Lincoln Cathedral was commissioned by William the Conqueror after the 11th-century invasion because the Normans needed to unify power further north.
The Cathedral
By building the cathedral in Lincoln and transferring the ecclesiastical power from Dorchester, they copied what the Romans did, who also made it a stronghold for the very same reason after their conquest.
In 1311 it became the tallest building in the world after completion of its 160 metres (525 ft) high central spire and held it for 238 years until the spire collapsed in 1548.
Cruisers will know that St Olav’s tower in Tallinn at one hundred and fifty-nine meters tall then took that title. The more modern Burj Khalifa in Dubai, at 828 meters tall, is now not even considered the world’s tallest building. In fact, there are rules and a definition that includes occupancy to be in the building race… if you think the Burj sounds scary see our film and look down, as we did while having a cocktail.
The Victorian writer John Ruskin said of it; “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.” It certainly is a very impressive building and modest inside. They do tours and there is an entrance fee should you wish to see more.
The Castle
William the Conqueror also built this after the Battle of Hastings, to quell the rebellious north, but the origins go back further to AD50 when the Ninth Legion Hispana arrived in Lincoln, just a section of the Roman Emperor Claudius’s 40,000-strong army. It has dominated the Lincoln skyline for two thousand years.
The Romans built a legionary fortress at the top of the hill in stone and timber with wooden towers at intervals between the traditional four gateways: North, South, East and West. It became so important, that in AD90, the site became a colonia, a self-governing town for retired legionaries. It was called Lindum Colonia and lasted until about the fifth century. It expanded to include shops, workshops, temples, and bath houses as well as dwellings. It also contained law courts, which it does today.
