Rising high into the sky from the top of a steep hill, the triple towers of the mighty Lincoln Cathedral are visible for miles from the surrounding farmland. This prominent site was first fortified by the Celts, who named their settlement Lindon, "hill fort by the lake", referring to the pools formed by the River Witham in the marshy ground below. In 47 AD, the Romans occupied Lindon and built a fortified city, which later became Colonia Lindum, one of the four regional capitals of Rome.
Today only fragments of the Roman city remain, most of them the ruins of the 3rd-century city wall, but these too have been replaced by memories of Lincoln's golden age, which began during the reign of William the Conqueror with the construction of the castle and cathedral. Lincoln flourished primarily as a Norman military base, and then as a center for the wool trade with Flanders until 1369, when the wool market was moved to the neighboring one. It took another five hundred years before it came to life again, restoration based on the production of agricultural machinery and drainage equipment for the neighboring Fenlands.
As the city spread south in the 19th century, down the hill, and along the old Roman road, Fosse Way, Lincoln became a place with clear class boundaries: the area of "Uphill", "at the top of the hill", spreading north of the cathedral, became synonymous with the respectable middle class, and Downhill, "down the hill", with the proletariat. This distinction persists - local appliance and furniture retailers still put "Uphill" in quotation marks to indicate best quality goods.
And Lincoln Station, St Mary's Street, and bus station close to Melville Street are located in Downhill, in the city centre. From both you can walk to the cathedral (15 minutes) or you can take Walk and Ride buses (Monday-Saturday 10.00-17.00; Sunday noon - 17.00; 3 times an hour, £1 one way, £2.5 per ticket for all day). The nearest bus stop and train station is on the High Street, on the corner of Silver Street.
There are two travel agencies (Monday-Thursday 9.30-17.30; Friday 9.30-17.00; Saturday 10.00-17.00), one on the corner of Cornhill and High Street, the other at 9 Castle Hill, between the cathedral and the castle (open also on Sundays 10.00-17.00). Both can book a hotel room and a guided tour of the city in advance for you. Lincoln has a good choice hotels and Bed and Breakfasts with competitive prices. Best place– “Uphill”, there you will find all the places listed below, except for the youth hostel.
Accommodation in Lincoln
1). Pension Carline Guest House – One of the best Bed and Breakfast in the city. Clean and tidy Edwardian house about ten minutes' walk from the cathedral - walk down Drewry Lane from the front of the castle, still in the same direction. The breakfasts are first class, the rooms are cozy and tastefully decorated. Credit cards not accepted. Location: 1-3 Carline Road;
2). Edward King House– This Bed and Breakfast is different from the others, it is located directly below the cathedral in the former seat of the Bishops of Lincoln. Some rooms offer charming views of the Bishop's Palace. Location: The Old Palace, Minster Yard;
3). Hillcrest Hotel– A traditional English hotel in a large red brick house that was originally a Victorian vicarage. Sixteen comfortable rooms with all amenities plus a large garden on the slope. About a ten minute walk from the cathedral. Location: 15 Lindum Terrace;
4). Saint Clements Lodge– Set in a lively, modern building within easy walking distance of the cathedral, this is a comfortable and very welcoming Bed and Breakfast. Homemade breakfasts - excellent haddock (or cod) and smoked salmon. Credit cards are not accepted. Location: 21 Langworth Gate;
5). White Hart establishment– An old inn for coachmen, with charming living rooms, with secluded corners and places. The rooms are quite ordinary, but quite comfortable, many overlooking the cathedral. Superb location in Uphill. Weekend deals may lower prices. Location: Bailgate.
Lincoln sights
For the visitor, almost everything interesting is concentrated in the “Uphill” part of the city, grouped around the Cathedral and Lincoln Castle.
Lincoln Cathedral
Not a hill at all, charming Castle Hill is a wide, short, cobbled street that connects the castle and the cathedral. Its eastern part is marked by the arches of the medieval Exchequer, behind which rises the proud western facade of Lincoln Cathedral (May-September Monday-Friday 7.15-20.00, Saturday and Sunday 7.15.00-18.00; October-April Monday-Saturday 7.15.00-18.00; Sunday 15.00-17.00; access limited during services; £4, including guided tour), a real mountain cliff with blind arcades filled with decorative carvings. Most striking is an extraordinary band of 12th-century carved panels depicting scenes with biblical themes, which were inspired by the same frieze in Modena Cathedral in .
