Experience a thousand years of traditional crafts in Lincoln

Two of historic Lincoln’s most iconic visitor attractions are joining forces to stage a unique event aimed at celebrating centuries old heritage crafts.

Lincoln’s 1,000 Years of Traditional Crafts event in May will feature skilled crafts people from across Europe as part of a major initiative to keep dying traditional crafts alive.

Born out of a £2.1m scheme to build an innovative Heritage Skills Centre in Lincoln Castle - set to be the first new building inside the Norman castle for 150 years – the event will showcase skills that help maintain the city’s historic buildings.

For the first time Lincoln Castle and Lincoln Cathedral will combine to offer a joint ticket giving access to both ancient buildings for the 21st May event.

On display in special areas across both sites will be experts demonstrating traditional crafts ranging from stonemasonry to thatching and stained glass window making to blacksmith skills.

Joining specialist Lincolnshire stonemasons who use ancient skills to maintain the magnificent 1,000-year-old Lincoln Cathedral will be craftspeople from across the UK and Europe, including France and Norway.

And helping to make the event a family day out, there will also be a Tastes of Lincolnshire Food Fair nestling within the cobbled medieval streets between the Castle and Cathedral, plus hands-on activities in the children’s marquee, giving youngsters a chance to get their hands dirty too!

Said Mary Powell, Head of Tourism, LCC: “This event will be a lot of fun with family events and plenty of hands-on kids activities, but at its heart is a unique chance to see so many traditional crafts people at work in one place.

“Indeed, the key inspiration behind the event is a desire to educate the general public about our traditional skills heritage and display those skills that may well be lost to the nation if we do not safeguard and encourage them.”

Among skills being demonstrated will be dry stone walling, copperwork, weaving, mud and stud (timber-framed construction dating back to the 17th century), medieval tiling and Batik (a centuries old art of decorating cloth using wax and dye originally from Java, Indonesia).

For youngsters, there’s 'have a go' demonstrations of historic building and traditional arts and crafts, including building a traditional oak lath wattle and daub panel using mud and straw, as well as medieval and Tudor tile making.

For more information, visit: visitlincolnshire.com