Lincoln Castle

Lincoln Castle has served many important roles over the centuries and been associated with several key historical events and people.

The imposing castle, built on a hilltop site overlooking Lincoln, has been a stronghold in times of war, a center of justice and imprisonment, and a meeting place for medieval rulers and lawmakers. Today, Lincoln Castle draws visitors from around the world as a highlight of Norman architecture and medieval history in England.

William the Conqueror ordered the construction of Lincoln Castle in 1068, just two years after his victory at the Battle of Hastings. It was part of William’s strategy to consolidate his power after the Norman Conquest by building castles across England. Lincoln was a key location due to its position on a hill and its status as an important town. The castle asserted Norman authority and enabled William to subdue any remaining Saxon resistance in the area. It featured hallmarks of Norman design, including a motte (an artificial hill or mound) and bailey (enclosed courtyard) protected by a wooden palisade and stone gatehouses. Lincoln Castle was a powerful symbol of the shift in control of England after 1066.

Medieval Prison and Courts

During the medieval period, Lincoln Castle served the important functions of a prison and the county court. Its prison held various notable and infamous inmates over the centuries. In the 12th century, the Earl of Warwick was briefly imprisoned at Lincoln for rebelling against King Henry II. In 1301, Lincoln’s prison held the first woman sentenced to death by burning, Margery de la Beche, for the murder of her husband. Many common thieves, robbers, and murderers were also incarcerated at Lincoln Castle over the years.

The prison was expanded in the 13th century under the orders of King John. At times it held French prisoners of war during England’s conflicts with France during the Hundred Years War in the 14th and 15th centuries. The castle dungeons were dank, cold, filthy and rife with disease, making them feared by prisoners. Public executions were carried out at the castle, often by hanging or beheading.

In its role as the county court, Lincoln Castle saw several significant medieval trials. In 1202, the court convicted William de Roumare, Earl of Lincoln, of treason against King John, stripping him of his earldom. When England’s peasant’s revolted in 1536, one of the leaders, Thomas Moigne, was tried and executed at Lincoln Castle under Henry VIII’s orders. For centuries, it was the epicenter of justice and incarceration for the region.

The First Parliament

Lincoln Castle gained another place in history when it hosted England’s First Parliament in 1301 under King Edward I. This was one of the first discernible steps towards modern parliamentary democracy in the kingdom. Nobles and bishops gathered at the castle to discuss raising taxes for Edward’s wars against Scotland. Although short-lived, this early Parliament established a precedent of the king seeking consent from nobles before raising new taxes that would be built upon later.

The Civil War

During the upheaval of the English Civil War in the 1640s, Lincoln Castle was a Royalist stronghold held for King Charles I against the Parliamentarian forces. Due to its strategic location, the castle was besieged three times but never surrendered to Cromwell’s Parliamentary troops. It came under cannon fire and some damage but survived relatively intact. The castle continued to hold Royalist prisoners after the war during the brief Commonwealth period before the Restoration. Lincoln Castle had proven its defensive fortifications were still formidable from the medieval period, protecting Royalists throughout the war.

Prison Reform

By the 18th century, the conditions at Lincoln Castle’s prison had deteriorated and become inhumane. When the reformer John Howard inspected Lincoln prison in 1779, he was appalled by the overcrowded, unsanitary conditions and the neglect and abuse of prisoners. Howard’s scathing criticisms of Lincoln and other prisons led to nationwide prison reforms. As a result of his work, sanitation, healthcare and food for prisoners were improved at Lincoln and jails across England.

Victorian Prison

In 1787, Lincoln’s prison operations were taken over by the county of Lincolnshire. The prison underwent major redevelopment and expansion in the Victorian era. Under the Prisons Act of 1835, Lincoln became the County Gaol, holding debtor’s, criminal and civil prisoners. The renowned Victorian prison reformer, Edmund Du Cane, instituted reforms at Lincoln such as separate confinement for prisoners at night and the division of prisoners by degrees of criminality.

By the mid-19th century, Lincoln Castle prison housed over 300 inmates. Famous prisoners included the notorious poacher Charles Tennyson and many perpetrators of violent crimes in Lincolnshire. While conditions had improved from medieval times, Victorian prisons were still harsh places for discipline and punishment. Lincoln Castle prison remained in use until 1878 when it was closed and prisoners transferred to other jails.

Modern Day

After closing as a prison, Lincoln Castle fell into disuse and disrepair by the early 20th century. However, appreciation for its history and architecture grew. The castle underwent major renovations and restoration to turn it into a tourist attraction, reopening fully to the public in 2015. Its walls, prison buildings, law courts, and preserved Victorian prison chapel can all be visited today.

One of Lincoln Castle’s most prized possessions is one of the four surviving original copies of the Magna Carta, issued by King John in 1215. Lincoln’s copy is on display in the castle’s purpose-built Magna Carta vault. Thousands of people come every year to see this iconic document, which established the principle that the monarch is subject to the law.

While once a feared Norman stronghold and prison, Lincoln Castle is now a protected heritage site drawing tourists fascinated by its centuries of history. The castle continues to be a symbol of Lincoln’s historic importance since medieval times. As an exceptionally well-preserved Norman fortification, Lincoln Castle provides insight into England’s early medieval history and its evolution through the ages.

How to find Lincoln Castle

Lincoln Castle, Castle Square, New Boultham, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, England, LN1 3AA, United Kingdom

Places to stay near Lincoln Castle

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