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Lincoln Castle

Lincoln Castle

Lincoln Castle
4.5
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
About
Three great attractions. One great day out. Medieval Wall Walk. Victorian Prison. Magna Carta. Enjoy spectacular views across Lincolnshire from our completed Medieval Wall Walk. Visit the David P.J. Ross Magna Carta Vault and see one of only four remaining original Magna Carta along side the Charter of the Forest. Immerse yourself in the lives of prisoners and their daily routines in the Victorian Prison and see the unique separate system chapel. 1000 years of history - where it happened. Winter Opening Hours: 10:00 - 16:00 Summer Opening Hours: 10:00 - 17:00
Duration: More than 3 hours
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  • Heavenly Bedworth
    Bedworth, United Kingdom5 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Fantastic day out
    Absolutely fantastic. We listened to the expert guide, Mike L. He was brilliant, I have ADD but he managed to keep my attention all the way through, his enthusiasm is contagious. I can't remember the name of the lady we bought our tickets from, but she was very lovely and helpful. The castle itself is well worth a visit, and I do recommend the wall walk too. We had a snack in the cafe, which is reasonably priced, I recommend the fruit bread in there. We nipped to the gift shop after, we spoke to Jan who told us about the swords we were interested in (and there history). Definitely worth paying the £16 entry fee.
    Thank you for taking the time out to drop us a review. It's great to hear how people have enjoyed their time with us and it sounds like there is another application for Mike's fan club in the post! We are very proud of our team of staff and volunteers. The fruit loaf is one of my favourites too! Thank you again
    Written October 14, 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited October 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written October 4, 2023
  • James H
    Arnold, Maryland959 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Worth a visit!
    You can walk the castle wall, visit the interior and prison and then view one of the four copies of the Magna Carta. The castle is well maintained and the pre recorded tour is well done as you stop at key spots along the way to get the history of the castle and the town. Well worth a visit.
    Visited September 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written October 6, 2023
  • Pippylong
    United Kingdom68 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great day out
    This has been a great day out. Firstly we were met by volunteer Pat. She was cheerful and extremely helpful, giving us lots of tips on the best way to see the castle. Viewing the prison first, then the Magna Carta timed perfectly to go onto the guided tour. Our guides were Helen an Mal. Two witty and informative people, who’s military backgrounds gave us a fascinating insight into the defence of the castle and the horrors of being in the “killing zone” a great day out. Will definitely come again.
    Thank you for taking the time out to drop us a review. It's great to hear how people have enjoyed their time with us and especially the wonderful welcome provided by, not just Pat and Gordon and Helen and Mal, but all of our fabulous team of volunteers (and staff). We'll make sure this is passed on. Thank you again and we hope to see you soon!
    Written October 14, 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited October 2023
    Traveled with friends
    Written October 7, 2023
  • fire-tower
    3,185 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Worth a visit
    Drove into Lincoln on a whim without much planning. Visited Lincoln Castle, a major medieval castle constructed during the late 11th century by William the Conqueror on the site of a pre-existing Roman fortress and is currently one of only four surviving exemplars of the Magna Carta of 1215. Worth a visit.
    Thank you for taking the time to drop us a review. We completely agree our Castle - and Magna Carta - should not be missed!
    Written November 6, 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited September 2023
    Traveled solo
    Written October 14, 2023
  • lorac2009
    Shrewsbury, United Kingdom186 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Wet wander
    Seems a little steep for the entrance fee but worth it, worth taking the audio commentary option for the wall walk but you have to keep your eyes peeled for the corresponding numbers. I am sure the views would be lovely but we went on a wet October afternoon with poor visibility ! The Victorian Prison is interesting made all the better by the Gaoler and Prisoner who like play their parts well. Also good to shelter from the rain !
    Visited October 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written October 27, 2023
  • TanyaStone
    London, United Kingdom81 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A castle steeped in history!
    ! We visited today Saturday as a family of 4. Two adults and 2 boys aged 10 and 11. We spent a good 2 hours+ here. Anthony was a very interesting tour guide for an hour, telling us the history of the castle from 1068 to present day. The boys listened and kept interested throughout the hour which is impressive! Tales of battles and hangings, and how the castle developed construction wise over the years. We then walked around the castle walls which provide great views of the cathedral and city. We visited the prison, brought to life by the interesting volunteers. A quick view of the Magna Carta and film. Definitely a must see if visiting Lincoln. We liked looking at the roaring dragon with smoke too!
    Visited October 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written October 28, 2023
  • macca19532016
    Blackpool, United Kingdom32 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Interesting and informative
    Just enjoyed a lovely morning at Lincoln castle. Firstly we had a tour of castle with our tour guide Les who was informative and interesting. Then a coffee break in their reasonable price cafe. Then we visited prison and then magna carta exhibit both worth visiting. All-in all a very good way to spend a morning
    Visited November 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written November 9, 2023
  • Kate W
    3 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great day out
    We had an amazing day at Lincoln Castle. The Magna Carta is incredible to see, and the display and film gives very helpful context. We had an entertaining and informative tour by Ken, an excellent tour guide who really knows his stuff! Great service at the cafe too.
    Visited November 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written November 11, 2023
  • jillcornell
    Tring, United Kingdom143 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Castle tour and wall walk
    What a lovely place to visit. So much history! We did the guided tour and our guide Ken Moore was truly fantastic, his knowledge was way better than his jokes 😂😂 . Seriously he was brilliant and made our tour fly by. We were so lucky to have a wonderful sunny day which really made the wall walk a great experience.
    Visited November 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written November 11, 2023
  • Mossty
    Macclesfield, United Kingdom3 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    The castle tour with Ken - our guide and entertainer.
    Our first visit to Lincoln city, so we thought we would take a tour of the castle and we were not disappointed. The whole experience was made so much more enjoyable by our guide, Ken - he was just brilliant. His knowledge of the history of the castle and Lincoln city was incredible and the way it was imparted to us with such passion and humour was both interesting and entertaining. Ken should be on stage! Definitely coming back.
    Visited November 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written November 13, 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles5,843 reviews
Excellent
3,712
Very good
1,507
Average
434
Poor
108
Terrible
82

