Lincolnshire

Country: England
Region: East Midlands, Yorkshire and the Humber
Established: 1996
Area: 6,959 km2 (2,687 sq mi)
Population: 1,087,659
Largest settlement: Lincoln

Lincolnshire is a county in East Midlands and Yorkshire and the Humber regions of England. It is bordered by the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north, the North Sea to the east, Norfolk, Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire and Rutland to the south, Leicestershire Nottinghamshire and South Yorkshire to the west.

Dating back to the first century BC, the first known settlers in Lincoln lived around the Brayford Waterfront. The area was given the original name of Lindon. Lindo translates as The Pool in the Celtic language.

To the east of Brayford Pool, timber houses and pottery dating back to the first century have been uncovered. The famous Witham Shield, belonging to a local tribe's chief, was found in the River Witham. The shield is now housed in the British Museum, this impressive shield dates back to 300BC.

Over the years, Romans, Vikings, Saxons and Normans have all made Lincoln their home.
Around 50AD the county town of Lincoln was a major Roman settlement and later became home to Lincoln Cathedral. A wooden fortress was built at the top of the hill, which was later turned into a colonia (a retiring home for soldiers).

In the fifth century what would become the county was settled by the invading Angles, who established the Kingdom of Lindsey in the north of the region. The late Middle Ages were a particularly prosperous period. Large churches, abbeys, and monasteries were built due to the prosperity of medieval Lincolnshire’s agriculture. The towns, especially Lincoln and Stamford, thrived on the medieval woollen trade. In 1092, Lincoln Cathedral, built of Lincolnshire limestone, was consecrated by Remigius de Fécamp, the first Bishop of Lincoln.

The Lincoln Longwool is a rare breed of sheep, named after the region, which was developed both for wool and mutton, at least 500 years ago, and has the longest fleece of any sheep breed. The Lincoln Red is an old breed of beef cattle, originating from the county.

When the Danes conquered the area in the late 9th century Lincoln became an important trading centre. The city issued coins from its own mint, and the local economy boomed.

The draining of the Fens in the 17th century greatly increased the county’s agricultural production.

In the mid 20th century most farms in Lincolnshire moved away from animal and crop farming to specialise in crop farming. This was due to the impact of cheap wool imports and the drier land on the eastern side of England is more suitable for growing crops.

Lincolnshire has long been a primarily agricultural area, and it continues to grow large amounts of wheat, barley, sugar beet, and oilseed rape.

In south Lincolnshire, where the soil is particularly rich in nutrients, some of the most common crops include potatoes, cabbages, cauliflowers, and onions. Lincolnshire farmers often break world records for crop yields.