Top 10 Churches & Cathedrals in East Midlands, England

St Mary and St Nicolas is the historic parish church of Spalding built in 1284. It is open every day for visitors. There are four Sunday services. At 11am and 6.30pm a large choir of boys and men lead the singing.

'I have always held and proposed against all comers to maintain that the Cathedral of Lincoln is out and out the most precious piece of architecture in the British Isles' - John Ruskin Lincoln Cathedral was for almost 300 years the tallest building in the world. Yet, in spite of its size, it is filled with intricate detail. Remigius, the Bishop who built the earliest part of the Cathedral in the Norman style, came over with William the Conqueror. Later, in Lincoln Cathedral the architects of the gothic style perhaps reached the pinnacle of their art. Everywhere you look there is the most intricate detail, walls, roofs elaborated by the finest carving. From the time of the death of the saintly Bishop of Lincoln, Hugh of Avalon who so lovingly restored the Cathedral after an earthquake in the 12th century, thousands of people have come on pilgrimage to this place of pilgrimage, holiness and prayer. In 1215 another Hugh Bishop of Lincoln, Hugh of Wells, was present at Runnymede along with Lincolnshire's Cardinal Archbishop Stephen Langton. When King John agreed to the barons' demands, copies of Magna Carta were made and distributed to sheriffs and cathedrals throughout England. Lincoln Cathedral's Magna Carta is one of only four from the original distribution still in existence. It is the only one to bear the name of its city.

Cathedral Church of Nottinghamshire. Set in the picturesque Georgian market town of Southwell, just 6 miles from the A1, this beautiful church dates back to 1108. Home to the world famous 'Leaves of Southwell', medieval stonecarvings dating back to the 13th century and widely regarded as amongst the finest in all of Europe. Beautiful stained-glass windows and woodcarvings throughout. Next door to The Archbishop's Palace, a must-see in itself. Cathedral Gift Shop and cafe. NB: due to COVID-19 restrictions, our opening hours are 11am - 3pm. Unfortunately The Archbishop's Palace is closed until further notice. Please keep an eye on our website for further updates. The wearing of face coverings is now mandatory in all places of worship so please bring a mask or face covering with you unless you have a valid medical reason not to. We have attained Good to Go status and have a full range of COVID-Safety Measures in place. Please visit our website for further details www.southwellminster.org