Lincolnshire

Lincolnshire is a large, mainly rural county in England, located in the East Midlands and Yorkshire and the Humber regions. It is bordered by several other counties and bodies of water, including the North Sea to the east. With an area of over 6,959 square kilometers, it is the second largest county in England, home to around 1.12 million people.

The landscape of Lincolnshire is quite varied. In the southeast, you'll find part of the Fens, a marshy area that has been drained for farming. The southwest is hilly, while a wide valley runs from the center to the north. The northeast features the beautiful Lincolnshire Wolds, designated as a national landscape, and beyond that lies a coastal plain. The western edge of the county is marked by the Lincolnshire Edge, a long, high ridge.

Throughout history, Lincolnshire has remained relatively peaceful compared to other parts of England. In Roman times, Lincoln was an important settlement known as Lindum Colonia. Later, the Angles settled the area and created the Kingdom of Lindsey. Lincoln became a significant religious center in 1072, and its famous cathedral was built over many centuries. During World War II, the flat lands of Lincolnshire served as important bases for the Royal Air Force, earning it the nickname "Bomber County."

History

Main article: History of Lincolnshire

During ancient times, Lincolnshire was home to a group of people called the Corieltauvi. After the Romans left Britain, many people from Germany moved to the area. Over time, the region became part of different areas, including the Kingdom of Lindsey and later, the Danelaw. The county was once all called "Lindsey," as recorded in the Domesday Book.

Lincolnshire has many historic buildings, such as Woolsthorpe Manor, where the famous scientist Isaac Newton was born and grew up. The county also has many beautiful old houses and castles, like Belton House, Boston Stump, and Tattershall Castle.

Geography

Lincolnshire has a varied landscape with many rivers and countryside. In the north, you can find the Isle of Axholme, and along the coast, there are important ports and beautiful seaside towns like Skegness. The county has different areas, such as the Lincolnshire Wolds with rolling hills, the Fens with wet lands, and the Marshes along the coast.

The highest point in Lincolnshire is Wolds Top, and the area has many nature reserves, including Gibraltar Point and Donna Nook. The county’s rivers, like the Trent and the Witham, play an important role in its landscape.

Governance

Main article: Politics of Lincolnshire

Lincolnshire's governance has changed many times. In 1889, new rules created special groups called county councils to help manage the county. Later, in 1974, big changes merged some areas into a new group called Humberside. But in 1996, Humberside was split up again.

Today, Lincolnshire has a main group called Lincolnshire County Council that helps make decisions for most of the county. There are also smaller groups in different parts of the county, each with its own leaders. Some areas, like North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire, have their own special groups that work a bit differently.

In recent years, there have been talks about changing how these groups work together even more. Some ideas suggest merging some groups or splitting the county into different areas with their own leaders. These changes are still being discussed.

Demography

Lincolnshire is a mainly rural county in England, with a population of about 1.1 million people as of 2024. The county covers an area of 6,959 square kilometers and includes both countryside and coastal areas. The tables below show information about the ethnic and religious makeup of Lincolnshire from the year 2021.

Economy

Lincolnshire has many important businesses, such as the Lincs FM Group, Young's Seafood, Openfield, and the Lincolnshire Co-operative.

The county has always been great at farming. It grows a lot of wheat, barley, sugar beet, and oilseed rape. In the south, where the soil is very rich, farmers grow potatoes, cabbages, cauliflowers, and onions. Lincolnshire is also known for special types of animals, like the Lincoln Red cattle and the Lincoln Longwool sheep.

Public services

Main article: Education in Lincolnshire

Lincolnshire uses a special test called the eleven-plus to decide which students can go to certain high schools called grammar schools. Because of this, many towns have both grammar schools and other schools called secondary modern schools. Even some big villages have their own smaller schools, and buses take students to larger high schools.

Lincoln, the main city, mostly uses schools for all students, called comprehensive schools. But students can still take the eleven-plus test to go to a grammar school outside the city if they do well. The county is also home to the University of Lincoln.

The county’s health care is managed by big hospital groups, such as the United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust and the Northern Lincolnshire and Goole Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Major hospitals include Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital in Grimsby, Scunthorpe General Hospital, Boston Pilgrim Hospital, and Lincoln County Hospital. Since 1994, Lincolnshire has had an air ambulance service based near Lincoln, able to reach any emergency in the county within 25 minutes.

Transport

Main article: Transport in Lincolnshire

Lincolnshire has fewer roads and railways than many other parts of the United Kingdom because it is far from major economic centers. Most roads in the county are single carriageways, and there are very few motorways. The M180 motorway passes through North Lincolnshire and connects to important places like the Humber Bridge.

There are not many railway stations or train services in Lincolnshire due to its low population. Many old railway lines closed a long time ago, but some have reopened. Today, train services are operated by different companies, and you can travel to big cities like London, though you might need to change trains. The main airport near Lincolnshire is Humberside Airport, while East Midlands Airport and Doncaster Sheffield Airport are also close by.

There are also bus services and cycle routes that let people explore the county by bike or bus.