Borgtrip
Stoke-on-Trent, UK112 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2022
Great castle, tour and interesting prison, but as a wheelchair user was present, it was not value for money.

We were told at the ticket office that as there there were a few lifts out of order, the places we could visit was limited, but because of this, they would give the carer free access, which we already thought was free for a carer anyway. They should have offered a reductuon for the wheelchair user, but they did not

We were notthat impressed as we thought the carer was meant to be free anyway, and should not used as a selling point for us to buy tickets!

The tour guide Anthony gave a very interesting tour around the castle grounds

The prison was equally impressive, but out of order lifts made it a very limited visit

The wall had impressive views but only a very part was accessible so it wasn't really worth the effort

I can not recommend the paid-for parts of the castle as they were not accessible due to the lift problems, but, the rest of the castle grounds were fine, and so was the cafe
Written June 17, 2022
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.
Apologies that you had a disappointing visit to the Castle - please get in touch vis the Lincoln Castle email account so that we can discuss this further. lincoln_castle@lincolnshire.gov.uk Best wishes Lincoln Castle
Written June 23, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

TJ10
Brigg, UK928 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2020 • Couples
We visited the castle on a Sunday morning and tried to beat the crowds. Succeeded and with COVID-19 restrictions in place we felt safe as areas were well managed. Plenty of hand sanitisers and helpful staff available for any queries.
The castle and grounds are not that big and it only takes 2-3 hours to see everything.
You can enter the grounds for free, but need to purchase a ticket for the medieval wall walk and the prison/chapel/Magna Carta. Once inside the grounds you can come and go throughout the day as you wish. I think it’s worth paying the ticket price (booking online in advance now due to the virus). This is a timed visit to go into the building to prevent crowded areas. You can go the wall walk anytime before or after the prison building.
To see one of only 4 remaining original Magna Carta documents was a privilege.
We found it all very interesting and there were some reasonable views along the walk over the city and of the adjacent cathedral.
Written October 13, 2020
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 so much for your review, so pleased you enjoyed your visit and felt safe during your time with us. With best wishes from Lincoln Castle.
Written October 14, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Nader Haider
Nottingham, UK244 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020
Bought a joint ticket for Lincoln Cathedral as well, highly recommend it as it becomes cheaper than paying for both places separately. A very interesting castle, loved the walk around the castle walls. Also includes the Victorian Prison and the Ross Magna Carta. Keep your ticket on you once you purchase, as you will be asked for it before you go the wall and prison. Put aside a couple of hours at least if you want to fully explore.
Written January 29, 2020
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 sharing your visit with us and awarding your visit with 5 stars. Kind Regards Lincoln Castle
Written February 14, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Millie Clarke
Chesterfield, UK77 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2020 • Couples
We visited the castle, wall walk and prison for the day and it was a great day out. Booked online so tickets were cheaper at £12.50 per adult, They are definitely worth the money- wonderful views from the walls and plenty of interesting history. The prison museum part was very moving and how they used video projection in each cell etc to share stories of the prisoners was great. Staff were friendly and we felt safe under the new measures. Would definitely recommend!
Written October 26, 2020
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.
What a lovely review! Thank you so much for taking the time to do this - it means such a lot to us. With best wishes Lincoln Castle.
Written October 26, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

smitchell1989
Nottingham, UK232 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2020 • Couples
Having wanted to visit Lincoln for a long time, my partner and I finally got the chance during half-term and really enjoyed the Castle! It is set in the heart of the city with some incredible views of the Cathedral! If you book your tickets Online you receive 10% off an already good priced admission and this includes visiting the Victorian prison, walk the walls which span a mile long and to visit the Magna Carta vault. I went particularly to see the Magna Carta of which it was incredible to see first hand. They have a little viewing area to watch a short film on the Magna Carta, King John and his son Henry III which also gives extra context as well as good value for money too.

