Lincoln Cathedral

Lincoln Cathedral

Lincoln Cathedral
4.5
Historic SitesArchitectural BuildingsChurches & Cathedrals
7:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
7:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
7:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
7:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
7:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
7:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
7:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
11:30 AM - 2:30 PM
About
'I have always held and proposed against all comers to maintain that the Cathedral of Lincoln is out and out the most precious piece of architecture in the British Isles' - John Ruskin Lincoln Cathedral was for almost 300 years the tallest building in the world. Yet, in spite of its size, it is filled with intricate detail. Remigius, the Bishop who built the earliest part of the Cathedral in the Norman style, came over with William the Conqueror. Later, in Lincoln Cathedral the architects of the gothic style perhaps reached the pinnacle of their art. Everywhere you look there is the most intricate detail, walls, roofs elaborated by the finest carving. From the time of the death of the saintly Bishop of Lincoln, Hugh of Avalon who so lovingly restored the Cathedral after an earthquake in the 12th century, thousands of people have come on pilgrimage to this place of pilgrimage, holiness and prayer. In 1215 another Hugh Bishop of Lincoln, Hugh of Wells, was present at Runnymede along with Lincolnshire's Cardinal Archbishop Stephen Langton. When King John agreed to the barons' demands, copies of Magna Carta were made and distributed to sheriffs and cathedrals throughout England. Lincoln Cathedral's Magna Carta is one of only four from the original distribution still in existence. It is the only one to bear the name of its city.
Duration: 1-2 hours
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  • MICHELLE S
    Lincoln, United Kingdom2,031 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Gaia!! wow what a beautiful moment
    Went to see GAIA in Lincoln Cathedral, and wow just wow, from Walking in to getting up close, it's quite something, I think no matter what they put in Lincoln Cathedral it would be lovely as the backdrop makes it special, but GAIA spinning is just a sight to behold, It's 1.8 million times smaller than our world as is. Just such a special moment, I love that Lincoln Cathedral puts these special things on and encourages people to go in and take time in there, we lit candles said special prayers and wandered about, we also found a corner and sat in silence. We popped a couple of 20p in and lit up the Lincoln imp down the bottom of the Cathedral which was quite entertaining for a couple of smaller children that wanted to see him
    Visited February 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 16 February 2024
  • jacqueline w
    Cardiff, United Kingdom281 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Nicest cathedral we’ve visited yet.
    This has to be the best cathedral we’ve ever visited. Stunning. We try to visit any cathedral we have the chance to when visiting new cities and St. David’s is hard to beat but this is incredible. They have catered for every age too with games and treasure hunts for the kids to find the gargoyles, which is not easy. Definitely go more than once.
    Visited December 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 21 February 2024
  • Lynne S
    United Kingdom254 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Incredible
    I really don’t know where to start to describe this huge, majestic building. Our first sight of it was late afternoon with the setting sun giving it a beautiful golden glow. A walk after dinner surprised us when we saw it all lit up in purple, for Advent. A spectacular sight. It took me 21/2 minutes to fast walk from East (back of the building) to the West entrance. I had no idea it was so big. Inside it is magnificent. The windows, arches, stone work and wood carvings. There are lots of little altars and places of worship but the highlight has to be the choir area and high altar. Through the cloisters to the visitors centre there is an interactive area and an artifact room - incredible. The chapter house is also spectacular.
    Visited February 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 22 February 2024
  • max
    Northampton, United Kingdom49 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Beautiful cathedral.
    Beautiful huge Cathedral with stunning architecture and stained glass windows. Don’t forget to look for the Imp & currently they have an incredible installation called Gaia which is well worth seeing. The cloisters outside are beautiful too.
    Visited February 2024
    Travelled with friends
    Written 25 February 2024
  • ninettejohnson
    Woodford, United Kingdom333 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Inspiring visit
    Spent 3 hours exploring the place. We joined the complimentary floor tour which we found very useful because the knowledgeable guide pointed out features which we would have not seen ourselves. The only disappointment was the Wren Library which was shut for essential repairs. We were told it would hopefully reopen in 2025. Recommend the visit to the exhibition centre which describes the fascinating history of the cathedral.
    Visited March 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 6 March 2024
  • 267sally
    33 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    1000 years of history
    OMG what a cathedral, so much to see & so much history to take in! Incredibly impressive from outside & we did 2 tours, the inside tour included with the entry fee which was very worthwhile. Also pre-booked a roof top tour which was SO interesting to see inside a Cathedrals rafters & “behind the scenes” upstairs. Our guide Penny was so knowledgeable & patient with answering questions from 1000 years of history.
    Visited March 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 7 March 2024
  • LizaLouEssex
    Billericay, United Kingdom48 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Incredible Cathedral
    The most beautiful building. We joined the guided tour which was included in the entry ticket price. Christine was so knowledgeable and entertaining too. Loved all the stories she shared. We had hoped to do the roof tour too but didn’t book and missed out. However I think one tour was enough for one day. We didn’t use the cafe as it was very busy.
    Visited February 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 8 March 2024
  • Sue W
    9 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Lovely Lincoln for a lovely trip.
    Lincoln is an amazing city and the cathedral is one of the very best I have ever visited. We spent two hours strolling around, an hour of which was with a very knowledgeable guide. The guided tour was part of the very reasonable entrance charge of £11. So much history, including the visceral tomb of Eleanor of Castile and the tomb of Katherine Swynford. Stunning stained glass windows and tiny chantry chapels. Outside, there are benches for you to rest, and very nearby are lovely, independent shops ( where we bought some famous Lincolnshire plum bread) and a welcoming pub to quench your thirst. We loved our time there and will be going back. By the way, if you don't fancy walking down Steep Hill ( and it certainly is steep) there's a frequent bus service. Brilliant.
    Visited March 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 11 March 2024
  • Cherry N
    10 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Amazing!
    This is a beautiful cathedral. There's a wonderful feeling of space inside and it's beautifully lit. The staff and volunteers are very helpful and knowledgeable and there are various tours on offer. We did the free floor tour offered with the admission price and we also paid for the roof top tour. Both tours were excellent! The roof top tour takes you up inside the cathedral and you can step outside (it's safe) and have a wonderful view of the cathedral roof and ornamentation, look down on the Castle and the surrounding countryside - except it was overcast! as well as being able to see along the nave from the west window. The guides are very informative and very considerate. The Cathedral is well kept and the facilities are good.
    Visited March 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 15 March 2024
  • Roam558136
    2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A gem
    We made a special journey to visit Lincoln - 7 hours on the train! But it was worth it. Great city to explore, full of history and friendly people. The cathedral is a gem and the tower tour is worth all those steps.
    Visited March 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 18 March 2024
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4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles6,776 reviews
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1,134
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206
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37

