Lincoln Imp

Another perfect Autumn day up North in Lincoln looking out over Brayford pool with our mooring in the distance .

This is the main street that leads all the way up to the Cathedral and the castle . We were told it got very steep towards the top and was nicknamed Heart attack hill and we were advised to catch the bus up which was only a couple of quid each. But me being me thought better in my pocket than the bus companies so off we went.

With Carolyn bounding on ahead I am starting to struggle as its becoming a lot steeper than I thought it would be.

There are shops all the way to the top but I think someone has missed out on a great business opportunity here .What they need is a shop selling Oxygen as Its one of the steepest hills I've ever walked up and by the time I got to the top I was gasping for air.

Eventually after a struggle we made it to Lincoln cathedral, and sometimes known as St Marys cathedral which is the seat of the Anglican bishop .Building commenced in 1088 and continued in several phases throughout the medieval period. It was the tallest building in the world for 238 years (1311–1549), and the first building to hold that title after the Great Pyramid of Giza. The central spire collapsed in 1549 and was not rebuilt. The cathedral is the third largest in Britain (in floor area) after St Paul's and York Minster, being 484 by 271 feet (148 by 83 m). It is highly regarded by architectural scholars; the eminent Victorian writer John Ruskin declared: "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."

One of the stone carvings within the cathedral is known as the Lincoln Imp. There are several variations of the legend surrounding the figure. According to 14th-century legend, two mischievous imps were sent by Satan to do evil work on Earth. After causing mayhem elsewhere in Northern England the two imps headed to Lincoln Cathedral, where they smashed tables and chairs and tripped up the Bishop. An angel appeared in the Angel Choir and ordered them to stop. One of the imps sat atop a stone pillar and started throwing rocks at the angel whilst the other cowered under the broken tables and chairs. The angel turned the first imp to stone, allowing the second imp to escape. The imp that turned to stone can still be found sitting atop his stone column in the Angel Choir. Even though we looked everywhere we couldn't take a picture because we couldn't find the bleeding thing. Carolyn said we should have bought a guide but I'm far to thrifty to do that.

This is what we were looking for and couldn't find.

From the cathedral it was just a short walk to the castle which is a major castle constructed in Lincoln England during the late 11th century by William the Conqueror on the site of a pre-existing Roman fortress. The castle is unusual in that it has two mottes ^.It is only one of two such castles in the country, the other being at Lewes in Sussex. Lincoln Castle remained in use as a prison and law court into modern times, and is one of the better preserved castles in England; the Crown Courts continue to this day. It is open to the public as a museum. Lincoln Castle remains one of the most impressive Norman castles in the United Kingdom. It is still possible to walk around the immense Norman walls which provide a magnificent view of the castle complex, together with panoramic views of the cathedral, the city, and the surrounding countryside.

This is Carolyn outside of Lincoln crown court where Courts have been held at Lincoln Castle since it was first built. Back then the sheriff, who was William the Conqueror's right hand man in Lincolnshire, presided over the castle's shire court. Today the Gothic Revival courthouse, built in 1826 for the Lincolnshire Assizes, is still a working building where criminal trials are heard by Lincoln Crown Court.

Going back down the hill was a lot easier than going up ,even so Carolyn still had to wait for me to catch up.

Tomorrow Carolyn is going to have an early start and hit the shops before we head out and about in town on our last day here.

                                                                                                Happy Days