Lincoln Cathedral

The Cathedral has a  magnificent Norman West front, vast rose windows, and two striking towers.

Due to its many repairs and rebuilds Lincoln Cathedral boasts a wealth of architectural influences, from its medieval flying buttresses to the 17th-century Wren Library.

Inside is the Blessed Virgin Mary statue – the cathedral’s patron saint – that stands 7ft foot tall and looks down the length of the building. Fossils may also be viewed in the Nave floor (made from Lincolnshire Limestone), while the vast Father Willis Organ is also a marvel.

The Lincoln Imp can be found inside the cathedral’s walls. The Lincoln Imp is stone carving said to have once been a real imp sent by the Devil to wreak havoc on Earth, and the 14th century legend tells that an angel inside the cathedral turned it to stone on the spot, where it now remains in the Angel Choir.

Lincoln Cathedral is officially known as the “Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Lincoln” and is located in the town of Lincoln in the East Midlands in England. It’s located right across another medieval structure, the Lincoln Castle. Construction of the cathedral started as early as the year 1072 and upon completion in the year 1311, it was the tallest building in the world, surpassing the Great Pyramid of Giza. It held this record for a total of 248 years, and if its spire had remained intact, it would have held this record until the completion of the Eiffel Tower in 1889.

First consecrated in 1092, around 20 years after Lincoln was designated a seat of a bishopric, Lincoln Cathedral was the home of medieval Britain’s first Norman Bishop, Remigius.

Since its construction Lincoln Cathedral had to be renovated and rebuilt several times however, following damage caused to it by a number of disasters. These included a fire in around 1124 and an earthquake in 1185, when much had to be rebuilt in the Early English Gothic architectural style.

In the 1230s the cathedral’s central tower also collapsed, likely due to experimental techniques used during its construction. This was replaced in 1255 and raised to its present height of 271ft in 1311, and a tall wooden spire was added atop the central tower.