Lincoln City Centre is the central business district of Lincoln in Lincolnshire, England. It is defined as the areas along directly north of city's High Street. Each part of the centre brings a differing main sector or sectors to the city with a small overlap between each area.
The city centre is divided into Uphill, Downhill, Steep Hill, Cornhill, by Brayford and past the station.[1][2] These areas are inter-connected by the ancient Ermine Street: through most of the centre it is known as the High Street, in Downhill the High Street becomes The Strait then Steep Hill up to Uphill where it becomes Bailgate.
Up the hill
The Pottergate Arch and Lincoln CathedralJew's Court, Lincoln
It has a number of independent small businesses. Castle Square and Bailgate are the centre to Uphill. The square hosts the farmers' market and is the meeting point for Steep Hill, the castle and cathedral.
Steep Hill looking north
The area on the hillside, is a partly residencial area between the top and bottom. The area has a highest rent and market value: a mansion near Lincoln Cathedral in 2020 was up for sale for £2 million. Bailgate, Minster Yard, Eastgate and Drury Lane have housing prices ranging from £200,000 to £800,000.[4][5]Lincoln UTC, an educational institution with a campus called the Greestone Centre, is also on the hill.
Down the hill
The Strait looking north towards the cathedralThe Strait looking south towards High Street
The High Street is a mainly commercial and pedestrian in both Downhill and Cornhill. Downhill is the centre's cultural and nightlife area. It is centred upon the Guildhall and Stonebow. North of the Guildhall they are an number of cultural buildings: the grade II listed New Theatre Royal was built in the area in 1892, it is new because the previous building from 1806 was damaged in a fire;[6]Lincoln Museum and the Usher Gallery. St Hugh's Church (Grade II listed) and Lincoln College are also in the area.[7] North of the Guildhall also formerly included the church of St Peter at Arches and the Georgian Buttermarket which existed from 1737 until 1932: in their place is the former Norwich Union House, which has since been converted into multiple retail outlets. South-east of the Guildhall is Saltergate, Guildhall Street and St Swithins Square. The notable buildings on these streets are The Angel Coffee House, St Swithin's Church which is a Grade II* listed currently closed parish church. The church congregation currently meet opposite the church in a former Co-operative building.[8][9] Further down the high street is Waterside Shopping Centre and the River Witham which passes under High Bridge which the High Street is on.
Where corn is sold
High Bridge on High Street
Cornhill is the city's main market[10] and transportation area. It has two squares, St Benedict's and Cornhill. Cornhill Square is anchored by the early-Victorian Corn Exchange Arcade and the late-Victorian Corn Exchange.[11][12]St Benedict's is a Grade I listed former church (currently a book shop).[13] The High Street then passes over St Mary's Street/Wigford Way where it passes through a level crossing with the railway station and directly next to the level crossing is St Mary le Wigford church which is a Grade I listed church and the oldest active parish church in the city centre.[14][15]
Lincoln City Centre is on the northern and southern banks of the River Witham and it runs directly from the east of the city into Brayford Pool in the west of the city. Most of the river forms a small waterside plaza which runs along Waterside North and South to the City Square before it passes under High Bridge and under Wigford Way before merging into Brayford Pool and continuing west as Foss Dyke. The Foss Dyke then becomes a canal walk between Lincoln and Saxilby via Burton Waters and Skellingthorpe.[27] Parks and gardens in and around the city centre include Temple Gardens, South Commons, West Common and Lincoln Arboretum.[28]Brayford Pool near the university offers a wide range of boating activities, coffee houses and bars as well as a cinema for locals and tourists to enjoy.[29] The city is also home to many nightclubs and bars. Most notable is the Engine Shed which hosts many events and is the largest events venue in the city centre.
Gallery
The Grandstand
Lion Statue in Lincoln Arboretum
West Common, Lincoln
South Common, Lincoln
Places for transportation
The city centre has many transportation options available for residents and tourists.
Buses
Lincoln offers park and ride facilities for residents and tourists to go up and down Steep Hill and to and from the Castle and Cathedral to different parts of the city centre. This service is a sight-seeing bus service.[30] Lincoln also operates local and distant bus services. These include services to Skegness, Grimsby, Scunthorpe, Newark on Trent, Gainsborough, Louth, Mablethorpe, Boston, Sleaford and Grantham among other destinations.[31] There is also a walk and ride shuttle bus service which allows walkers to board and alight whenever they wish to around the city centre.[32]
Canals
Lincoln has many connections to other cities and towns by rail, road and bus routes. The city also has the main waterway between River Witham and Foss Dyke which is popular with canal boats and small boats.[33]
Cycling
Lincoln currently has a cycling scheme in place for residents and tourists with bikes being available for hire through the HireBike scheme by Lincolnshire County Council. However in 2022, this was in the process of being scrapped in favour of a new operatoring scheme and could include e-bikes as an option if it is successful.[34][35]
To the east of the city is the former Lincolnshire Loop Line between Lincoln, Bardney and Boston which is now the Water Rail Way. It follows the course of the River Witham and offers a scenic walk and ride between Lincoln and Boston.[43] Additionally, to the west of the city is the trackbed of the former Lancashire, Derbyshire and East Coast Railway which has been converted into a footpath between Lincoln/Skellingthorpe and Fledborough in Nottinghamshire via the Fledborough Viaduct. It closed in 1980 and is now part of the national cycle route and is also a bridleway.
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