Lincoln England. The city of Lincoln in England: its history and local attractions. Activities and attractions in Lincoln

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Today only fragments of the Roman city remain, most of them the ruins of the 3rd-century city wall, but these too have been replaced by memories of Lincoln's golden age, which began during the reign of William the Conqueror with the construction of the castle and cathedral.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). 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. His East End marked by the arches of the medieval Exchequer, behind which rises the proud western façade 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 is responsible for much of the cathedral today, 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, and the latter offers real ales. If you want to find a more lively area, go to Bailgate.

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Welcome to the United States of America!

General information:

Full title: Lincoln
State:
Year of foundation: 1856
Population (with surrounding areas): 300 thousand people
Square: 195 sq. km.

The city of Lincoln is located in the north-central United States and serves as the county seat and capital of Lancaster County. It is inhabited by more than two hundred twenty-five thousand people. Lincoln has the second largest population in the state.

Photos of the city of Lincoln

In one thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, a settlement called Lancaster arose on the site of the modern city, which became the capital of the district of the same name three years later. After Nebraska joined the United States on March 1, 1867, the city was renamed Lincoln and became the capital of the state.

The University of Nebraska is located on the territory of Lincoln, which became the founder of several large museums, including the Sheldon Memorial Art Gallery, a large collection of sculpture, the Museum of Natural History and concert hall. The largest library in Nebraska is the library of this university. The University of Nebraska was founded in one thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine. Nowadays, about thirty thousand students study there.

The city is surrounded on all sides by agricultural land. In principle, Lincoln boasts both typically urban landscapes and rural views. On the one hand, these places contain all the advantages large city. On the other hand, in Lincoln there are practically no such problems. major cities, like air pollution, traffic jams or crime.

The city fully retains the charm and friendliness inherent in this province since ancient times. There are many parks, squares and other places where citizens can relax a little. The United States' only unicameral legislature meets in the Capitol Building, which serves as one of America's four skyscraper capitols.

The city received its name in honor. A large number of settlers began to move here after the federal and state governments began distributing free plots of land in the area and the construction of the Union Pacific and Burlington railroads. The city's population grew markedly due to government land policies and an influx of immigrants who moved west along the Mormon and Oregon roads. Lincoln gradually developed into an important political, cultural and educational center.

Lincoln sights

1. Lincoln Cathedral(Lincoln Cathedral)

A masterpiece of Anglo-Norman architecture and a major landmark of Lincoln, it is one of the most visited cathedrals in England. The construction of the cathedral began back in 1088, eThe three-storey interior is impressive with the length and size of the two transepts, as well as the contrasting colors of honey-colored limestone and dark marble. During the excursion it is also worth paying attentionon round window, known as the "Eye of the Deacon"with its medieval stained glass and the "Bishop's Eye"with pieces of glass from different periods.Wrought iron gates lead to St Hugh's Choir, one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture in England.

Another unique attraction of the cathedral is the Imp of Lincoln, according toAccording to legend, the imp (in European folklore, these are small and evil creatures) annoyed the angels in the choir so much that he turned into stone. Cathedral west front with two towers, is a mixture of Romanesque and Gothic styles with its central frieze-like sculpture depicting scenes from the Old Testament, including Noah's Ark.

Official site: lincolncathedral.com/

2. Lincoln Castle

Castle Hill is the entrance to the mighty Lincoln Castle, built by William the Conqueror in 1068. In the south-west of the site is a 12th-century fortress known as Lucy's Tower, and in the north-east corner is Cobb Hall, a 1st-century horseshoe bastion. But the real attraction is the original copy of the Magna Carta on permanent display in the museum. Dating from 1215, it is one of only four surviving examples. The nearby fully restored Victorian Gaol is also worth a visit.

Official site: www.lincolncastle.com

3. Tattershall Castle

Tattershall Castle was built in medieval times for Ralph Cromwell, Lord High Treasurer of England. His six-storey manor house is a fine example of a fortified brick castle from those early and turbulent times, Tattershall was built in 1440. Be prepared to climb some steep stairs, but the effort will be worth it, with superb views of the Lincolnshire countryside from the top. A separate excursion is the church built by Ralph Cromwell, as well as ancient medieval bridges and houses in the vicinity of Tattershall.

