50691
The Grade I Listed Lincoln Castle, in Lincoln, Lincolnshire.
Lincoln Castle was built during the late 11th century by William the Conqueror on the site of a pre-existing Roman fortress. The castle is unusual in that it has two mottes. It is only one of two such castles in the country, the other being at Lewes in Sussex.
When William the Conqueror defeated Harold Godwinson and the English at The Battle of Hastings on 14 October 1066, he continued to face resistance to his rule in the north of England. For several years, William's position was very insecure. To project his influence northwards to control the people of the Danelaw, he constructed a few major castles in the north and midlands of England. It was at this time major castles at Warwick, Nottingham, and York were built. After gaining control of York, the Conqueror turned southwards and arrived at the Roman and Viking city of Lincoln.
When William reached Lincoln, he found a Viking commercial and trading centre with a population of 6,000 to 8,000. The remains of the old Roman walled fortress located 60 metres above the countryside to the south and west, proved an ideal strategic position to construct a new castle. Lincoln represented a vital strategic crossroads of the the same routes which influenced the siting of the Roman fort: Ermine Street, Fosse Way, Valley of the River Trent, River Witham & Lincolnshire Wolds
A castle here could guard several of the main strategic routes and form part of a network of strongholds of the Norman kingdom to control the country internally. Also, it could form a centre from which troops could be sent to repel Scandinavian landings anywhere on the coast from the Trent to the Welland, to a large extent, by using the roads which the Romans had constructed for the same purpose.
The castle was the focus of attention during the First Battle of Lincoln which occurred on 2 February 1141, during the struggle between King Stephen and Empress Matilda over who should be monarch in England. It was held but damaged, and a new tower, called the Lucy Tower, was built.
Lincoln Castle was again the site of a siege followed by the Second Battle of Lincoln, on 20 May 1217, during the reign of King John in the First Barons' War. This was the period of political struggle which led to the signing of Magna Carta on 15 June 1215.
As in Norwich and other places, the castle was used as a secure site in which to establish a prison. At Lincoln, the prison Gaol was built in 1787 and extended in 1847. Imprisoned debtors were allowed some social contact but the regime for criminals was designed to be one of isolation, according to the separate system. Consequently, the seating in the prison chapel is designed to enclose each prisoner individually so that the preacher could see everyone, but each could see only him. By 1878 the system was discredited, and the inmates were transferred to the new jail in the eastern outskirts of Lincoln.
Information Source:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln_Castle
50691
The Grade I Listed Lincoln Castle, in Lincoln, Lincolnshire.
Lincoln Castle was built during the late 11th century by William the Conqueror on the site of a pre-existing Roman fortress. The castle is unusual in that it has two mottes. It is only one of two such castles in the country, the other being at Lewes in Sussex.
When William the Conqueror defeated Harold Godwinson and the English at The Battle of Hastings on 14 October 1066, he continued to face resistance to his rule in the north of England. For several years, William's position was very insecure. To project his influence northwards to control the people of the Danelaw, he constructed a few major castles in the north and midlands of England. It was at this time major castles at Warwick, Nottingham, and York were built. After gaining control of York, the Conqueror turned southwards and arrived at the Roman and Viking city of Lincoln.
When William reached Lincoln, he found a Viking commercial and trading centre with a population of 6,000 to 8,000. The remains of the old Roman walled fortress located 60 metres above the countryside to the south and west, proved an ideal strategic position to construct a new castle. Lincoln represented a vital strategic crossroads of the the same routes which influenced the siting of the Roman fort: Ermine Street, Fosse Way, Valley of the River Trent, River Witham & Lincolnshire Wolds
A castle here could guard several of the main strategic routes and form part of a network of strongholds of the Norman kingdom to control the country internally. Also, it could form a centre from which troops could be sent to repel Scandinavian landings anywhere on the coast from the Trent to the Welland, to a large extent, by using the roads which the Romans had constructed for the same purpose.
The castle was the focus of attention during the First Battle of Lincoln which occurred on 2 February 1141, during the struggle between King Stephen and Empress Matilda over who should be monarch in England. It was held but damaged, and a new tower, called the Lucy Tower, was built.
Lincoln Castle was again the site of a siege followed by the Second Battle of Lincoln, on 20 May 1217, during the reign of King John in the First Barons' War. This was the period of political struggle which led to the signing of Magna Carta on 15 June 1215.
As in Norwich and other places, the castle was used as a secure site in which to establish a prison. At Lincoln, the prison Gaol was built in 1787 and extended in 1847. Imprisoned debtors were allowed some social contact but the regime for criminals was designed to be one of isolation, according to the separate system. Consequently, the seating in the prison chapel is designed to enclose each prisoner individually so that the preacher could see everyone, but each could see only him. By 1878 the system was discredited, and the inmates were transferred to the new jail in the eastern outskirts of Lincoln.
Information Source:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln_Castle