However, the apparent uniformity of the western facade is deceptive, and closer inspection reveals two phases of construction - the small stones and thick layers of mortar of most of the facade belong to the original church, completed in 1092, while the longer stones and thinner layers of mortar date from the beginning of XIII century. These were strengthening works because in 1185 an earthquake brought down many of the Norman churches, which were rebuilt under the patronage of Bishop Hugh of Avalon, who was responsible for most today's cathedral, with the notable exception of the 14th-century central tower.
The cavernous interior is an elegant example of early English architecture, with nave columns following the same general plan but slightly different: stripes of dark Parbeck marble contrast with the grainy oolitic limestone, the main building material. If you look behind the nave from under the central tower you can see a large medieval kink in the roof: Bishop Hugh's roof is not in line with the earlier west elevation and the point where all the irregular angles meet.
Other differences can be noticed - the columns have bases of different heights, there are ten windows on the north side of the nave and nine on the south side, but these are arbitrary features reflecting the medieval aversion to the vanity of symmetry. Another striking feature of medieval art is the use of pre-Christian images, especially in the upper part of the nave, where there are demons and gargoyles that protrude from the foliage.
Behind the crucifix you will see Saint Hugh's Choir, his 14th-century monastic refectory, which contains eccentric carvings of scenes from the lives of Alexander the Great and King Arthur, mixed with biblical characters and folklore. Next is the open Angel Choir, completed in 1280. It contains stone tombstones, and its roof is decorated with dozens of exquisitely carved figurines, including a small Lincoln "Imp". Finally, a corridor from the north wing of the choir leads to the timber-roofed galleries and polygonal chapter house where Edward I and Edward II held meetings that prefigured the English Parliament.
Bishop's Palace in Lincoln
The ruins of what was in its day the city's most impressive building are hidden behind a gated wall, immediately south of the cathedral in Minster Yard. The medieval Bishop's Palace (April-October daily 10am-5pm; November-March Mondays and Thursdays-Sundays 10am-4pm; £3.60) used to consist of two huge halls, a stunning chapel, kitchens and luxurious private rooms, but Today the best preserved site is the broken and ruined Alnwick Tower, where the entrance is located.
The damage was caused during civil war, when the Redneck regiments occupied the palace and were there until they themselves had to leave this place after a hurricane of fire. However, the ruins are quite well preserved and offer wonderful views of the surrounding fields. The adjoining gardens are immaculate and end in a raised terrace containing one of the northernmost vineyards in Europe.
Lincoln Castle
From the cathedral's west front it is a short walk across Castle Hill to Lincoln Castle (April-September Monday-Saturday 9.30-17.30; Sunday 11.00-17.30; October-March Monday-Saturday 9.30-16.00; £3.90). Untouched and forbidden, protected, the castle walls include fragments and pieces from the 12th to the 19th centuries, passing through the wall provides stunning views of the city. The earliest remains are Lucy Tower, built on a steep grassy hill to the left of the main entrance, and originally the site of Norman Grove. The castle was turned into a prison in the 1820s.
Some captives were buried unceremoniously here, inside the city wall, on a hilltop - a sad and lonely place if there was anything there, especially since the graves could only be marked with the initials of the captives. The castle wall borders a wide central courtyard, part of which is occupied by the old prison, an austere red brick building containing one of the four surviving copies of the Magna Carta, as well as a truly remarkable prison chapel. In it, prisoners were placed in cubic pens with high walls, from which they could see the priest and his pulpit, but not their fellows.
The approach to chapel visits was the same: prisoners were in constant isolation at all times, and had to wear masks if they went into the yard for exercise. This system was based on a pseudoscientific theory that believed crime was a contagious disease, but unfortunately for the theorists, their so-called Pentonville system of "Separation and Silence", which was introduced in 1846, made so many prisoners insane that it was abandoned through thirty years. Since then, no one has thought to dismantle the chapel.
Rest of Lincoln
The rest of Lincoln's Uphill is dotted with historical remains, such as several pieces of Roman wall, the most remarkable of which is the 2nd century Newport Arch, which spans widely over the Bailgate, which used to be the main northern gateway to the city. There is also a collection of medieval stone houses, the most notable on and around Steep Hill, where it slopes down from the cathedral towards the city centre. In particular, look out for the carefully restored Jew's House, which is a reminder of the Jewish community that flourished in medieval Lincoln. A rare and fine example of domestic Norman architecture, it is now home to Jew's House Restaurant.
