Lincoln, East Midlands

Lincoln began its life as Lindum, when an early Roman fort was built on the site at the top of the hill as far back as 60AD.   In the 6th century, Angles and Saxons from Germany occupied Lincoln, eventually joining with others to create the Kingdom of Mercia.  The Kingdom prospered until Viking raiders arrived in the 9th century.  They eventually established a colony at Lincoln, which became an important Viking city.  

By 1066 there were four churches inside the Roman fort area and as many as 18 in the city.  The population of Lincoln was between 6,000 and 12,000 depending on the source, but still making it one of the largest cities in England.

In the 12th century Lincoln had a thriving Jewish community but in 1190 anti-semitic riots broke out and spread to Lincoln. In 1255 the Jews were unfairly accused of the murder of a child and 18 of them were sent to the Tower to be executed.  By 1290 all of the Jews were expelled from England but in Lincoln their houses remain, on Steep Hill at least two 12th-century homes can still be seen. 

In 1215 King John signed the Magna Carta that gave the Nobles certain rights. Once it became clear that King John did not intend to honour the document, the Barons looked for another King.  Although hard to understand from our perspective and probably hard to understand just a hundred years later, the Nobles offered the crown of England to the Prince Louis, the son of the King of France.  

The following year King John died leaving a nine year old son as his heir and the French army at his back.  William Marshall stepped in and had Prince Henry crowned Henry III at Gloucester. By this time Prince Louis was in control of London where he proclaimed himself King of England. 

In April of 1217 the French attacked Lincoln. The siege ended in the second battle of Lincoln on the 20th of May.  William Marshall led an army to Lincoln where he engaged the French army.  William was victorious and what was left of the French army were given safe passage back to France. 

In the 13th century Lincoln had 48 parish churches, sadly only three still survive.  Lincoln shows us something else though, a medieval town layout- the Castle and Cathedral haven’t moved.  Many of the buildings date from the middle ages or shortly afterwards.  The town layout has not changed and it is rare that this can be seen and easily understood in an English city. 

In 1344, Henry of Lancaster was granted a license to hold a annual Tournament at Lincoln.  When he died in 1361, his daughter Blanche inherited his estate. Blanche had been married in 1359 to John of Gaunt, fourth son of Edward III. Upon the death of his father-in-law he became Duke of Lancaster. 

Lincoln’s prosperity had a lot to do with the wool trade.  It was woven and dyed in the town.  Much of the finished cloth would then be exported abroad.  From the 14th century Lincoln had an annual fair and by the 15th it held a bi-annual fair. By the 14th century though, Lincoln’s prosperity was in decline, the wool trade faced increasing competition from other parts of England and from abroad. 

Visit the pages on Lincoln Cathedral and Lincoln Castle.