LINCOLN GREEN
During the middle ages, Lincoln was a prosperous town; well known for its fine textiles. The city’s dyers were particularly renowned for creating an excellent consistency of colour. They dyed wool in deep blue with woad and created a colour called Lincoln green by layering over this with yellow weld, also known as dyers’ broom. The light olive colour was referenced in Edmund Spenser’s 1590 poem ‘The Faerie Queene’: “All in a woodman’s jacket he was clad of Lincolne Greene, belay’d with silver lace.” Robin Hood’s men are also said to have worn it. The first known use of Lincoln green was in 1510, but it was a relatively brief fashion. By the 16th century, the dye was no longer being used. It was revived just before the First World War, when it was adopted as the colour of the uniform of the Lincolnshire Yeomanry.
the present day. “We only collect items with a strong Lincolnshire provenance; either made or extensively used in the area, and that is unusual for a folk museum,” says Sara. “Lincolnshire is a remarkable county, having a coastline, a world-renowned industrial heritage, agricultural economy and food, many interesting heritage sites and its own unique folklore and traditions. The museum collects material to reflect this and to preserve it for future generations. Lincolnshire is also known for its many windmills, and the museum manages Ellis Mill, a windmill located at the rear of the museum on Mill Road.”
The Industrial Gallery is the most popular with visitors. It hosts ‘Daphne’, a First World War tank, which saw action at the Third Battle of Ypres. “Not many people are aware that it was invented in Lincoln by Fosters & Co,” says Sara.
The museum is housed in a former military barracks. It was built in 1857 after fears of a French invasion and growing civil unrest, following changes in agricultural and industrial working practices, which affected large parts of the population. As a precautionary measure, county lieutenants were asked to raise troops and find premises which could be used as store houses and parade grounds. “It is little changed from its military days and retains many original features, such as the 1913 wooden drill hall floor, chains for tethering horses in the archway and the windows from the two prison cells, which can be seen in our reception and shop
area,” says Sara. “The building is reputed to be haunted, but despite a feeling of being watched in certain areas, I haven’t experienced any supernatural activity.”
High Bridge
One of the city’s main thoroughfares is the historic High Bridge spanning the River Witham. It dates to 1160, and it is the oldest bridge in the UK that still has buildings on it. Pedestrians crowd across it during December, and a tap dancer jigs to the sound of a live fiddler, catching jingling coins from passers-by in his hat.
The first reference to the bridge is in cathedral records dating from 1146, where it is referred to as Pons Magna, although it is believed that the Romans would have built the first bridge across the river.
In 1235, the bridge was extended eastwards, with the addition of a chapel dedicated to the martyred archbishop Thomas Becket. This stood until 1763, when the High Street was widened. The bridge was known as The Glory Hole by traders who used the river, because its crooked, narrow arch limited the size of boats which could pass underneath. It was also dubbed The Gory Hole for more macabre reasons. As the central point for meat and fish trading, smugglers would also congregate there, but they sometimes suffered a grisly fate as a result of their lawless existence. The High Bridge has only narrowly escaped demolition over the centuries. When it was finally restored in 1901 by architect William Watkins, it was found to have sunk by 16in (41cm) because its foundations had given way.
A distinctive Tudor building, with a black and white timbered facade, sits at the centre of the bridge. Constructed in 1540, it is home to Stokes High Bridge Café. It has a cosy, inviting interior, with 19th century gas fires and beamed ceilings. Tables are placed on polished wooden floorboards, and it is decorated for the season with thick swags of greenery and sparkling fairy lights. Christmas afternoon tea is served, with sandwiches, mince pies and brandy butter, Christmas cake, and a pot of loose-leaf tea, which is specially blended to complement the taste of the notoriously hard water of Lincolnshire.
“If thou carriest the prize, I will add to it twenty nobles; but if thou losest it, thou shalt be stript of thy Lincoln green”
Sir Walter Scott, Ivanhoe
The menu offers wintry treats, such as plates of toasted, well-buttered crumpets and spicy gingerbread coffee made with one of 25 varieties of bean roasted nearby at The Lawn, a converted Georgian asylum located a few streets away. The company expanded to this building in 2017.
All the teas and coffees are blended for the business, run by Nick Peel, and it employs 90 people. It was founded by Nick’s great-grandfather Robert Stokes, in 1892. “I took over after moving back to the UK in 2004, following a career as a dancer,” explains Nick. “But I grew up in Lincoln, and I lived here until I was 18.”
Robert Stokes started the original café one door along in the same street; now a branch of Marks & Spencer. He had been working at a general grocery shop on Guildhall Street and developed a passion for fine teas and coffee. In 1937, Robert moved to the current High Bridge premises, adopting the old building, with all its quirks and flaws. “It is a higgledy-piggledy place, with our kitchen on the top floor, and some gymnastics are involved for our waiters and waitresses at busy times, but we attract a very loyal following,” explains Nick.
Some customers have been visiting for as many as 50 years. “We have couples who got engaged here and want to mark their 50th wedding anniversary in the same place. Other people return after remembering their grandparents bringing them here as children.”
Nick and his staff work long hours at Christmas. “It is a very special, magical time in the city, with the cathedral, the castle and the market all playing their part. We really look forward to it,” he says.
The Stonebow, an imposing 15th century arch, is the southern gateway to Lincoln’s medieval area. It replaced a Roman gate; the remains of which lie underneath the current structure.
