Lincoln Cathedral: One of the Great Cathedrals of Europe - Tour Climb History

For nearly a thousand years it has stood century over the flatlands of Lincolnshire. Visible for miles around, Lincoln Cathedral is more than just a church, it's a statement of medieval power, architectural audacity and enduring faith. John Ruskin once called it out and out the most precious piece of architecture in the British Isles. He wasn't wrong. Whether you're planning a visit or just love soaking up history from your armchair, join us for a journey through time and stone. We are going to explore the turbulent history of this magnificent building, walk its hallowed halls, look for a mischievous little demon and finally climb high into the central tower to meet Great Tom. The story of Lincoln Cathedral is a roller coaster of construction, destruction and rebirth. After the Battle of Hastings in 1066 William the Conqueror did not have an easy ride. The north of England was rebellious and dangerous. He needed to crush resistance physically but also needed to control the people psychologically. His solution in Lincoln was a masterpiece in domination. He seized the top of the hill, the highest point for miles around and built two massive structures side-by-side. The castle was begun in 1068 to control the people through military might and then the Cathedral in 1072 to control the people's souls. Placing them opposite each other he created a skyline that shouted one message to the Anglo-Saxon population, we are in charge and God is on our side. While we think of cathedrals today as places of peace, William viewed them as spiritual fortresses. He appointed Remigius, the first Bishop of Lincoln, a Benedictine monk who had supported William's invasion of England, even providing a ship and knights for the fleet in 1066. Giving Remigius a massive territory and a grand Cathedral was William's way of paying back a loyal political ally. After 20 years of construction the Cathedral was consecrated just a few days after his death in 1092. Disaster struck in 1185 when an earthquake, one of the strongest ever recorded in Britain, shattered the Norman structure. Only the West Front survived. Hugh of Avalon, later St. Hugh of Lincoln, a charismatic Carthusian monk, took on the daunting task of rebuilding in 1186. Work would not start until 1192. He embraced the new Gothic style arriving from France, pointed arches, flying buttresses and flooded with light. Much of this new design and construction was experimental. Hugh worked alongside the Masons, even carrying stones himself. Starting on the east side it did not join the West Front until 1245. Though he died before completion, his vision created the masterpiece we see today. In the early 1300s the central tower was topped with a massive timber and lead spire, raising the total height to an estimated 525 feet, 160 meters. For over two centuries Lincoln Cathedral was reputedly the tallest building in the world, surpassing the Great Pyramid of Giza. Sadly a great storm in 1549 destroyed the central spire. It was never replaced, giving the Cathedral the flat topped silhouette we know today. You can find all the information on visiting times, tickets and tours, which includes the tower and roof walk that Will will undertake whilst I explore the rest of the Cathedral. As you approach the main entrance, stop and look up. This massive imposing facade is a historical sandwich. The central round arched recesses are the original Norman work of Bishop Remigius from the 1070s, the only bits that survived the earthquake. Around and above this sturdy core is the later Gothic wrapping, adding height decoration and those glorious twin towers. The sheer immense scale of the Cathedral is immediately apparent upon stepping inside. Passing through the great west doors prepare for your breath to be taken away. The nave, the main body of the church is vast. Look at the beautiful limestone pillars made locally. They have a warm creamy honey color that appears to hold the sunlight even on a cloudy day. The nave has a famous architectural quirk. The arcade bays don't perfectly align with the west front, creating a noticeable offset with more space on the south side than the north. The original plan was to knock down the old west front but when they ran low on money, joining it became the best option. So their solution is actually quite a clever bit of engineering as opposed to a mistake. The font is a massive mid-12th century masterpiece carved in tourney marble, a dense blue-black limestone imported from Belgium. Resting on a central drum surrounded by four smaller columns, this rare Romanesque survivor is one of only seven of its kind in England and features stylized carvings of Griffins and dragons. These beasts likely symbolize the chaotic world of sin that the waters of baptism are meant to wash away. The crossing is the architectural heartbeat of Lincoln Cathedral, the pivotal point where the long nave, the choir and the great transepts intersect beneath the soaring central tower. It is a space of dramatic height, engineering triumph and profound symbolism. It is unusual for a cathedral to have two rose windows but to the north lies the Dean's Eye, a rare 1220 early English rose window designed to watch against the darkness, while in the south shines the fluid leafy tracery of the 1330 Bishop's Eye welcoming the Sun. During the English Civil War the cathedral suffered significant damage from parliamentarian forces, Cromwell's troops who occupied the city in 1644. They used it as a base, stabled horses inside, destroyed statues, broke stained-glass windows and generally defaced religious iconography necessitating major restoration work after the conflict. Glass from the Bishop's Eye was