Lincoln Cathedral

Lincoln Cathedral stands on a steep hill in the heart of Lincoln, a grade I listed building and the seat of the bishop of Lincoln. The present structure began in 1072 under Bishop Remigius and was completed in 1092, though an earthquake in 1185 left it badly damaged. Over the centuries it was rebuilt in Early English, Decorated and Perpendicular Gothic styles, with surviving parts from each period. The cathedral covers about 5,000 square metres, making it the fourth largest in the UK by floor area. Architectural scholar John Ruskin called it the most precious piece of architecture in the British Isles. The cathedral holds one of the four remaining copies of the original Magna Carta, now displayed nearby in Lincoln Castle. After the earthquake, St Hugh of Lincoln led a major rebuilding programme that introduced pointed arches, flying buttresses and ribbed vaulting. Thirteen bells hang in the south-west tower, including Great Tom, accompanied by a quarter-hour striking clock added in the early 19th century. Two large rose windows, the Dean’s Eye and the Bishop’s Eye, were installed in the north and south transepts during the late Middle Ages. Inside, the nave rises in Early English Gothic style, while the Angel Choir and elaborate carved screen date from the 14th century. The walls along much of the cathedral feature false arcades copied from French techniques, though the stonemason did not achieve the intended illusion. The central tower once reached 271 feet and carried a tall spire that blew down in 1548, leaving the tower at its present height. The western towers were raised and later capped with lead spires, though these were removed in 1807.