The Historic Cathedral City of Lincoln

Welcome to Lincoln

One of the finest historic cities in England and home to the magnificent Lincoln Cathedral that has welcomed people through its doors for almost a thousand years.  It is one of the great Cathedrals of the world and holds one of the four remaining copies of the original Magna Carta, which is now displayed in Lincoln Castle.  It is highly regarded by architectural scholars and in the words of the Victorian writer John Ruskin:

  "I have always held that the cathedral of Lincoln is out and out the most precious piece of architecture in the British Isles and roughly speaking worth any two other cathedrals we have."

History

The first Bishop of Lincoln moved there "some time between 1072 and 1092 and laid the foundations of his Cathedral in 1072". It is probable that he, being a Norman, employed Norman masons to superintend the building ... though he could not complete the whole before his death.

The cathedral has seen many tragedies over the centuries and two days before it was consecrated. In 1124, the timber roofing was destroyed in a fire. It was rebuilt and expanded but it was mostly destroyed by an earthquake. The earthquake was one of the largest felt in the UK and It was described as having "split the building from top to bottom". Only the lower part of the west end and its two attached towers remain of the pre-earthquake cathedral.

The cathedral was rebuilt and between 1307 and 1311 the central tower raised to its present height of 271 feet. The western towers and front of the cathedral were also improved and heightened. At this time, a tall lead-encased wooden spire topped the central tower and reputedly reached a height of 525 ft  making it one of  the worlds tallest buildings at the time, It was later blown don in a storm.

Lincoln Castle 

Lincoln is a major medieval castle constructed during the late 11th century by Willian the Conqueror on the site of a pre-existing Roman fortress. The Castle remained in use as a prison and court into modern times and is one of the better preserved castles in England; the Crown Court continue to this day.

While there is a lot to see both in the city and surrounding areas take a little time to try and understand the skills and physical endeavors of the generations that have created these magnificent structures and embedded them with centuries of history that we can all too often take for granted .

have a short break in the City and really enjoy 

If you love historic cities then check out the:

Or for more holiday ideas visit 

Getting there

Lincoln is accessible by train, bus or car and has convenient connections from major cities and airports.

Getting here by road

Lincoln is well connected by major roads including the A46, A1, and A15 . From London, the drive typically takes around three hours, exiting the A1 at Newark and following the A46 to Lincoln. If coming from the south, follow the A46; from the north, the A15 is a main route.

By Train 

Lincoln Central Station is located in the heart of the city, within walking distance of attractions like Lincoln Cathedral and Lincoln Castle.  Direct trains run from London King’s Cross, taking around two hours, and services are also available from Nottingham, Sheffield, and other cities.

Where to stay

From elegant country houses - luxury hotels or self catering

there are lots of great places to stay in Lincoln

There is a great selectin of hotels both in the city and close by and you can check these out with Hotels.com  If you prefer self catering then why not book with with VBRO

For more historic Cities in the North visit -

Our Selection of Historic City  Hotels in the North

and for future Short Breaks check out the:

Things to do

There are many things to do in and around Lincoln but the first place to start is the magnificent Lincoln Cathedral and castle then explore the many worders of this historic city 

Places to see

Durham has many wonderful places for you to see that can make for a really enjoyable stay. after exploring the Cathedral take the Lincoln Walking Tour  then travel around to see the delights of the County.

A must see is the Aviation Heritage  a great day out and the host of many TV period dramas. There are also many castles, stately homes lovely market towns - a favorite is Barnard Castle  - and spectacular views too many to mention so take a

Short Break in Lincoln and enjoy

If you love visiting historic cities then have some fun with family and friends with Historic Mystery Tours