Lincoln Medieval Bishops' Palace walls turfed to protect ruins

Turf has been used to protect delicate limestone walls

At a glance

Turf has been used to cap the walls of Lincoln Medieval Bishops' Palace

It was home to successive bishops from the 12th Century

It was left a ruin after damage during the English Civil War in the 1640s

English Heritage said conservation work would stop further deterioration

A blanket of turf has been laid to protect the limestone walls of a ruined medieval palace in Lincoln.

The project aims to halt the decline of the historic stonework at the Medieval Bishops' Palace.

English Heritage said it had been part of a two-year programme of conservation work to "safeguard" the buildings.

The ruins were the home of the bishops of Lincoln from the 12th to the 17th Century, but it has been a ruin since the English Civil War in the 1640s.

Conservation work also included reconstructing some damaged arches

English Heritage said a laser scan of the buildings was used to help identify an appropriate method of repair for each area using computer modelling software.

Specialist stonemasons removed vegetation from the ruins, repaired masonry with traditional lime-based mortar and local Lincoln limestone before capping the tops of the walls.

This involved soil and grass in some parts of the palace, as well as lead or stone-slate capping.

Other work involved the complete reconstruction of a medieval arch in the undercroft of the palace kitchen, repairs to part of the Roman city wall and the preservation of decorative features, including the marble columns in the west porch.

The ruins will reopen to the public on 2 June

Lincoln was once one of the largest dioceses in England and the palace was at its centre.

Jeremy Ashbee, head properties curator with English Heritage, said the project would "ensure the protection of the remains of the building and safeguard some of its unique decorative treasures".

"Lincoln Medieval Bishops' Palace was once one of the most important buildings in England, and in its day, just as magnificent as the lovely cathedral in whose shadow it stands.

"That's the reason why conservation here is so important, because the fragments of what survive are witness to a long and illustrious history."

The ruins, which also include a vineyard and a contemporary heritage garden, reopen to the public on 2 June.

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English Heritage