Lincoln Cathedral Close Wall
Has been described as a Certain Fortified Ecclesiastical site
There are masonry ruins/remnants remains
| Name | Lincoln Cathedral Close Wall |
| Alternative Names | |
| Historic Country | Lincolnshire |
| Modern Authority | Lincolnshire |
| 1974 Authority | Lincolnshire |
| Civil Parish | Lincoln |
The Dean and Chapter received licenses to crenellate the Cathedral. The first for a 12 foot wall (issued 1285 and repeated 1316) the second to raise the wall and add turrets (issued 1318). Defences to protect the clergy from night attacks and the licences required the gates to open during the day. The boundaries of the Close at Lincoln can still be traced and, in many places, the wall is extant. The building is of a 12ft high stone wall with gates was permitted by royal licence in 1285. Licence to crenellate was given in 1308 or 1316. The monument consists of parts of wall constructed in the late C13 or early C14, forming a polygonal bay jutting from the enciente of the colonia, to enclose land around the westward extension of the cathedral within the colonia. Apparently intact in 1722 with three of four towers. The scheduled parts of the close wall are: a) South of the cathedral, North of the Old Palace, much patched. b) Off Winnowsty Lane, a ruined square tower and a small section of wall. c) In gardens between Eastgate and Pottergate including a fairly well preserved tower. d) This section of wall is 15-18ft high, rubble built with a line of four corbels for a lean-to structure at the west end. There is a forced opening blocked with bricks. e) Priory Gate, a single pointed arch without flanking towers c. 1330. There was an elevation survey done of part of the wall in 1995. (Lincolnshire HER)
This site is a scheduled monument protected by law
Not Listed
County Historic Environment Record
| OS Map Grid Reference | SK980716 |
| Latitude | 53.2337799072266 |
| Longitude | -0.536629974842072 |
| Eastings | 497780 |
| Northings | 371750 |
