Visit Historic Lincoln: From the Romans to Today, Lincoln, England

Lincoln is known as a cathedral city on a tall hill packed with medieval buildings. It is certainly the medieval history that is most on display today but look closer and you’ll find plenty of evidence of the Roman town. Between them, the Romans and the citizens of the Middle Ages shaped the city that we see today. But why does Lincoln have so much history and where are the best places to explore historic Lincoln?

Lincoln’s geographic position, at the point where the River Witham breaks through a long escarpment known as the Lincoln Edge, has always made it strategically important. The first known settlement was during the Iron Age, when wooden dwellings were built at the bottom of the hill, but it first became an important town in the Roman era, with a fortress at the top of the hill and an inland port around the river.

The Romans left in the 4th century and for a while Lincoln became a Viking trading centre, prominent enough to have its own mint for the creation of coinage. However it was not until after the Norman Conquest that the town as we now know it emerged. The Castle was built in 1068 and the first Cathedral in 1092, and the surrounding area (known as The Bail) was developed. The city now became very prosperous, its economy mostly centred around the wool trade. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).