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Lincoln Cathedral

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davidx
davidx
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Editor Pick

Lincoln Cathedral

  • October 3, 2005
  • Rated 5 of 5 by moatway from Riverview, New Brunswick
Lincoln Cathedral

Entrance to the cathedral is made through the building’s west face and will cost £4 (2005). Guided tours are available and advisable, as there is a lot to see. The 11th-century Norman door on the western face is the one area of the cathedral that survived a medieval earthquake, so the rest of the building is from the 13th century. This Gothic cathedral will impress with its three magnificent towers and sheer mass.

 

The cathedral had also suffered a 12th-century fire, a survivor of which is the large font of black Tournais marble. The nave is flanked by broad side aisles, which are separated by massive piers of Dorset marble and limestone. On the north side, the Victorian stained glass windows feature stories from the New Testament, while the windows opposite feature the Old Testament. Most of the original glass was destroyed during the Civil War. Having passed through the nave, the visitor is aware that there is as much again in the chancel.

 

Shards of glass from the cathedral’s shattered windows were saved, and in Victorian times were used to restore the rose window in the south transept. It is a kaleidoscope of colour. Each of the sides of the transepts features three small chapels, but up to this point, the cathedral strikes you as austere. Its saving graces are the fine stone carvings on the exterior and on the screen and the fine wood carving in St. Hugh’s Choir.

 

St. Hugh, the cathedral’s builder, rests in the Angel Choir, the most recent addition to the cathedral (1280). The Angel Choir contains an amazing Gothic East Window of Victorian glass, as well as a somewhat more muted example of medieval glass that demonstrates the life of St. Hugh. Also in the Angel Choir is the Lincoln Imp, apparently based on a small boy who annoyed the masons as they worked.

 

Before you leave the cathedral, you must make a point of seeing the cloister and the chapter house. The 13th-century chapter house features a large central column and wonderful vaulting. Lincoln Cathedral is the one site in Lincoln that must not be missed. For more on the cathedral, go to Cathedral.

 

 

From journal Lincolnshire Travels

Editor Pick

A visit to the Cathedral

  • October 26, 2004
  • Rated 5 of 5 by MichaelJM from Nottingham, England
A visit to the Cathedral

Lincoln Cathedral, where I sang as part of my school choir, is in my view--the finest religious building in the whole of the UK. The finest because this majestic triple-towered cathedral is perfectly positioned on top of the limestone escarpment, some 200 feet above the city centre. Remigius, a supporter of William the Conqueror, consecrated the original building in 1092, but 40 years later it was seriously damaged by fire, and work to restore the building to “beyond its former glory” was undertaken. Another 40 years elapsed, and this time an earthquake inflicted substantial damage to the building’s structure. The venerated St Hugh began the repairs this time round and introduced the gothic style, thus enabling the installation of some of the huge stained glass windows that are evident. Be sure to check out the flying buttresses, and while you’re exploring the Southeastern corner, keep an eye out for the statue of Lord Tennyson, one of Lincolnshire’s famous poets. Around forty years later (are you noting the sequence to the fate of the cathedral?) the central tower collapsed, and work both to rebuild and extend the cathedral was commissioned. If you stand at the west entrance and look down the length of the cathedral, you will be able to spot the faults in the alignment between the two builds. I reckon this adds to the charm of this dignified building. Work continued on the cathedral and you will see old paintings with three spires adorning the towers. The main spire was blown down in 1549, and the others remained until the early 1800s, when the battle to stop the spires’ lean failed. The building has remained unchanged since that time and, other than the ongoing restorative work, has been free of trouble since then. The glorious glass windows (the Bishop’s Eye and Dean’s Eye) were fully protected during the war and the glass taken out and buried in the exact formation. Thankfully, this fine building was undamaged during the war, and it remains an amazing testament to architecture, design, and the determination of those early builders. Inside, you must hunt for the infamous Lincoln Imp (to give you a clue, it’s up high and beyond the “Angel Choir”), take in the amazing workmanship of the misericords in St Hugh’s Choir and marvel at the sanctuary to the east of the choir. Consider the calm of the cloisters and the intricate carving of the ceiling bosses. Sir Christopher Wren “did some work here,” so you can admire his 17th century colonnade and then explore the Chapter House and the upstairs library. Make sure you explore the small chapels off the nave and the transepts, and study the priceless collection of “religious memorabilia.” Take in a roof tour--this will be an experience that you won’t forget--and if you have time, take a few quiet moments to reflect on the overall magnificence of this beautiful building. Finally, you can shop for quality souvenirs in the cathedral shop.

From journal Strolling in Lincoln

The Cathedral City of Lincoln

  • July 8, 2002
  • Rated 4 of 5 by davidx from Todmorden, United Kingdom
Lincoln will not be on a very convenient route to anywhere and you will certainly not happen upon it. This means that many holiday makers go speeding up the M1 or even the A1, much nearer, without making the time and effort to go out there. This may be thought necessary but in the process they are missing out on a very fine city.

Lincoln's history predates the Romans and it was not until the 3rd century AD that the Roman settlement of Lindum was established there.

The Normans took less time in deciding on a major centre here. A castle was built shortly after the conquest and the cathedral was started in the 1070s. This is a wonderful building, one of England's three largest and with a tower whose height is only surpassed by Salisbury Cathedral. Originally it had an absolutely massive tower more than twice the height of the present one, whichnot too surprisingly failed to weather a 16th century storm.

There is still some Norman [Romanesque] work left but most of the cathedral, including the majestic nave shows splendid examples of Early English style. Of other buildings the Jew's House, dating from the middle of the 12th century and there are quite a number of 14th and 15th century buildings as well as Tudor half-timbered houses.

From journal Lincolnshire selection

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