Spanning Daingate beneath the Bishop's Palace, The Collection (daily 10am-5pm; free) occupies two buildings - a striking modern structure built to house the city's extensive collection of archaeological objects, from prehistory to the present day, and a beautiful 1920s building , also known as the Usher Gallery, houses mainly contemporary works of fine art. The art collection includes some fascinating images of the cathedral and its surroundings, the best by William Logsdale (1859-1944) and Lowry's view of Lincoln.
The gallery also has an eclectic collection of coins, porcelain and various wristwatches. The 17th-century objects were donated to the gallery by its benefactor, James Ward Ussher, a local jeweler and watchmaker who made a fortune from Lincoln's "imp" by telling the legend for the first time in the 1880s and subsequently selling small images and souvenirs in such quantities and with such success that the imp became a symbol of the city. In his story, a pair of little imps hopped around a cathedral until one of them turned to stone to try to communicate with the angels carved on the roof of the "choir of angels." His friend hastily retreated on the back of the witch, but the wind is believed to have lurked in the cathedral, awaiting their return.
Food and drink in Lincoln
Lincoln's cafes and restaurants are a mixed bag. But there are a couple of great places in the immediate vicinity of the cathedral. Your first stop might be Browns Pie Shop a few yards from the cathedral at 33 Steep Hall.
This is not a shop that sells pies at all, but an excellent restaurant. Its creative menu emphasizes British ingredients. A hot meal will cost you around £12. The second place worth recommending is the cozy but expensive Jew's House restaurant, located right at the foot of Steep Hill, at 15 Be Straight.
As for pubs, there are a couple of pleasant and traditional local establishments near the cathedral - the Bull and Chain, located on Langworthgate, and the Morning Star, near Greetwellgate. The former has its own garden, while the latter offers real ales. If you want to find a more lively area, go to Bailgate.
In contact with
I am posting the first part of a long and tedious story about the glorious city of Lincoln (pronounced, by the way, as Linken), which is located in the north-eastern part of England.
The city traces its history back to the first century BC, but there are scientists (British, of course) who claim that settlements of more or less intelligent people were in these parts back in the Neolithic, but because: a) I’m not an archaeologist; b) there is no way to verify this and c) no one cares, then I will not refute or confirm this. In any case, the city is quite ancient.
The name of the city comes from the Celtic Lindon (pond, backwater), which the Roman conquerors who invaded England changed in their own way. In their interpretation, the place became known as Lindum Colonia, but for the local population this turned out to be too long and after the Romans left, the city began to be called Lincylene. Subsequently, the extra letters were thrown out and the city began to be called as it is now - Lincoln. By the way, since the name “Lincoln” is established in the Russian tradition, I will call it that way - we don’t write “Landan” in Russian instead of “London”?
I want to warn you right away that we were only in the city for a few hours and it won’t be a full-fledged excursion. That is, we ran through the very center, went to the city museum, castle and cathedral. We didn’t go to the street named Steep Hill, so we didn’t see the attractions there.
The city center is quite beautiful:
Just keep in mind that Lincoln is not only tourist place, but also quite a lively city with factories, factories, shopping centers and traffic jams. However, we were lucky with the traffic jams.
The history of the city is quite rich in various events. For example, it was here that the sad journey of King Edward I began, whose wife died in the vicinity of the city. The inconsolable king decided to transport the body of the deceased to London and bury her in Westminster Abbey. And in order for the people to preserve the memory of his wife, he ordered the construction of the so-called Eleanor Crosses in every place where the procession stopped for the night. A total of 12 such crosses were installed, of which three (in Northampton, Geddington and Waltham Cross) have survived to this day.
The city more than once became the center of various battles (or rather, not the city itself, but its surroundings, but this also, of course, influenced the townspeople). I will not retell the dates of the battles, the participants and the outcome of the battles - after all, this is not a history textbook, and those who are interested in such details can find them on the Internet.
One of the copies of the famous Magna Carta (which is perceived as the first English constitution, although this is not entirely true) is in Lincoln Castle. There is even an exhibition on this topic, but, firstly, it is quite boring, and, secondly, you cannot take photographs there.
Also, Lincoln was the place where a very unpleasant story took place, leading to the forced emigration of Jews from England in the 13th century. It was here that the story of Little Saint Hugh was invented, who was allegedly killed by a Jewish believer because, as he claimed under torture, once a year the Jews should kill one Christian boy and crucify him as Christ. However, when Hugh’s corpse was found, it turned out that no one had crucified him, but that he had simply drowned in the river. However, lovers of conspiracy theories (as well as those who are always ready to take away their neighbor’s property through slander) existed even then, and the matter was set in motion. The Jew was hanged, and popular riots led to the fact that the once thriving Jewish community was simply driven out of the city. Then, the “positive experience” of taking away other people’s property spread to other cities and off we go.
