One of Western Europe’s earliest surviving Franciscan friary buildings, and the oldest in England, is set to re-open in 2026 after being closed to the public for more than 20 years.
Described as a ‘medieval hidden gem’, Greyfriars in Lincoln is being ‘re-imagined’ in a £3m conservation project to transform the Grade 1 Listed building into a heritage attraction and accessible events space.
Dating back to the 13th Century, the ancient monument – the only remaining building of England’s oldest medieval friary – is due to open its doors to visitors in 2026.
Sitting on the edge of the city’s Cultural Quarter, off Broadgate, it spans almost 800 years of history, from being the home of Franciscan friars to serving as a free school, house of correction and most recently, the county museum.
It closed to the public in 2004 when the museum moved to a purpose-built building, and since then the former friary’s condition has significantly deteriorated.
‘Reimagining Greyfriars’ is now breathing new life into the ancient monument, thanks to grants from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Architectural Heritage Fund and the Pilgrim Trust.
Work is nearing completion on the project, headed by Heritage Lincolnshire in partnership with City of Lincoln Council, which will see the building become a venue for weddings, events, exhibitions, conferences, traditional crafts courses, and school visits, as well as an in-house café.
For more details, visit www.greyfriarslincoln.com
For tourist information about visiting the county, see www.visitlincolnshire.com
Photos: Heritage Lincolnshire
