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History > Lincoln between the 17th and 19th Centuries
Lincoln between the 17th and 19th Centuries
Between 1642 and 1651, during the English Civil War, Lincoln was on the frontier between the Royalist and Parliamentary forces. Military control of the city therefore changed hands continually, and many buildings were severely damaged.
By this time Lincoln had no major industry, no easy access to the sea and was poorly placed. As a result, while the rest of the country was beginning to prosper in the early 1700s, Lincoln suffered immeasurably, effectively becoming a 'one street' town.
It was not until later in the18th century that Lincoln's fortunes began to recover again. This was helped by the Agricultural Revolution and the re-opening of the Foss Dyke canal, which allowed coal and other raw materials vital to industry to be more easily imported.
As well as the economic growth of Lincoln during this era, the city boundaries expanded to include the West Common. To this day, an annual 'Beat the Boundaries' walk takes place along the perimeter of this space.
Coupled with the arrival of the railway links during the Industrial Revolution, Lincoln boomed again during this phase, giving rise to several world-famous companies such as Ruston's, Clayton's, Proctor's and William Foster's. Lincoln began to excel in heavy engineering, building diesel engine trains, steam shovels, and wide-ranging heavy machinery.