Steep Hill
The Jew’s House, on Steep Hill, was built circa 1150. A tiny, crooked limestone building, with the remains of two Romanesque arched windows, it is one of the oldest domestic houses in the UK and now home to a restaurant. Originally, a merchant would have lived upstairs, with his trading premises downstairs. In medieval times, Steep Hill had a large Jewish community, but the Jews were persecuted and expelled from England in 1290 on the orders of Edward I.
Once the site of thriving fish, poultry, meat and corn markets, Steep Hill is still a bustling commercial hub. Halfway up, at The Arbour Florist, bushy wreaths of greenery, with orange citrus slices, red ribbons and bright berries, hang on an old brick wall by the open shop door. From inside, the fragrance of pine and eucalyptus wafts along the street. The
“And storied windows richly dight, Casting a dim religious light. There let the pealing organ blow, To the full-voiced choir below”
John Milton, ‘Il Penseroso’
business has been owned by Anne Morton and Elizabeth Morton-Smith for the last eight years. “Our little shop is jam-packed with wreaths, table decorations and gifts during the festive season,” explains Anne. “The building is wonky, damp and cold, but it is dilapidated in a charming way.”
For Anne and Elizabeth, Christmas begins at the end of November and does not stop until the doors are closed on Christmas Eve. Seasonal evergreens are sourced locally, where possible. “We do some hedgerow foraging, and I have a eucalyptus tree in the garden of my old farmhouse in Lentworth, 15 miles north of Lincoln,” explains Anne.
There is a good sense of camaraderie with neighbouring businesses. “The shops on Steep Hill are like a small village, and we all look out for each other. If we’re rushed off our feet, the café over the road will bring us lunch or coffee. We really do feel as if we are in the heart of the city, and at no time is that more apparent than at Christmas. We might look up and see three camels walking past in a procession, or hear the sound of local schoolchildren singing carols in the street. It is a wonderful place to be at this time of year.”
Cathedral celebrations
Steep Hill is situated on the approach to the cathedral, a fine example of Gothic architecture, of which John Ruskin wrote: “(it is) the most precious piece of architecture in the British Isles and roughly speaking worth any two other cathedrals we have”. The central portion of the dramatic West Front is part of the original 1092 minster, while the pinnacles on either side are 13th century, early English Gothic. Entering via the east entrance on a chilly December afternoon, it is possible to hear the high, clear voice of a chorister singing the opening lines of a carol at one of the many seasonal concerts which take place here.
There have been choristers at the cathedral since the middle ages. As Lincoln Cathedral’s director of music, Aric Prentice’s Christmas begins at the end of November, with a performance of Handel’s Messiah. This involves a choir of 1,200 people and a full orchestra, and it is performed in the nave. Rehearsals begin at the start of November, with the cathedral’s 40 choristers, 20 girls and 20 boys, drawn from local schools and aged between eight and 14. In addition, there are 11 adult altos, tenors and basses, a mix of permanent lay vicars and annually
appointed choral scholars. “The pattern for Christmas is much the same each year, and it is our busiest time. We rehearse approximately 60 Christmas carols, both traditional and more recent ones, and each concert will be made up of a selection of those,” says Aric. Services include carols by candlelight, an organ concert and two popular carol services on 23 and 24 December, which can attract as many as 2,500 people. “We also have live performances of The Snowman each year, with an orchestra conducted by myself. These take place five times a day. One of our choristers sings Walking in the Air, and there are projected images of snowflakes while the classic movie is shown on a large screen. It is a wonderful family event.”
Aric has been musical director here since 2003. “I am still totally awestruck by the cathedral, even after all this time,” he says. “I look forward to Christmas because the choir is at its absolute best, and there is a lovely camaraderie due to the extra time we will have spent in preparation.”
The cathedral is not just the visual high point of Lincoln, it is also an important focus in the local community; not least during the annual St Barnabas Hospice torchlight procession. This is the culmination of the Light Up A Life campaign, where people in Lincolnshire donate money to dedicate a light to a loved one. The event sees 1,000 people walking 1 mile past the St Barnabas Hospice inpatient unit, on through Bailgate, while carrying flaming torches in memory of their friends or relatives. A Christmas ‘Tree Of Life’ is installed outside the cathedral, with each light on its branches representing someone who is missed. “The procession is the event in the hospice calendar which moves me the most,” says Chris Wheway, its chief executive. “Walking shoulder-to-shoulder with people from across Lincolnshire who are remembering loved ones is truly special and such a sight to behold.”
Every Advent, the Lincoln Waites, a group of musicians, lead a civic parade through the streets of the city, stopping at intervals to deliver the Proclamation, which is read out by the Senators who represent the Magi. This tradition began in the 13th century, when it was so dangerous to be out at night that Henry III ordered that watches should be kept by honest men to help keep the peace. When they were not arresting criminals, they played loud music to entertain themselves and let the townsfolk know that they were around. The bands were called waites, and over time, their role became a civic one, playing music at special occasions and ceremonies; a custom which lasted in Lincoln until 1857. It was revived in 2007.
Rich in festive traditions gleaned from its eventful past, perfectly preserved Lincoln is truly an atmospheric place to spend a seasonal day in December.
Please note that in light of the current situation, restrictions may be in place, so please check before travelling. There will be no Christmas market in 2020.
“Those carved aisles, so noble in their state, So graceful in each exquisite device”
Letitia Elizabeth Landon ‘Lincoln Cathedral’