I was employed as a scullery maid in the Servants Challenge at Belton House near Grantham but it was great to take a step back in time

Although I was employed in the lowest status a servant could be, a series of puzzles and a history lesson made for a great time at Belton House’s new challenge.

Earlier this week, Belton House, near Grantham, launched their Servants Challenge, where people are invited to take on challenges to see if they could make it as a servant in the 1800s.

In a small group with seven others, I was guided around the basements of Belton by a senior housemaid into different rooms - such as the wine cellar, the scullery room and the downstairs kitchen - to see where servants of the time worked.

I love puzzles, but I will admit they are not my strongest skill. However, the great thing about the servants challenge is the puzzles are aimed at anyone aged seven and above, so even I was able to help the team solve them along the way.

To flash back in time, it all began with a knock on the basement door where the senior housemaid invited us in.

On entering, we were told what we would be doing and what not to do, including a stern warning that the butler would not be happy with us if we opened the doors and cupboards.

Without ruining the entirety of the journey for those who may be intrigued, the first room we visited was the scullery room, a room it turns out I would have been familiar with.

The puzzles along the way were a mix of brain teasers, number and word challenges so there is something to suit everyone’s strengths.

And even if you are not good at puzzles, it is just interesting to tour around the basement rooms to see what they are really like.

Within each room, different sounds were played to add to the immersive experience.

Our guide and housemaid was what made the experience the best, not only with her 1800s attire, but also her authoritative way with all of us.

At one point, my task was to carry a basket of eggs to another room and she continually reiterated to me to be very careful otherwise she wouldn’t be the one cleaning up the mess.

Although I was in a team of people I had never met before, we came together to solve the puzzles to try and get us all a job at the end. I was given the role of scullery maid.

After we were given our roles, we were also handed a bookmark which told us all about our duties and our ranking in the servant household.

Unfortunately for me as a scullery maid, it showed I was the lowest in the servant chain.

Belton House workers have been working behind the scenes for the last few months to get the Servants Challenge up and running.

Connor Brown, visitor experience officer at Belton, was on hand to tell me where the idea came from.

He said: “Myself and Claire (senior programming and partnerships officer) came up with the idea of an escape room style event in the basement of the house.

“Before Covid there had been tours in the basement and they were very popular.

“We were able to secure some funding from the National Trust for it.

“Claire had the idea as she loves Taskmaster and Crystal Maze.

“We loved the idea of an escape room but didn’t want to do just that. We wanted to have our own spin on it.

“Everyone will have their strengths with it. We hope everyone will have something to take away from it.”

If you are a history lover, a keen puzzle solver or both, then the Servants Challenge may be the next task you tackle.

The event will be held daily at 11am, 12pm and 2pm, lasting around 45 minutes, until March 1.

Tickets can be booked through the Belton House website at https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/nottinghamshire-lincolnshire/belton-house or by calling 0344 249 1895. Weekends are particularly busy.

The event is free of charge, but normal admission charges apply.