‘Lets get into the Christmas spirit’ said Richard. That is always a good idea I thought.

Dave and Moira Dunlop, Richard and Kate, Carole and I and Richard's Parents, Jan and Graham, in two cars sped on up to Lincoln one dark wet rainy Friday night in December headed for the now famous Yuletide festive Lincoln market. Comfortable coaches whisked us into town from the car park through the pitch black night, excitement built.

Lincoln has a very rich history and began life as a Roman town in AD48, then known as Lindum, and became a retirement settlement for soldiers. Being Roman it had public baths.

In 1068 a wooden castle was erected, it had surrounding walls and the streets were laid out in a grid pattern with a central space for a market. Ships reached Lincoln from the sea. Then the German Angles arrived and in the 10^th century the Danes. The 12^th century it was a wool town and very prosperous. The 14^th century saw decline, the 16^th, civil war. In 1846 the railway reached Lincoln, 1905 and trams rattled along its streets.

Walking beneath it's yellow lit streets and overhanging black and white Tudor timbered buildings at night in the lea of the floodlit castle one can feel this lovely English towns history at every turn. The Christmas market stretches along several streets and on into the Market square and is mostly craft orientated and supported by many food stands and a covered wild west style marquee food hall with roast pork butties, curry plates, sausage and chips. Carole managed two glasses of mulled wine and then surprised Richard by threatening to dance on the table!

We all bought a few gifts but really just to be among a happy Christmas throng was enough to get one into festive mood for the fast approaching Christian festival. Perhaps one to repeat.
 

Dave Walker

Photos: Dave Walker

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