Leicestershire
A bishops' palace wing turned Tudor almshouse in an ironstone Rutland village. A small indoor visit, so your dog gets the village and Rutland Water instead.
A quiet building with a very human story. Lyddington Bede House began as a wing of a palace belonging to the Bishops of Lincoln, and by 1600 it had passed to Sir Thomas Cecil, who converted it into an almshouse for twelve poor bedesmen and two women. It carried on in that role until the 1930s. Inside is unusually intimate: the bedesmen's small rooms, and above them the bishop's Great Chamber with a remarkable carved Tudor cornice.
Whilst you work through the rooms, your dog needs somewhere else to be, because dogs are not covered by any published rules here and the interiors are small and low ceilinged. Plan on them staying outside. The village around it is honey coloured ironstone and genuinely lovely, Lyddington sits on good footpath country, and Rutland Water is a short drive with miles of shoreline track.
There is no parking at the site, so park in the street near the church or elsewhere in the village, which also gives your dog a gentler arrival than a car park. There are toilets, gardens, an exhibition and picnic seating.
At a Glance
- Site Type
- House & Palace
- Entry
- Paid entry
- Members
- Free for English Heritage members
- Facilities
- Exhibition, Gardens, Parking, Picnic seating, Toilets, Wheelchair access
- Telephone
- 0370 333 1181
- Parking
- No parking at site. Park in the street near the nearby church, or elsewhere in the village.
English Heritage Membership
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Planning Your Visit
- Monday
- Closed
- Tuesday
- Closed
- Wednesday
- CLOSED
- Thursday
- CLOSED
- Friday
- CLOSED
- Saturday
- CLOSED
- Sunday
- CLOSED
Opening times and prices were checked on 26 August 2026 and are subject to change, and some sites close for events or over winter. Confirm on the English Heritage site page before you travel.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lyddington Bede House dog friendly?
Dogs aren't explicitly covered by any published rules at Lyddington Bede House, and the interiors are small and low-ceilinged, so the practical approach is to plan on your dog staying outside while you explore inside. That said, the village itself is a treat — honey-coloured ironstone streets and good footpath country — and Rutland Water is a short drive away with miles of shoreline track to walk.
Are dogs allowed at Lyddington Bede House year round?
There's no published seasonal restriction on dogs at Lyddington Bede House, but since they're best suited to waiting outside rather than joining you indoors, the experience will naturally depend on the weather. The gardens and picnic seating outside offer a comfortable spot, and the surrounding village is worth exploring whatever the season.
What should I know before visiting Lyddington Bede House with my dog?
The main thing to be aware of is that the indoor rooms are small and intimate, so your dog will be happiest waiting outside in the gardens while you look around. There's no car park at the site itself — you'll need to park on the street near the church or elsewhere in the village, which actually makes for a nicer arrival and gives your dog a chance to stretch their legs from the off. If you want to make a fuller day of it, Rutland Water is nearby and offers miles of walking along the shoreline.
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