Medieval Bishop's Palace

Medieval Bishop's Palace. . In the Middle Ages, the Diocese of Lincoln was vast, in fact the biggest in England, stretching from the Humber to the Thames. The Bishop of Lincoln was therefore an immensely powerful figure, and his palace was intended to show off his status. Not only did it serve as one of his residences; it also possessed facilities to entertain on a grand scale, and was the administrative centre of the diocese., Construction of the palace began adjacent to the city walls in the mid-12th century. Several additions and embellishments came later, in between damage caused in various conflicts. It received many royal and noble visitors, including Henry VIII and his fifth wife, Catherine Howard. During the Civil War, in 1648, the palace was sacked by Royalist troops and subsequently abandoned by the bishops., The 300 vines in the palace vineyard were a gift from Lincoln's twin town Neustadt an der Weinstrasse in 1972, to mark the 900th anniversary of the founding of the cathedral. It is one of the most northerly vineyards in the world., English Heritage, which now cares for the Bishops' Palace, has made many improvements to it as a visitor attraction, including an award-winning audio tour and contemporary heritage garden. There is a varied and exciting events programme throughout the year., Children's Lincoln - Lincoln in the movies , Quite a few films and television shows have been shot on location in Lincoln, especially around the castle and the cathedral. When the BBC filmed Oliver Twist in Castle Hill in 1985, many local children were used as extras.