There is an exceptionally long and impressive list of famous Lincolnshire people from all walks of life – history, literature, science, entertainment, journalism and sport – who were born or resided in the county.

Alfred Lord Tennyson, the poet laureate after William Wordsworth, was born 6 miles from Horncastle in the Wolds village of Somersby. According to local legend, Tennyson seemed to have quite a dislike of the town, saying, “Of all the horrors, a small country town seems to me the greatest.” James Fenton, poet, journalist, and literary critic, was born in Lincoln.

Grantham, was the birthplace of celebrities as diverse as scientist and discoverer Sir Isaac Newton, former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and television and radio star Nicholas Parsons.

George Boole, who pioneered the eponymous Boolean algebra and binary notation, was born in Lincoln in 1815. It was his discovery that, many decades after his death, would make modern computers possible.

Actor Eric Thompson, perhaps best known for being the narrator of the 1960s children’s television series ‘The Magic Roundabout’, was born in Sleaford in 1929. He was the father of award-winning actress Emma Thompson. Jennifer Saunders, the actress, comedian and writer (French and Saunders, Absolutely Fabulous) was also born in Sleaford while Jim Broadbent, the Oscar-winning actor was born in Wickenby on the road to Horncastle in 1949. One of the best actors in the UK, John Hurt, went to the Lincoln School. Jonathan Kerrigan of ITV drama Heartbeat fame is from Lincoln, as is Jason Bradbury, comedian and TV presenter.

Some famous people from Lincolnshire who attended Lincoln School include Mark Byford, BBC Deputy Director General, Peter Day, BBC Broadcaster, Steve Race, Radio Host and Radio 4 Host Alex Henshaw, Spitfire chief test pilot and Sir Neville Marriner, the director who arranged and conducted the music for the film Amadeus.

Sir John Franklin, the sea captain, explorer and later Governor of Tasmania, was born in Spilsby, while George Bass, who helped chart Australia’s coastline in 1797, was born in Aswarby. Cecil Rhodes, the famous explorer and businessman, spent part of his childhood at The Manor House in Sleaford.

Among the athletes are footballers Joe Baker, Lee Chapman (Lincoln), Gary Crosby and Mark Wallington (Sleaford). Tennis star Daniel Cox, international cricket umpire Darrell Hair, equestrian and writer Marion Rose Halpenny, and Olympic swimming medalist Paul Palmer hail from Lincoln.

Some other notable Horncastle residents include Peter “Biff” Byford, lead singer of the heavy rock band Saxon, Henry Simpson Lunn, religious leader and founder of one half of the Lunn Poly travel agent chain, and William Marwood, public hangman. .

The list is not exhaustive of famous Lincolnshire people!