Lincoln Cathedral’s Dean’s Green open to the public for the first time in over 40 years

From late September, members of the public are now able to access and enjoy the newly landscaped Dean’s Green for the first time in over 40 years.

Many in Lincoln will know the Old Deanery as Lincoln Minster School and the surrounding Dean’s Green as the playground. Over the last two years, both have been carefully restored and renovated as part of a National Lottery-funded project.

Fenced off for over four decades as it formed part of the Lincoln Minster School boundary, the now open Dean’s Green has been beautifully landscaped with lawns, flower beds, seating and a water fountain.

All visitors can now enjoy the peaceful, outside space and marvel at the magnificent view of the North-side of the Cathedral, which until now hasn’t been fully visible.

In addition, visitors can see and get close to the Wren Library doorway and Dean’s entrance to the Cathedral which are both within the Dean’s Green.

Custom-made solid oak seating offers the ideal spot for visitors to rest and reflect, and an intricate stone statue and stone and bronze fountain with a hidden Lord Tennyson poem, provide focal points in the gardens.

As well as a place members of the public can sit and enjoy, the Cathedral hopes to use the area for outside events in due course.

The Lottery-funded scheme is a transformational project which will bring social and economic benefits to the Cathedral and the City of Lincoln. Its aim is to improve the Cathedral’s setting and visitor experience – offering more accessible, engaging and peaceful spaces, for a greater number of worshippers and visitors to enjoy.

The Very Revd Christine Wilson, Dean of Lincoln, said, “Lincoln Cathedral has always been a place of worship, hospitality and welcome, it is wonderful that we can now welcome visitors to the Dean’s Green which has been inaccessible for so long.

“Following landscaping works, the area looks truly beautiful and is a calming and serene place to be. Whether it’s during a lunchbreak from the office or simply spending time with family or friends, it’s the ideal spot for relaxing and enjoying being close to the Cathedral.

“The Old Deanery Visitor Centre and the surrounding Dean’s Green are a significant and important milestone in the Cathedral’s history and it’s enabling us to protect, restore and open up new areas of the Cathedral for all to enjoy.”

The Old Deanery – which stands within the Dean’s Green – will become the Cathedral’s new state of the art visitor centre. When open in summer 2021, it will bring a welcoming social space with inside and outside seating, toilets including a changing places room, community rooms, exhibition and learning spaces. It will also run a varied program of education and interpretation activities for schools, as well as family-friendly events.

The Dean’s Green, which is accessed from Minster Yard, is open Monday to Saturday 10am-4pm and Sunday 11am – 4pm.

To learn more, visit https://lincolncathedral.com