Lincoln Castle's history

Discover Lincoln Castle’s history

On your visit to Lincoln Castle discover a site steeped in history spanning the centuries from 60 AD to the present day, and view the Magna Carta - one of the four surviving originals sealed by King John in 1215.

A brief history

By Norman times, Lincoln was the third city of the realm in prosperity and importance. The city even had its own mint for making coins. In 1068, two years after the Battle of Hastings, William the Conqueror began building Lincoln Castle on a site occupied since Roman times.

One of the first structures on the site was the Lucy Tower motte and its bailey, to which another motte and stone walls were added early in the 12th century. These would have dominated the skyline along with the nearby Cathedral.

For 900 years the castle has been used as a court and prison. The coffin like pews in the chapel, were to remind prisoners of their fate and to ensure that they could not see each other. Many prisoners were deported to Australia and others executed on the ramparts.

A full picture of the ‘life’ of Lincoln Castle can be gained from the timeline in the downloads section.

Lincoln Magna Carta

Housed within the new Charters of Liberty exhibition the Lincoln Magna Carta is often thought of as the corner stone of liberty. Magna Carta is a series of concessions wrung from the unwilling King John by his rebellious barons in 1215.

Visit the exhibition to learn more about this fascinating document and explore its themes to discover its relevance today.