salvaged and hidden away until the monarchy was restored. While the glass was smashed it was reseated in the window as best as possible but not until 1788. Located beneath the Bishop's Eye, Edward King's grand memorial serves as a testament to his profound impact as a bishop and mentor. The monument honors his reputation as a dedicated pastor and a pioneer in clergy training, celebrating a life defined by spiritual depth and a passion for teaching. By placing his memorial near a window that symbolizes divine grace and light, the cathedral recognizes King as a cherished figure whose influence left a lasting mark on the church. Following the 1185 earthquake the newly built Central Tower also became unstable and collapsed in 1237. Massive clustered piers now anchor the space significantly reinforced and surviving the spire collapse of 1549. High above the tower acts as a lantern flooding the stone floor with light from 158 feet overhead creating a dramatic natural spotlight at the center of the church. Note the circular hatch for a little later. So we've decided to divide and conquer. Simon's going to have a look around the cathedral itself and I'm booked on the tower tour. It's 338 steps to the top of the tower. It's going to have amazing views over the city of Lincoln and we're going to hear the 12 o'clock bell go off. Let's get on. The tower tour begins in the crossing where the guide provides a potted history of the cathedral then takes guests up the narrow spiral staircase and onto the triforium, a gallery which opens onto the south transept. Visitors can enjoy a very close look at the bishop's eye rose window. It's much easier to see that the glass is all mismatched. Will has now climbed 172 steps into the clock chamber just here. This floor holds the clock mechanism and for centuries the time in Lincoln depended on a single man climbing hundreds of steps to wind the heavy weights by hand. From 1960 to 80 just before the mechanism was finally electrified a chap called George Stowell would climb the steps twice a day to make 300 turns on the heavy winder setting the weights for the bells to chime. Once a week he also wound the clock, checked the time with a transistor radio and corrected it to match Greenwich Mean Time. He retired at 76 and passed away just one year later. Lincoln has bells for different purposes housed in different towers. The appeal of 13 bells used for change ringing in the southwest tower. The northwest tower preserves two older service bells dating back to 1593 and 1606 and the central tower above Will has the current four quarter bells and Great Tom for the hourly chime, a sound that has marked moments of triumph, sorrow and daily life for generations. The clock chamber used to be a ringing tower and housed a set of bells known as the lady bells. They were cast around 1740 and were used for daily services and clock chimes before Great Tom was recast in 1834. The metal from the old lady bells was actually melted down and used to create the new five and a half tonne Great Tom. Remember that circular trapdoor? This was used to install the bells. Concerned about it banging into stonework as it was hoisted into place they came up with a novel yet today shocking solution. They tied two nine-year-old chimney sweeps to the outside of the bell to help guide it up using their legs if needed to push back from the stonework should it swing before passing through the trapdoor. We'll come back to Will a little later as he reaches the bell chamber and for the noon Great Tom chime. The north transept serves as a solemn sanctuary for the armed forces housing three distinct military chapels that reflect Lincolnshire's deep connection to war. The Airmen's Chapel St. Michael's a tribute to the region's history as Bomber County where the roles of honour list over 25,600 aircrew who flew from local bases and never returned. Adjacent is the Seaman's Chapel St. Andrews which honors the Royal Navy and local explorers like Matthew Flinders who became the first to circumnavigate Australia and was the primary advocate of its name. Completing the trio is the Soldier's Chapel St. George's home to the Royal Lincolnshire Regiment where tattered regimental colours hang from the walls deliberately left to disintegrate into dust as a symbol of the old soldiers fading away but never forgotten. This is the pulpitum or choir screen a masterpiece of Gothic art dating back to 1330. In the medieval world this screen wasn't just decoration it was a barrier it separated the ordinary town people in the nave from the monks chanting in the choir. Look closely at the surface it is covered in diaper work a repeating pattern of four-petalled flowers carved so deeply that the stone appears to be woven like a heavy tapestry. While it stands today in creamy limestone microscopic analysis reveals that in the 14th century the screen was a psychedelic riot of red blue and gold paint glittering in the candlelight like a jewel box. Perched atop the choir screen lies the magnificent Father Willis organ completed in 1898 this instrument was the final Cathedral masterpiece of the legendary Victorian builder Henry Father Willis. The design is a triumph of engineering over space while the main pipes are housed in a striking Gothic revival case on the screen the swell division is hidden high in the triforium galleries apparently creating a ghostly stereo like effect when soft sounds drift down from the walls. Sadly we never heard it play. The treasury is tucked away off the north choir aisle and visitors can view the few artifacts that managed to escape the Reformation. These are primarily intimate items such as the silver funerary chalices and ornate plates recovered from the tombs of medieval bishops during archaeological