Towns and villages

Main article: List of settlements in Lincolnshire by population

Lincolnshire has many interesting towns and villages. The biggest towns in the county are Lincoln, Grimsby, and Scunthorpe. Other important towns include Boston, Grantham, and Spalding. These towns are known for their history and community life.

Tourism

Tourism in Lincolnshire is mostly focused on its coastal towns and villages. The county has some of the most famous seaside resorts in the United Kingdom, drawing visitors from across England, especially from the East Midlands and Yorkshire. The main resorts include Skegness, known for its "Jolly Fisherman" mascot and slogan "Skegness is so bracing," along with nearby Ingoldmells and Chapel St Leonards. These areas offer beaches, amusements, shops, and attractions like Butlins Skegness, Fantasy Island, and the Natureland Seal Sanctuary.

Other popular spots include Mablethorpe and Sutton-on-Sea, known for their golden sands, and Cleethorpes, which has its own pier and light railway. Nature lovers visit the fenlands and nature reserves like Gibraltar Point and Donna Nook to see birds and grey seals. Market towns such as Louth, Alford, and Horncastle charm visitors with historic buildings. The city of Lincoln itself is a key destination, featuring landmarks like Lincoln Castle and Lincoln Cathedral.

Culture

Lincolnshire has a rustic culture. Because towns are far apart, many villages stay close-knit, with shops, pubs, and local halls for social activities. Fishing and shooting are popular pastimes.

Lincoln’s culture is deeply tied to its history. The Lincoln Museum is an archaeological museum and art gallery, while Lincoln Cathedral hosts many events year-round, from concerts to food markets.

Urban areas

Though mostly rural, Lincolnshire has urban areas around larger towns. Grimsby-Cleethorpes is the largest urban area, with about 137,000 people. Lincoln, including North Hykeham, Bracebridge Heath, and Waddington, has around 129,000 people. Other urban areas include Scunthorpe, Grantham, Boston, Spalding, Skegness, and Gainsborough.

People

People born in Lincolnshire are sometimes called “Yellowbellies,” a nickname that may come from the uniform of the 10th Regiment of Foot.

Local dialect

Lincolnshire has its own dialect features, such as saying “watter” for “water” and using “duck” as a friendly greeting.

Music

“The Lincolnshire Poacher” is a well-known folk song and almost the county’s unofficial anthem. It was once the regimental march of the 10th Regiment of Foot.

Food

Lincolnshire has special local foods like stuffed chine (a type of pork dish), haslet (a pork loaf), Lincolnshire sausages, pork pies, and Giblet pie. There is also Grantham Gingerbread and Lincolnshire Poacher cheese.

Annual events

The Lincolnshire Agricultural Show happens every June and draws around 100,000 visitors. Other events include the RAF Waddington Air Show in July and the Haxey Hood competition in January.

Sport

Popular sports in Lincolnshire include football, cricket, and rugby union. Lincoln City and Grimsby Town are the main football teams. There are also cricket, hockey, rugby, and motor-racing venues across the county.

Media

Press

Lincolnshire has one daily newspaper called the Grimsby Telegraph, published in Grimsby. It reaches towns like Louth and Alford, and even areas as far west as Brigg. There are also two weekly papers: the Lincolnshire Echo from Lincoln and the Scunthorpe Telegraph for northern Lincolnshire. All these papers are owned by Reach plc.

Other weekly papers serve specific towns in the county and are published by Iliffe Media. One of these, the Stamford Mercury, is claimed to be Britain’s oldest newspaper, though today it is just a local weekly.

Television

Most of Lincolnshire gets its TV from the Belmont transmitting station. This station provides ITV Yorkshire and BBC Yorkshire and Lincolnshire programmes. The BBC shows Look North news from Hull, with help from studios in Lincoln and Grimsby. ITV shows Calendar news.

Until 1974, ITV programmes came from Anglia Television based in Norwich. After that, Yorkshire Television took over, keeping offices in Grimsby and opening new ones in Lincoln, though these closed in the mid-1990s.

The south-west part of Lincolnshire receives BBC East Midlands and ITV Central from the Waltham transmitting station. Some villages near the Lincoln Cliff get their TV from the Emley Moor transmitting station near Huddersfield because they can’t get a signal from Belmont.

Radio

Local BBC radio in Lincolnshire is provided by BBC Radio Lincolnshire and, in the north, by BBC Radio Humberside. Commercial radio options include Greatest Hits Radio Yorkshire, Heart East, Hits Radio East Yorkshire & North Lincolnshire, Hits Radio Lincolnshire, Capital Yorkshire (in the north), and Smooth East Midlands. Community radio stations include Endeavour FM in Boston, TMCR 95.3 covering Epworth and the Isle of Axholme, and LCR 103.6 in Lincoln.

Military

Main article: Royal Air Force

Lincolnshire’s flat landscape and low population made it a perfect spot for airfields. During the Second World War, the area became known as “bomber county” because of the many air bases built there. Today, the Royal Air Force still uses several important bases in Lincolnshire, including RAF Coningsby for fighter jets and RAF Waddington for special aircraft. The famous Red Arrows aerobatic team is also based here.

The Army has bases such as Sobraon Barracks and Prince William of Gloucester Barracks in Lincolnshire, though some changes to these sites are planned for the future.