Who owned Lincoln Castle?
The castle is now owned by Lincolnshire County Council and is a scheduled monument. View over Lincoln Castle from Lincoln Cathedral to the east. The Westgate Water Tower at top right is not part of the castle.
After William the Conqueror's victory at the Battle of Hastings in 1066, he faced continuing resistance and ordered the construction of a castle at Lincoln as part of his strategy to control the rebellious north of the kingdom.
Built by William the Conqueror in 1068, Lincoln Castle has dominated the Lincoln skyline for almost one thousand years. Following the Battle of Hastings in 1066, William the Conqueror ordered the construction of a castle at Lincoln in a bid to control the rebellious north.
In 1068, William the Conqueror ordered the building of Lincoln Castle and the city walls - which were initially built in wood. The Norman's message was very much "we are here and we are in charge” - especially as 166 houses were destroyed in the process.
In 1868 public executions were abolished by an Act of Parliament. The last public executions in Lincoln were carried out on 5th August 1859.
William built a significant number of motte and bailey castles to help maintain peace. In northern England and elsewhere, William seized land from rebellious Saxon nobles and reassigned it to Norman nobles and knights. In return, they had to build a motte and bailey to protect William's interests in the local area.
How much does it cost to get into Lincoln Castle? Entry to the grounds of Lincoln Castle is free, excluding event days. The Castle Day Ticket includes admission to the Medieval Wall Walk, Victorian Prison and David P J Ross Magna Carta Vault.
As you might expect of a centuries-old structure built for war, it has witnessed many battles and sieges. The First Battle of Lincoln in 1141 was the first notable skirmish at the castle. King Stephen was captured here by his cousin, Empress Matilda, and taken to Bristol.
The iconic building has been lit with purple lighting since Ash Wednesday, March 2, as this reflects the traditional liturgical colour of the season. It is used for vestments, altar fronts and other liturgical linens in Lincoln Cathedral.
When Eleanor died near Lincoln in 1290, aged 49, Edward needed a dramatic way to express his undying love. Her body was embalmed and her internal organs, except for her heart, were buried in Lincoln Cathedral before she was borne slowly to London, where her heart was interred at the Dominican church in Blackfriars.
Is the Magna Carta in Lincoln?
Lincoln is the only place in the world where you can find original copies of both the 1215 Magna Carta and the 1217 Charter of the Forest. Both charters are owned by Lincoln Cathedral and are housed in Lincoln Castle, a seat for justice from its beginnings.
She's back! Bursting through the walls of Lincoln Castle, Lucy, our magical dragon is once again resting on the banks, ready to meet you! Having enjoyed her time in Lincoln she has decided to return and this time she has brought her friend, Norman, along!
Cathedral Quarter, City of Lincoln. Magna Carta and the Charter of the Forest. Two iconic and rare documents, dating to the early 13th century, on display in a subterranean vault inside Lincoln Castle.
It is also unique in being one of only two castles in the country to have two “mottes”, or moats.
Eight conspirators were tried by a military commission for Abraham Lincoln's murder. David Herold, Lewis Powell, George Atzerodt, and Mary Surratt were found guilty and hanged, while Samuel A. Mudd, Michael O'Laughlen, and Samuel Arnold were sentenced to life imprisonment.
Thirty-five people were executed in the United States in 2014. Ten of them were in the state of Missouri, and another ten were in the state of Texas. Two (Edgar Tamayo Arias and Ramiro Hernandez-Llanas) were foreign nationals from Mexico. One (Juan Carlos Chavez) was a foreign national from Cuba.
After the 16th century, castles declined as a mode of defense, mostly because of the invention and improvement of heavy cannons and mortars. This artillery could throw heavy cannonballs with so much force that even strong curtain walls could not hold up.
William built castles to protect his barons from attacks from unhappy Englishmen. The first castles were called motte and bailey castles. Each castle took 7-14 days to build and by 1086, William's barons had built over 100 castles!
Assistance dogs and other registered support dogs are welcome on site and can accompany visitors through all areas of the Castle and grounds. Wheelchair accessible toilets are located on the ground floor of the prison or at the East Gate entrance.
Admission charges
Access for services and for prayer and to light candles will always be free of charge. *Donate your Cathedral admission fee and if possible add Gift Aid to receive an annual pass. Please ask a member of the welcome team for more details.
Can you walk around Lincoln Castle?
Visiting the Medieval Wall Walk at Lincoln Castle
Along the way, explore towers and dungeons and discover a violent past of battles, sieges and public hangings. Follow in the footsteps of kings, soldiers and prisoners who walked these same walls hundreds of years ago.
Lincoln Castle is now the only place in the world where an original 1215 Magna Carta and 1217 Charter of the Forest can be seen side by side, on permanent loan from Lincoln Cathedral.
The popular statue of King George III was once part of a full height statue placed on top of Dunston Pillar in 1810 in celebration of the King's Golden Jubilee.
Lucy Tower ⚔️, got its name as a memorial to one of. Lincoln Castle's 🏰 formidable women; Lucy Countess. of Chester. Timber buildings originally stood inside the walls of the.
Lincoln Castle remained in use as a prison and law court into modern times, and is one of the better preserved castles in England. It is open to the public as a museum. Lincoln Castle served as the fictional location of York Prison in season 3 of Downton Abbey..