Louise H
Barton-upon-Humber, UK97 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2024 • Friends
Visited last year with a friend and found out that the cathedral does lots of different tours from Stained Glass to Roof and Medieval Graffiti Tours plus more. We live 40 miles away from Lincoln but the cathedral is so spectacular that the travelling and parking costs are well worth it.

As we had an annual pass we decided to book onto a different tour each month (£7 extra per tour) but honestly they were well worth the money.

You can book the tours online via the cathedral website. Tours run on different days of the week which is also good ( ie not just on a Saturday).

I enjoyed all the Tours but my favourites were the Roof Tour - saw medieval timber roof structure; The Tower Tour - went up onto the Bell Tour and heard the chimes (had to wear ear defenders as it was so loud); The Stained Glass Tour as the glass is wonderful at Lincoln Cathedral.

All the guides were excellent and extremely knowledgeable of their subjects.

I would highly recommend and it is very likely that we will go back again to do some of the tours again as there is so much to see.
Written 24 August 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We are pleased that you have enjoyed your many visits to the Cathedral and are making good use of your annual pass. The specialist tours offer a range of options to suit different interests. The guides are all very knowledgeable and enjoy sharing their passion for the building and it's history with the visitors.
Written 28 September 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

janed191973
7 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2024 • Couples
My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed about 4 hours in the cathedral today. This included the floor tour which was included in the admission price and the roof tour which was an extra £7.50 and well worth it. Both guides were great and really knowledgeable. Especially recommend the roof tour as long as you can cope with lots of steep steps, heights and confined spaces. A very enjoyable experience.
Written 15 November 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for getting in touch and letting us know that you enjoyed your visit to Lincoln Cathedral. By doing the Roof tour you can see a very unique part of the building, and there is so much to see on the floor tour. Our volunteer guides are very pleased to be able to share the knowledge of the building and its history with our visitors.
Written 16 December 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

kfortnum
Market Harborough, UK107 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2023 • Couples
Lovely place to visit. We paid to walk around the entire cathedral where you explore all the back rooms, a paper guide is provided. It is very expensive and so would not recommend if you are a large family purely for the cost. The architecture is lovely. There was a little outside courtyard to sit in the sun, a very small museum type room, and a few large royal type wooden chairs to sit in for photos. For the full tour it took half a day.
Written 6 June 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