work. Because these treasures were buried underground with the deceased they escaped being plundered. During the Reformation King Henry VIII's commissioners arrived to systematically strip the Cathedral of its riches in an act of state-sanctioned looting they carted away more than 2,600 ounces of gold and 4,000 ounces of silver to be melted down for the royal coffers. This room opened in 1960 to display these beautiful artifacts that had previously been held out of sight for far too long in bank vaults. If you're enjoying our tour of the Cathedral you may like to see what else Lincoln has to offer. In our hour-long city guide you can step back through the centuries to where the echoes of the medieval era still resonate through the winding cobblestone streets. As we climb the famous steep hill you will feel the weight of history around you witnessing how the architecture has been perfectly preserved alongside Roman ruins. The link to that video will be at the end or in the description and of course please do subscribe for future fascinating videos. Our journey from the Cathedral into the Cloisters takes us through a narrow high-walled passageway known as the Slipe, meaning literally a place to slip through. In medieval times this corridor served as a buffer zone between the holy silence of the church and the business of the chapter house, a place where the monks might have whispered news or gossip as they hurried between duties. We enter the bright airy space of the Cloisters built around 1295. This was the Canon's exercise yard and study area. Take a moment to look at the four walls. Three of them are beautiful intricate Gothic stone and timber work but the north wall is jarringly different. In the 17th century the original medieval wall collapsed and it was rebuilt in 1674 by none other than Sir Christopher Wren, architect of St. Paul's Cathedral. He designed a classical colonnade topped with a magnificent library. It looks like a slice of ancient Rome dropped into a medieval monastery. A second medieval library is adjacent to the Wren library and both are usually open to the public from April to October, however there is some restoration work going on at the moment and the north wall and both magnificent libraries are out of bounds. Well I'm in the Cloisters and it's just about to reach midday and Will should be in the bell tower now on his tour. Let's head over there and hear the 12 o'clock bells. The lighting in the bell chamber is not great making filming more difficult. Here we find the four quarter bells and then Great Tom which we'll hear shortly. Each guest is given ear defenders which are needed during the chimes. Finally Will emerges onto the roof at the base of the aborted spire. He is nearly 270 feet up and has completed the 338 steps. The views from here are quite spectacular. On a clear day you can see across the entire county the flat fens stretching towards the wash, the distant power stations of the Trent Valley and the tiny cars and people in the city below. It is only from up here that you truly understand why this Cathedral and the castle were positioned here. The Cathedral as a lighthouse of faith and the castle's military might visible to travelers for days before they arrived. Have you noticed the crooked roofline? Another sign that the nave of the Cathedral did not line up with the western front of the church. Just off of the tower tour it was really incredible actually, highly recommend it. Amazing views from the top and hearing that bell and seeing it all working was really incredible actually. Better go find a site now. Thanks Will. Just off the cloisters we find the magnificent chapter house. Completed around 1235 this room was the nerve center of the Cathedral. It was here that the chapter the governing body of clergy met daily to read a chapter of the Bible, discuss business and endure strict discipline. But this room was designed for much more than just monks. The first thing that strikes you is the shape. Unlike most medieval square or rectangular rooms this is a decagon, a ten-sided shape. Standing right in the center is a massive column of perbec marble. If you look up 20 ribs of stone springing from this singular pillar fan out across the ceiling like the leaves of a giant stone palm tree. The circular layout was designed to suggest equality. Everyone sits facing one another in the room. Because of this democratic layout and its sheer grandeur the Kings of England utilized it for state business. King Edward the first in 1301 and King Edward the second in 1316. Both held parliaments here. The room also holds a darker echo. In 1310 it served as the venue for the local trials of the Knights Templar. Following the Pope's orders to suppress the powerful military order Lincoln's Templars were dragged here to be interrogated, marking the beginning of the end for the legendary Crusaders in this region. The beautiful Victorian stained-glass windows illustrate the history of the Cathedral. The rose window sits above the west entrance and depicts the Council at Jerusalem, a biblical event described in the Acts of the Apostles surrounded by smaller scenes. This imposing oak throne is believed to be that of a former bishop dating back to 1330. Close to the cloisters is the Cathedral's newest addition the Discovery Centre. Its crown jewel is the Romanesque frieze gallery where the original 12th century stone panels depicting vivid scenes such as Adam and Eve and their sons and the torments of hell are now protected from the elements. This climate-controlled space allows visitors to stand inches away from the Norman chisel marks. The exhibition gallery is dedicated to the fragile the golden and the written. This is the original 1898 organ console that