Wednesday 20 October 2021

For old time's sake ... and for Val ...

George and I were 20 years old in 1969 and very newly married when we first moved to Lincoln so looking for familiar landmarks was the order of the day.  Barclays Bank was still where it was when I worked there but the cinema over the road was now a fashion shop.  There was not much else in the centre that came back to me.  It is now very much a University City and so much has changed over the past 50+ years.

Of course there was a particular walk that we needed to do ...





Approaching the medieval meeting place known as Lincoln Guildhall and Stonebow ...
to Steep Hill ... which starts off not too steep ...
where we come to The Jews House, one of the earliest existing town houses in England.  
 
The adjoining house is Jews Court now the Headquarters of the Society for Lincolnshire History and Archaeology. 
And Steep Hill gets steeper ... 
what a wonderful street!
Looking back down Steep Hill ... 
at Christ's Hospital Terrace, about the halfway point ...
from where we can see people on the turret of Lincoln Castle and more amazing buildings in the side streets.
Continuing our walk up the hill lined with lovely little independent shops.
Nearly at the top ...
Wow! what a varied selection of building styles and ages here on the square ...
where to our left is the castle ...
and on our right the archway to Lincoln Cathedral ...
Steep Hill continues ahead of us but this is our limit today

We pass through the arch and look back to the square ...
and up high at the Cathedral
Time is short for us today and even the consessionary cost of £7.20 was a bit steep for quick visit ... next visit then.   
We did though just pop our heads in ...
and take these two photos.
As newly marrieds moving from Stoke-on-Trent to Lincoln we needed somewhere to live of course.  George had found us a flat to move into in Monks Road.  Could we find it?  Was it even still in existence? I really did not think that it would be.
But here it is!  We lived on the first floor and apart from the windows not much had changed since 1969.
The entrance was up these steps ...  
and our toilet was at the bottom of the steps in this little outhouse!
The bath was in the kitchen covered up with a large worktop which we leaned against the back door when we used the bath!  I wondered if the situation inside is still the same as it was all those years ago.
We lived here for about 6 months when we moved to Bracebridge ... we may go to find that house too, but not today. 

Sight seeing over for today we returned to the bottom of Steep Hill ...
and the Fossdyke Canal ...
over which is High Bridge and the Glory Hole.
The bridge is the oldest in Britain that still has houses built on it.

11 comments:

Mrs. Jaqueline Biggs said...

Spectacular post Carol! I see I missed a lot by not making it farther north than Manchest or farther east than Eyam. Thank you for sharing this journey. Love to you and George.

Jaq xxx

Margaret said...

Wonderful photos once again. Love Margaret and Jim xx

Boatwif said...

Fabulous photos, Carol. Such strong memories for us too! Over the years, between 1969 and 1983, we had five different Lincolnshire addresses...

Last time we were in Lincoln (via boat in 2018) we were taken up to the newly opened International Bomber Command Centre (southern side of Lincoln) which was interesting and provided stunning views across the city towards the cathedral.

Wonderful photos too in your previous blog of the great granddaughters!

Sue/Boatwif/nb Cleddau

Brian and Diana on NB Harnser said...

A long time since I spent time in Lincoln. Stayed in a hotel at the top of the hill and attended courses down by the canal. bit of a treck at the end of the day.
Since been through the Glory Hole by boat

Carol said...

Thanks Jaq for your comment. Love to you too from both of us.

Carol said...

Thanks for your comment Margaret and Jim. x

Carol said...

Thanks for your comment Sue, in fact we've been to the monument today. Photos to follow. Yes those little girls are the apple of the family's eyes! x

Carol said...

Brian and Diana, thanks for your comment, that does sound a bit of a slog up and down Steep Hill every day. We're determined to go through the Glory Hole one day.

Vallypee said...

Oh what a gorgeous post, Carol! Thank you so much!! It really doesn't look different at all! I did so love it there and was very happy during my almost two year stay. I've often thought it would be the place I'd want to live if I ever went back to the UK. Lincoln or Wales, which isn't far from your new home, is it? Bless you for this. I shall study all the photos carefully now. I love them!

Vallypee said...

PS, You say so much has changed, but my college was behind the cathedral and my friend and I used to climb the Steep every day. I adored it and all the lovely old buildings. How wonderful that your flat is still there. Seeing it must have brought back so many happy memories for you.

Carol said...

Thanks for the comments Val, so pleased that you enjoyed the photos. Like you say things have changed but the streets are still the same and most of the lovely old buildings are the same, they just have a different occupancy inside them. It's a very busy, bustling town. My first job there was at Barclays Bank which is still in the same place but the cinema just opposite is now a fashion shop! There were lots of happy memories there for us, it really didn't seem like 50 years ago.