The castle has a small cafe which sells all you expect although it is take away at the moment due to everything going on (completely understandable) and toilets for disabled access as well as general toilets too. The staff are all very polite, friendly and welcoming.

A really enjoyable visit!
Written October 27, 2020
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 your amazing review. You seem to have enjoyed every aspect of your visit and you don't seem to have let the wet weather spoil it for you! So pleased you enjoyed your visit and thank you for the recommendation. With best wishes Lincoln Castle.
Written October 27, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

markymark75
Loughborough, UK417 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2020 • Couples
Lincoln Castle is excellent and includes tours of not only the Castle but also the old Gaol. The historical relevance of Lincoln Castle is massive and to soak up this information from experts is truly amazing. Kids will love the gruesome gaol stories and you can also walk around the battlements.
We went just after lockdown was lifted in Aug 2020 so note you do need to access the website to book for the castle tours however you can just turn up and look round the grounds free of charge and then just pay to do the battlements walk.
You should allow 2-4 hours to do the full Castle experience. Find the entrance at the top of Steep Hill.
Thoroughly recommended.
Written August 11, 2020
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.
Wow - what a fantastic review, thank you so much for taking the time to do this it really means so much to all of us who work here. You are right about needing to book in advance, our day tickets are regularly booked up until 3pm but, as you say visitors can always enjoy the wall walk if they just turn up on the day. Once again thank you so much for the recommendation. With best wishes from Lincoln Castle.
Written August 12, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Ken H
Ipswich, UK1,079 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2020
Well worth visiting with an amazing history. We had taken a guided walk from the Tourist Information Centre before visiting the castle which furnished us with some useful historical background - if we hadn't I wonder if we had got so much out of the visit. The grounds are free to walk round although we would recommend buying tickets to walk round the castle walls - great views and a different perspective.

If you're visiting Lincoln on a short visit we would suggest concentrate on the Castle / Cathedral / old town area where there are cycle racks, tourist information and even the Magna Carta pub for some lunch.
Written August 28, 2020
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 taking the time to leave a review. The wall walk does have spectacular views and you can also down load our guided tour to your phone if you scan the QR code available at the entrance. So pleased you enjoyed your visit. With best wishes from Lincoln Castle.
Written August 30, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Jill L
Crewe, UK4 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
We joined Laura on her guided tour of the castle. She was extremely knowledgeable and chatty and answered questions well. She was very enthusiastic and this rubbed off on her customers. Even though there was a very cold wind blowing she kept us all entertained, she did give us the option of shortening the tour due to the cold but no one did.
Written February 29, 2020
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 so pleased you enjoyed Laura's guided tour of the Castle and are happy to recommend it to others. We believe visitors learn so much more about the Castle when they are able to join one of our tours. Hopefully the weather will be kinder if you come back and visit again. Kind regards Lincoln Castle.
Written March 1, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

kelse1990
Barrow-in-Furness, UK143 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2020
I booked a ticket and think I paid £12/£14. To see the Magna Carta was amazing, a great piece of English history. The wall walk was great also with stunning views but was a little dissapointed with the Victorian Prison. Due to covid and the one way system, half of the 1st floor was closed and the 2nd floor was closed also. I don't know if this is taken into account re the ticket prices, if it.s the usual price, then it.s a little cheeky charging full price when almost half of it is closed. I also expected to see old dungeons but this wasn't the case, so although I very much enjoyed my visit, I don't think it is worth the price, especially as anyone can visit the grounds of the castle for free.
Written October 8, 2020
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 taking the time to leave us a review. If I can explain about the top floor of the prison being closed. The cells on the top floor are all activity cells which we cannot have open due to Covid-19 and with this in mind it was easier to close it off and maintain the one way system to keep people safe. I'm pleased you enjoyed your visit and the stunning views from the wall walk and that you felt the Magna Carta was amazing but I am disappointed you didn't think t was value for money as we like to think that all our visitors have a fabulous time and think it was money well spent. With best wishes Lincoln Castle.
Written October 9, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Erniesverdict
Birmingham, UK375 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2020
A great tour around the castle, mainly the amazing Magna Carta, the Victorian prison and the walk around the walls. We were lucky enough to catch sight of the red arrows who were performing loops in the distance, but I don’t think that was part of the £12 entrance fee !! Best to book online as you get a 10% discount. Right next I the cathedral which is very beautiful and great views of it from the castle walls
Written October 16, 2020
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.
If only the Red Arrows would let us know when they were flying over and we could definitely consider increasing the entrance fee! So pleased you enjoyed your visit. With best wishes from Lincoln Castle.
Written October 19, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

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