How un-PC is this? Mediæval Lincoln
Posted in Architecture, Curiosities, History, Trips at 19:48 on 18 October 2011
Lincoln’s most striking architectural feature is of course its cathedral.
The cathedral can be widely seen from miles off. When we got to the city it was obvious why. It’s at the top of a very steep hill up from the main street. Once through the gateway it’s too close to get the full facade in one shot. This is a stitch of two photos.
Also on the hill’s summit is Lincoln Castle. The picture below was taken by turning 180 degrees from the first shot of the cathedral.
On the way up the hill we stopped into an antique shop. From its window I noticed the building across the street. More particularly its name.
Click on the photo if you can’t
see the name clearly.
It’s now host to a second-hand book shop. You can just about see the steps up to the main floor level through the doorway. On the fronts of two treads it says BOOKS, NEW & SECONDHAND.
The next house down has a similar startling title (to modern eyes.)
This is no doubt a true reflection of mediæval Lincoln. In those times, Jews were not present in England to a great extent and were restricted by law to a very few occupations – specifically money lending (which was forbidden to non-Jews.) They would also have been required to live close together to avoid mixing too much with their Christian neighbours.
Thank goodness we’re more enlightened, open and friendly nowadays to people who may be different from us. Or even just foreign. (Oh! Hang on.)
