Lincoln Private Walking Tour

5.0 (6 reviews) 3–5 hours Free cancellation Private tour

out of 5

6 reviews

5.0

From the walls of Lincoln Castle — Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

Lincoln Cathedral — Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

About this activity

Lincoln is the capital city of Lincolnshire and one of the most picturesque and historic cities anywhere. Lincoln is one of the most beautiful and surprising hidden gems in the UK with a modern history going back to Roman times.

Our Private Walking Tour is a great way to discover this beautiful old city as we visit and explore all the big sights and a few hidden gems. We ill go at whatever pace suits you best and visit the fantastic Cathedral, old Castle with its Magna Carta, the High Bridge and the Guildhall.

We will also walk through some of the most charming old shopping streets you will ever see so perhaps you might want to sample some local delicacies such as Lincolnshire sausages or maybe some Lincoln plum bread.

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At a glance

Duration: 3–5 hours
Confirmation: Confirmed within 48 hours
Ticket: Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Group: Your group only
People per booking: 1–15
Guide: English
Operated by: Ye Olde England Tours

Ages: Infants (0–4 years) · Children (5–15 years) · Adults (16–99 years)

What is included

Included

Included: Any and all entry tickets are included in this private tour,

Itinerary

Stop 1

5 min

A wonderful statue to the Grandfather of the digital age, George Boole, who was born in Lincoln in 1815, invented Boolean logic, a system of AND, OR or NOT statements.

Near the Railway Station so if meeting there we will see it about 1 minute into the tour
Brayford Pool

5 min

The Brayford Pool is the first inland harbour in the U.K. built by the Romans and still in use today.
Stop 3

5 min

The oldest bridge in the U.K. that still has occupied buildings on it. A little like the old famous medieval London Bridge
Lincoln’s Historic Guildhall

10 min Admission not included

The official home of the mayor of Lincoln City. See the magnificent Stonebow which one way or the other has wowed people here for centuries.
Steep Hill

20 min

The heart of medieval Lincoln. It's a bit of a climb but the street is lined with some lovely old shops and the views are incredible.
Jew's House

5 min Admission not included

There is a tragic stain on the history of medieval Lincoln with the persecution of Jews in the city. Find out what prompted it and see some of the finest old residential houses in the city, one of which also serves as a small Synagogue.
Stop 7

10 min

Look through the glass covers at the old Roman wall that saw used for maybe 6-800 years.

Nearby the footprint of an old church can be seen.
Stop 8

5 min

This is a rare and possibly unique example in Britain of a non-defensive Roman wall. This was the north outer wall of the basilica, the Roman town hall.

The Mint Wall was originally 9m high and is about 1m thick!
Newport Arch

5 min

See the only remaining Roman arch on the regular road network in Britain that you can drive through... there is a cute pedestrian tunnel for us too!
Stop 10

5 min

A little way down this unassuming lane we can see part of the old Roman City Wall and the location of the Roman Castellum Aquae and Ditch
Lincoln Castle

30 min Admission included

This Norman Castle is built upon an older Roman fortress and is very rare in that it has 2 Mottes. The castle has a long history and is the home to one of only 4 original copies of the Magna Carta from 1215.

Walk the castle walls to see the legendary views over Lincoln and the surrounding countryside,
David P J Ross Magna Carta Vault

10 min Admission included

See one of the original Magna Carta documents from 1215. An agreement which the Barons forced 'bad' King John to sign and began to road to modern democracy and human rights around the world.
Stop 13

30 min Admission included

Lincoln Castle’s Victorian Prison was designed for the 'separate system', an isolating regime that kept prisoners apart from the corrupting influence of their fellow prisoners.

The Victorians believed that this would encourage them to reflect and repent, and more importantly to reform.

Men, women and children as young as eight were held here from 1848 to 1878 for crimes ranging from stealing a waistcoat and Bible, to highway robbery and murder.

Cross the threshold into the soaring atrium and enter the prison regime. Immerse yourself in the sights and sounds of the a Victorian prison.
Stop 14

10 min

This beautiful building isn't any old gate with a fascinating history behind it. Anywhere else it would be a star attraction worth travelling hours to see alone but this is just the entrance to the Cathedral precinct.
Lincoln Cathedral

40 min Admission included

Built upon an older Saxon church, Lincoln Cathedral was originally constructed around 1088AD. For a few centuries it was the tallest building in the world until the central spire collapsed.

It remains one of the most fantastic Gothic buildings in the world, inside and out. We shall go inside on our tour.
Stop 16

5 min Admission not included

Standing almost in the shadow of Lincoln Cathedral, with sweeping views over the ancient city and the countryside beyond, the medieval bishops’ palace was once among the most important buildings in the country. The administrative centre of the largest diocese in medieval England, stretching from the Humber to the Thames, its architecture reflected enormous power and wealth.

Explore the buildings and ruins. See the undercrofted East Hall and also the chapel range and entrance tower built by Bishop William Alnwick, who modernised the palace in the 1430s.

See the restored heritage gardens and vineyards.

**The Old Bishops Palaces closes from early November to Spring**
Stop 17

5 min

A wonderful Victorian replacement for the medieval gates on this site, assembled from the original medieval building material.
Stop 18

6 min

The gatehouse is medieval but this was the favoured entry into the city by our Viking friends!
Tennyson Memorial Statue

5 min

In the gardens behind the Cathedral, see the stunning statue to the second most quoted writer in the English language.
Stop 20

5 min

This gateway was at one point the main route into Lincoln.