Henry Willis installed. It was used until the late 1950s when the organ was overhauled. All 3560 pipes remain the same as per his installation. There are many other interesting artifacts to gaze at during this part of your visit, more than we have time to show in this video. Beyond the carvings the centre offers an interactive hands-on experience with digital displays explaining the engineering feats of the medieval masons, allowing you to touch stone and see some of the original colourful designs. It also explains the incredible work done to protect the Cathedral, particularly in the early part of the 20th century when the West Front was at risk of collapse. All of this is set around a cafe and shop courtyard that now provides a stunning peaceful vantage point to admire the Cathedral's northern flank or to shop for items to take home. As we head back into the Cathedral via the cloisters let's mention the very important connection the Cathedral has to the Magna Carta, the first charter to limit the King's powers and uphold the rights of individuals. In 1215 King John met the rebellious barons at Runnymede to seal the Great Charter. Standing right there beside the King was Hugh of Wales, the Bishop of Lincoln. He wasn't just a witness, he is named in the document as one of the King's advisors. When the sealing was done copies were written out and sent to the great cathedrals and sheriffs of England to be read aloud to the people. Bishop Hugh ensured that one of those original sheepskin documents came back with him to Lincoln. It therefore makes this copy special as it's one of only four surviving originals from 1215 but it's also the only one with the word Lincolnia, Lincoln written on the back. This tiny detail serves as proof that this document has remained in the county's care since the very beginning. The Cathedral also preserved it's arguably more important sibling, the Charter of the Forest, sealed in 1217. Most people haven't heard of it but this was the document that mattered to the common people. While the Magna Carta protected rich barons, the Charter of the Forest gave ordinary free men their lives back. It rolled back the King's strict forest law, finally allowing people to graze their pigs, collect firewood and survive on the land without fear of severe punishment. Because the Cathedral was so diligent in keeping these documents safe for eight centuries, Lincoln can now offer a visitor experience that exists nowhere else on earth. Held safely in the special vault in Lincoln Castle, the original copies of the Magna Carta and the Charter of the Forest can be viewed with your own eyes. You will need a castle ticket to see them and no photography or filming in the vault is allowed. The Great East Window is one of the most significant features dominating the east end of the building within the Angel Choir. While the stone tracery is medieval dating back to the mid 13th century, the stained glass you see today is a Victorian masterpiece. The Angel Choir is widely regarded as one of the finest examples of the decorated Gothic style in England. It was built specifically to accommodate the influx of pilgrims arriving to the Shrine of St Hugh, whose remains were translated there in a grand ceremony attended by King Edward I. Despite its heavenly name, the Angel Choir is perhaps most famous for housing a tiny mischievous figure known as the Lincoln Imp. Hidden high on a pillar on the north side, this small grotesque is the subject of a beloved local legend which claims he was turned to stone by one of the cathedral's angels after wrecking havoc in the building. While the Imp draws the eye for curious visitors, the space is dominated by the Great East Window which fills the choir with light through its massive geometric tracery. A tomb I sadly forgot to photograph was that of King Edward I's first wife, Eleanor of Castile. She died close to the cathedral because she was several days journey from London, her body required immediate preservation for the long winter funeral procession. Her internal organs minus a heart were interred in a tomb under the Great East Window, the rest of her body headed for Westminster Abbey and her heart was buried at Blackfriars Monastery which has since been lost. This triple burial was a high-status medieval practice where the body was divided to maximize the prayer said for her soul in different locations. We have arrived at the Sanctuary, the area containing the high altar for Holy Communion. The most striking feature is the intricate stone screen known as the Riados. While it blends seamlessly with the medieval architecture this screen is actually a later edition designed by the architect James Essex in the late 18th century around 1775. St Hugh's choir stands as a daring masterpiece of early English Gothic architecture born from the vision of Bishop Hugh of Avalon following the earthquake. Constructed between 1192 and 1200 its most celebrated feature is the Crazy Vault, an experimental ceiling where the asymmetrical ribs create a unique bold look that defied the architectural conventions of the time. In the 1800s Victorian architects updated the choir while trying to respect its ancient history. In 1866 the famous architect Sir George Gilbert Scott added a new pulpit with elaborate carvings that matched the style of the medieval wooden seats. Later in 1898 the powerful new organ was installed by the builder Willis. Well I hope you enjoyed this tour around Lincoln Cathedral, what a magnificent place, do hope you come and visit. We've got more like this on the channel, other cathedrals, other cities to watch, so do check out our playlists. Thanks so much for watching, join us again, do subscribe if you can, and we'll see you on another video very soon.