Lincolnshire Edge

Lincolnshire Edge

The Lincolnshire Edge is formed by the Middle Jurassic Lincolnshire Limestone, which runs along the high ground from Grantham north to the Humber. The associated soils of the higher ground are shallow, well-drained and brashy loams, and devoid of surface streams.

Large scale 'upland' arable escarpment broadly divided into north and south by River Witham at Lincoln. Sparse settlement on top of escarpment. Spring-line villages to west at foot of 'cliff' and small parklands to east towards the clay vale. Roman roads and ancient track ways such as Ermine Street or High Dyke follow north-south routes.

Between Leadenham and Grantham a two-tier scarp is present with the lower scarp formed of ironstone. North of Grantham, the Ancaster gap cuts through the Edge at the head of the valley of the River Slea.

Ironstones of the Marlstone have been worked on a smaller scale between Leadenham and Grantham.

To the foot of the western scarp a line of small villages built in traditional honey coloured limestone, warm brick and pantiles, cluster by the springs. Manor houses with parkland for example at Fillingham, Burton and Leadenham occupy sheltered locations looking up to the Cliff.

The great building of the area is Lincoln Cathedral, whose setting on the 'Cliff' Pevsner ranked second only to Durham Cathedral. The Cathedral with its distinctive triple towers (once capped with three spires) is over 80m high and provides a major landmark throughout much of the county. The old town of Lincoln includes castle, city walls, churches and fine town houses dating back to the Norman period, eg the 'Jews House'. These buildings cluster around the Cathedral on the steep slopes of the Cliff, in marked contrast to the Victorian town below, south of the railway station. There the settlement is dominated by red-brick terraces dating from the city's growth as an engineering centre and the arrival of the railway in the 19th century.

A major 20th century development has been the growth of airfields along the top of the Edge including Waddington, Cranwell with its RAF College, and Scampton, home of the 617 'Dambuster' Squadron.

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Lincolnshire Edge

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