James W
1 contribution
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2024 • Friends
Whilst the cathedral is truly glorious, the guided visit today was totally spoilt by the very loud playing of the organ. We could not hear what the guide was telling us. We all love to hear music in a Cathedral, especially during services, but surely visitors who have paid to visit and travelled long distances to see (and hear) about the history of the Cathedral expect a better experience? Sadly the organ practice lasted the whole morning we were in the Cathedral, had the organ been played quietly we could have accepted, but sadly it drowned out the guide to stoically continued.
Written 26 October 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

kezolly
Burgess Hill, UK43 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2024 • Couples
We were staying in the area for an experience on Tuesday and at a loose end Monday so decided to visit Lincoln for the day. We made our way up the hill and were greeted by the magnificent view of the cathedral. Upon going in we were told about the tours available and decided to do the rooftop tour that was just about to start for an extra £7.50 each. It was definitely worth it!! Our guide was fantastic so enthusiastic about the cathedral and really great at telling you all about the history of the building. There was some tight bits and if you are scared of heights might not be for you but although I was a little apprehensive it really wasn’t scary!!! You get to go outside on the roof as well and for the views it was fantastic. We also did the ground tour (included in the entry fee) which again was really insightful. We spent about 4 hours here and was well worth the £12 each entry fee. To be honest we could have spent longer as there was still plenty to see but they were closing.
We didn’t catch the name of the rooftop tour guy but our tour was at 13.00 on the 17th June 2024. Lincoln Cathedral if you are ready this the guy certainly deserves praise and is a real asset to you
Written 19 June 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

jude59LincolnshireUK
Lincolnshire UK15 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2024 • Couples
We visited yesterday and decided to do the Roof Tour. The cost to do the Roof tour was £7.50 each in addition to the £12 general admission, as we signed the Gift Aid form we can go into the Cathedral whenever we like free of charge for the next 12 months, in our opinion this is very good value for money as it is such a beautiful historical building.
Our tour guide was Jan, she is so interesting and such a source of knowledge, everyone in the group seemed to thoroughly enjoy the experience. We also visited the cafe which was also lovely.
Written 19 September 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We are pleased that you enjoyed your visit to the Cathedral, especially the Roof tour. It really is a unique part the building. All of our guides are very knowledgeable and thoroughly enjoy sharing their passion for the building and it's history with our visitors. We look forward to welcoming you back to the Cathedral soon.
Written 27 September 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Nisha p
29 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2023 • Family
An incredibly informative and jovial tour by Joe of the historic Cathedral.
I am quite shocked to not see more reviews for him as he really made mine and my daughters experience worth while.
We had a large group and he was contending with the choir singing in the background and the size of the group, which increased at every step of the tour!
The Cathedral itself is vast and we will surely return again once the Wren Library opens but for our long awaited first visit we’re incredibly pleased and would recommend the warming Joe as your tour guide around the Cathedral.
Especially if you like your history! What a delight.
Overall the staff were lovely and we had no issues paying the fee to visit.
Written 18 December 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Curiosity551809
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2023 • Solo
I would highly recommend the roof top tour as long as you’re fairly fit and don’t mind heights ( obviously). It lasted over an hour and a half and was very good value at £7.50 though I’d already paid to see the cathedral the day before but as I’d gift aided my entrance fee I had a years free pass so entry was free. The tour was amazing and you really felt you got to see things most visitors don’t get to see. Would definitely recommend.
Written 23 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

ColinKettering
Kettering67 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2024 • Couples
The admission price was fairly steep (IMHO) but they are trying to keep the place standing, and it covers a ticket which allows free repeat visits during the next 12 months. The guided tour of the ground level was superb and very informative. It is over 30 years since I have visited and was well worth going again. Sadly as it is half term there was no Choral Evensong this week. Lots to see and learn.
Written 29 May 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Tracy F
Devon, UK50 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2024 • Couples
We pre-booked a rooftop tour at Lincoln Cathedral.
The lovely lady on reception took us through health and safety stuff, which was understandable considering what we had to do!
We had to pay the entrance fee to cathedral, as well as fee for tour. Although this made the trip relatively expensive, the upkeep of this amazing cathedral needs our help with the fees paid.
The guide was amazing, friendly, and very knowledgeable.
Tour took us up some amazing original stone steps to the roof space, we went out onto the roof, and the view was spectacular. Then, along a narrow walkway for an amazing upclose look at a renovated medieval stained glass window and amazing views over the cathedral floor.
Took slightly longer than advertised, not complaining as we learnt a lot and well worth the fee.
If you can manage the narrow steep steps and your head for heights is good, I would recommend this tour.
Written 10 June 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Lincoln Cathedral

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