Visitors have the chance to see a stunning document showing the seismic role the city played in shaping the course of English history.
Chronica Majora
Matthew Paris’s Chronica Majora is one of medieval England’s most important documents and transports us back more than 800 years to the French invasion of 1216 - a time of rebellion and civil war, legendary knights and remarkable heroines.
Now, thanks to a historic loan agreement with Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, the document will be shown at Lincoln Castle for the first time, alongside Magna Carta, until 25 May 2026.
The precious manuscript contains the most famous and earliest known illustration of the 1217 Battle of Lincoln – a showdown that turned the tide of the war against the invaders and defined England’s future.
Entry to the vault is included as part of a Lincoln Castle day ticket or annual pass, which also lets you explore the Victorian Prison.
This exhibition has been made possible as a result of the Government Indemnity Scheme. Lincoln Castle would like to thank HM Government for providing Government Indemnity and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and Arts Council England for arranging the indemnity.
Picture of The Chronica Majora on display at Lincoln Castle. ©Parker Library, Corpus Christi College, Cambridge