Official site:nationaltrust.org.uk/tattershall-castle

4. Upper Town

It is in the area Upper town you'll find Lincoln's most interesting medieval houses.At the foot of the Steep Hill is the House of the Jews, a Norman stone building built around 1170 which now houses quite a good restaurant, the adjacent Jewish courtyard and the remains of a former synagogue from the late 12th century. Old trading houses Lincoln also deserves its own tour, especially the 16th-century Harding House, the half-timbered Harlequin, a 16th-century former inn, and Aaron's House, a Norman secular building dating from 1150.

5. Museum of Lincolnshire Life

The Museum of Lincolnshire Life contains numerous exhibits relating to the rich and varied social history and culture of the region from 1750 to the present.Exhibits illustrate commercial, industrial, agricultural and communal life. The star of the museum's collection is the oldest tank in World War I.Also fascinating is the authentic Victorian kitchen, which is used for cooking demonstrations, and the hand-held printing press. The museum occupies former barracks, built in 1857 for the Royal North Lincoln Militia.

Official site:lincolnshire.gov.uk/visiting/museums/museum-of-lincolnshire-life

6. Bailgate

North of Lincoln Castle is Bailgate, the center of the ancient Roman city.Circles indicate the positions of Roman columns, and in basement No. 29 in Roman house, there are remains of an old Roman basilica.Newport Arch is located at the northern end of Bailgate., one of two 1st century Roman city gates in the city, it is considered the most authentic in England.A small part of Lincoln's Roman city walls can also be seen in the East Bay.

Lincoln from A to Z: map, hotels, attractions, restaurants, entertainment. Shopping, shops. Photos, videos and reviews about Lincoln.

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Lincoln - picturesque city in the east of England, the administrative center of Lincolnshire, located on the elevated banks of the River Witham. In ancient times, on the site of the modern city there was a fortification of the 9th Roman legion. In 71, the colony of Lindum was established here, the center of the province of Flavia, which was inhabited by retired soldiers. Since then, the arch built by the Romans, through which cars enter the city, has been preserved. In addition, during excavations, archaeologists discovered ancient cemeteries, baths, ovens and even a fountain here.

Another notable attraction appeared here during the time of William the Conqueror. He was the first to notice the elevated location of the city and, to ensure control over the surrounding area, ordered the construction of Lincoln Castle here.

The Tourist Information Center can be found at 9 Castle Hill, Lincoln.

How to get to Lincoln

Lincoln is close to three airports: Robin Hood Airport Doncaster Sheffield in Yorkshire, which has direct trains; Humberside Airport, which is located near the village of Barnetby (direct trains to Lincoln are also available) and East Midlands Airport at Castle Donington.

Search for flights to South Yorkshire (closest airport to Lincoln)

By bus or train

National Express operates daily buses from London (from 5 GBP, 5 hours) and Birmingham (17 GBP, 3 hours 25 minutes). In addition, trains run from Boston (14 GBP, 1.5 hours, departure every hour) and Cambridge (30 GBP, 2.5 hours). Prices on the page are as of November 2018.

Activities and attractions in Lincoln

The Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Lincoln was erected in 1092 for the Bishop of Dorchester. This structure suffered from fires more than once, and in 1185 it completely collapsed due to an earthquake. In the 13th century, a new cathedral was built in its place - the standard of English Gothic architecture and the first building to exceed the height of the Cheops pyramid. Simultaneously with the cathedral, a chapter house was erected in the mid-13th century - oldest example buildings of this kind in the UK. The Cathedral Library is famous for its collection of medieval manuscripts.

Lincoln Castle

A must-visit is Lincoln Castle, with its prison museum and observatory tower, which offers stunning views of the city and surrounding area. Opening hours: May-August 10:00-18:00, April and September 10:00-17:00, October-March 10:00-16:00. Entry: 13.50 GBP, discount ticket: 11 GBP, child ticket: 7.2 GBP, family ticket: 34.2 GBP, child under 5 years old: free.

Popular hotels in Lincoln

Central England - Midlands

Where to stay: In abundance variety of hotels Birmingham - it’s always noisy and fun here, or in the “Queen of the Midlands” and the patrimony of Robin Hood, ancient Nottingham. Fans of solitude and picturesque landscapes are invited to Lincoln, and those who are crazy about a mixture of cultures will undoubtedly like Leicester. Shrewsbury is a quiet town with carefully preserved medieval architecture. Derby is definitely worth a stop for ale lovers and those interested in the history of industry - there are a whole bunch of old factories here.
What to see: Cathedrals, museums and botanical gardens

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 living city with plants, 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.