By the way, this Hugh was never canonized (unlike the other, “big” Hugh), so the church opposed this whole story (which was strange at that time), and in Lincoln Cathedral there is a tablet describing what happened and asking for forgiveness ( for they did not know what they were doing, amen). However, there are people who believe in the slander today, and perceive the position of the church as corrupt and/or controlled. However, to hell with this Hugh. It's better to talk about something else.
Lincoln was and remains a center of industry; for example, the first tanks were developed and produced here. Also, there were many factories and plants producing tractors and agricultural equipment, since Lincolnshire was and remains the “granary” of England. When we get to the description of the museum, I will post a few photos of this glorious local product.
However, I’ll show you one quite engineering structure now:
This is not a castle, but a water tower. The fact is that at the beginning of the 20th century, typhus was very common in these places and something had to be done about it. The city fathers hired a special group of doctors, who reported that polluted water from the river was to blame for everything, and therefore the water must either be purified or artesian springs looked for. Purification at that time was quite expensive, and the results were questionable, so they decided to deliver water from a source 22 miles from the city. A special water supply system was built through which water was supplied to the tower (which holds almost one and a half million liters of water), and from there it was distributed to houses. In order to preserve the atmosphere of the old city (the tower is located directly opposite the fortress wall), it was specially built in a medieval style. By the way, this entire tower-water supply system is still in operation today.
Directly opposite the tower is the already mentioned castle wall, under which there is a small parking lot for tourists. However, for those who can afford to walk a couple hundred extra meters and do not want to pay for parking, there is this option: you can park your car at the city museum (parking is free there) and leave it there, and then go around the city. At least that's what we did.
The photo above shows part of the cathedral (I will write about it in the next series).
And here is the entrance to the castle:
To be continued
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Lincoln located in the eastern part, along the banks of the River Witham. He is small town, area 36 sq. km with a population of just over 80,000 people. Two millennia ago, these places were the military fortification of the legendary IX Roman Legion, and in the Middle Ages Lincoln was part of the territory called Danelaw, formed during the Viking Age. During the reign of William the Conqueror, the city served as an important trading center in the east of the country, and was also famous for its coinage and its crafts. Then the great monarch ordered to build a castle here, on one of the hills, and surround it with a fortress wall. In those fierce years, when wars for the conquest of territories were fought throughout Europe, William's defensive structure was of enormous importance for the security of these lands.
Today, the administrative center of Lincolnshire plays an important cultural and economic role in modern life. There are many unique historical attractions, monuments, museums, cultural and educational institutions. The abundance of parks and green spaces is also an integral feature of urban landscapes, which have an extremely attractive appearance and characterize the current image of the ancient city.
One of its central objects that attracts the close attention of numerous tourists is Lincoln Cathedral of the Virgin Mary, built in 1311 in a distinctly Gothic style, although the first structure was born about two centuries earlier, it was completely destroyed by an earthquake. For a long time the temple was the most tall building in the world thanks to the 160-meter central spire that towered over the city. However, in 1549 it collapsed, and the cathedral changed its appearance somewhat. However, it is still one of the largest shrines in Great Britain, and its Gothic architectural contours are clearly visible from any area of the city. The main historical asset of the cathedral is a collection of unique medieval manuscripts and literary works, including several thousand volumes belonging to the famous English mathematician and architect of the 17th - 18th centuries, Christopher Wren, who took a direct part in the construction of the cathedral library. The temple is also well known in the world for its organists, among whom the famous British musician of the Middle Ages, William Bird, who lived a century earlier than Christopher Wren, stands out. Today, Lincoln Cathedral of the Virgin Mary is visited annually by tens of thousands of pilgrims from all over and it is undoubtedly the main religious building in the entire county of Lincolnshire.
Traditionally, the ancient Lincoln Castle, built during the era of William the Conqueror. In its interior there is a museum-prison, where you can see in what conditions the prisoners of the castle were kept and how harsh the laws of the Middle Ages were. In order to admire the surroundings of Lincoln and admire the picturesque landscapes of the region, you should climb the stairs to observation deck observatory tower, which is open to visitors throughout the year at different times. Fans of historical artifacts should visit the Asher Gallery, located in the museum under the specific name “Collection”. There are hundreds of thousands of artifacts on display there, dating back to Lincoln's various eras, from the Roman era to the present day. The museum's halls are replenished monthly, so interest in it does not fade. Seems like an ideal place for a stroll nature reserve Visby with its beautiful alleys, broad-leaved green trees and neatly trimmed lawns. Besides, great place considered for relaxation from the bustle of the city Hartsholme Park. For those who prefer a more lively pastime, we recommend Cadwell Park, as well as areas adjacent to Waddington and Scampton airfields. The main shopping centers and all kinds of shops.
