Life in Lincoln

We started off our day in Lincoln at the Museum of Lincolnshire Life.

It is housed in a former military barracks, built in 1857 for the Royal North Lincoln Militia, and was used by the military until 1969. We find these small local museums often give a good idea of the history of the local area from an ordinary, everyday point of view. Admission is usually free, so even if they’re not very good, you’ve lost nothing but time. This one is good though and today was a return visit, as we came when in Lincoln back in May 2011 not long after the start of our ‘gap year(s)’.

The Co-Operative Society came to the East Midlands in the 1860’s, providing a small range of reasonably priced essential items.  The modern Co-Op Supermarkets run on the same principals that members/customers have a share in the profits.

The shop interior and delivery cart were in the museum, the Co-operative building is opposite the museum and is still a supermarket today.

Between November 1904 and April 1904, 1006 people contracted Typhoid during an epidemic in Lincoln, and 113 died.  The spread was due to unclean water and these water filters became a fashionable, or necessary item.  Water was filtered through charcoal to purify it for drinking.

But a better, more permanent, and available for all, solution was the building of the water tower, providing clean drinking water for the people of Lincoln.

The tank was first designed here in Lincoln during the first World War at the William Foster works.

 

The Ellis Mill was built in 1798 and is the only surviving one of 9 mills that once stood across the ridge of the city. It open at weekends, when if the wind is right it still produces flour.

 

 

 

 

 

Newport Arch is a surviving part of the North Tower from the Roman Walls around the city. It was built in the 3rd century spanning the London to York road.

The road level is now much higher than it would have been in Roman times, and there was a pedestrian arch on each side of the main central one.

 

 

The Cathedral dominates the skyline for miles around, and has been the centre for worship in Lincoln for nearly 1,000 years.

A panoramic view of the Cathedral court buildings.

 

 

Which way next?

 

 

 

We decided to give the castle a miss today, and made our way down Steep Hill instead.

 

 

It certainly lives up to its name,  and has lots of interesting and individual shops along the way.

 

 

 

 

And finally……….

 

some waterside pictures, of the River Witham running through the shopping centre and views across Brayford Pool.