Lincoln is divided into Upper and Lower Towns. The upper one stretches along the slopes of the Lincoln Range and has major architectural attractions, including Lincoln Castle, the Cathedral of the Virgin Mary, the Bishop's Palace and other historical sites. The lower city is mainly represented by residential areas and numerous shopping and entertainment establishments. At the same time, real estate and the cost of hotel accommodation Upper town noticeably higher than in Nizhny, which is due to its high cultural significance and noticeable tourist activity. As elsewhere in the country, Lincoln has a huge number of pubs, restaurants, cafes and eateries, where much attention is paid to traditional English cuisine and all kinds of drinks, including beer and wines of various types. To move around the city, it is better to use a bicycle or public transport, because the local streets are not very convenient for cars.
The region is dominated by a mild temperate climate, with abundant rainfall and unstable air temperatures. In winter, the thermometer usually fluctuates between +3 and - +5, but there are often sudden changes accompanied by showers and strong winds. During the period from May to September, the air temperature is more stable and is characterized by average temperature+19 – +22. In addition, during this time period there are many more sunny days, and although there are rains, they are not as long as at any other time of the year. has a large number of small provincial towns, each of which is unique in its own way. Among them is Lincoln, which has a lot of advantages and has an inimitable, typically English charm, so loved by its guests who regularly visit the banks of the River Witham.
Currently, Lincoln in England is a city with city status and the administrative center in the county of Lincolnshire. Its history has seen both major upswings in the development of the city and extremely decadent times. The city of Lincoln is not popular tourist destination, however, there are objects worth seeing here too.
City `s history
The city was founded on the site of a former Roman fortification called Lindum Colonia, and before that, Celtic settlements were located on these lands. The English who settled here changed the name to Lincylene, which is similar to the current name of the city.
In the 10th century, Lincoln was a center of trade and quite big city, although the Viking raids certainly did not contribute to its development. In those days, Lincoln even issued its own coin.
In 1068, a castle was built in Lincoln by order of William the Conqueror. This castle is still considered one of the main historical attractions of the city. In 1092, the construction of the local cathedral was completed, but it was badly damaged, first by fires and then by an earthquake, which is generally very difficult for England. a rare event. Lincoln Cathedral was rebuilt in the Middle Ages, crowning its chapel with the tallest spire in the world at that time (160 m).
Lincoln in the Middle Ages was recognized as one of the richest English cities. The local episcopate was the largest, which determined the huge number of monasteries in Lincolnshire. There were more of them here than outside the county. The economic situation was determined by the textile industry - woolen fabrics were produced and traded here.
Lincoln's economy declined in the 16th century following the closure of numerous cathedrals. A symbol of complete decline was the picture of the cathedral’s rotten and fallen spire, which they decided not to restore.
Lincoln was able to flourish again during the Industrial Revolution, as enterprises for the production of heavy equipment, railway locomotives, and diesel engines were organized in the city. Military equipment was also manufactured in Lincoln: airplanes, tanks, ammunition, etc.
Main attractions
Lincoln is a very picturesque town, perched high on the banks of Witham. Beautiful geographical position noticed by those who decided to found a settlement here, and then a city. Cars in modern Lincoln drive into an arch that has been preserved since Roman times. During archaeological excavations, ancient cemeteries, ovens, baths and a fountain were found here.
One of the most famous local attractions is Lincoln Castle. By the way, it still houses one of the surviving copies of the Magna Carta. The castle has preserved walls surrounded by a moat, towers, and gates. The observatory tower offers magnificent views of the surrounding area. Also of interest to travelers is the prison museum.
Another significant object and architectural landmark was the Lincoln Cathedral of the Virgin Mary, which is recognized as the purest embodiment of English Gothic.
Next to it, a building has been preserved - the chapter house, which was built in the 13th century at the same time as the temple. This is the oldest example of such construction in the whole of Great Britain.
The cathedral library is famous for its huge collection of medieval manuscripts. The construction of the library was carried out by Christopher Wren, who donated more than 5 thousand of his own books to its benefit. Lincoln Cathedral is one of the three largest churches in England.
