A three-year project celebrating the heritage of Lincoln's parks and green spaces has come to a successful close after inspiring hundreds of people to discover the stories hidden within the city.
Local Landscapes and Hidden Histories, funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund and City of Lincoln Council, has brought together residents, schools, community groups, historians, artists and volunteers to explore the rich heritage of Lincoln's green spaces through archaeology, research, creative activities and community events.
The project concluded with Shared Ground, a four-day celebration at The Grandstand featuring exhibitions, heritage walks, talks, creative workshops and the launch of a new book by the Survey of Lincoln exploring the history of the city's parks and green spaces.
The workshops delivered by artist Jane Frederick and Lumo Workshop helped attendees build confidence in drawing and create colourful, atmospheric impressions of Lincoln’s treasured parks, past and present. Jane’s own artwork was also displayed as part of the event.
Over the past three years, people of all ages have engaged with Lincoln's natural and historic environment, uncovering stories spanning hundreds of years and helping to create a lasting legacy for future generations.
Its closing events highlighted the breadth of work delivered since the project began, from hands-on archaeological discoveries and creative commissions to new learning resources and publications that will continue to support local heritage education.
One of the project's final creative outcomes is Park Life, a stop-motion animation created by pupils from Bishop King Church of England Primary School and Sir Francis Hill Community Primary School in partnership with Lumo Workshop.
Inspired by photographs and stories from the project's online archive, the children researched the hidden histories of Lincoln's parks before developing storyboards, creating characters and producing the film.
The finale of the project also saw the launch of Lincoln's Green Spaces: A History, a new book published by the Survey of Lincoln and supported through the Local Landscapes and Hidden Histories project.
Edited by Andrew Walker, the 142-page publication features 24 chapters by 14 contributors and explores the rich and varied histories of Lincoln's commons, parks and open spaces.
The book traces the city's historic common lands and their role in supporting local communities through grazing rights. It also explores the stories behind much-loved parks including the Arboretum, Boultham Park, Hartsholme Park and Birchwood Nature Park, revealing how these spaces have shaped Lincoln's social, cultural and environmental history.
Featuring more than 75 contemporary and historic images, the publication combines newly commissioned research with updated work from previous Survey of Lincoln publications, creating a lasting record of the city's treasured green spaces.
The project also showcased the Malandry Pot, a unique artwork commissioned from Lumo Workshop and inspired by archaeological discoveries made during excavations at the former Hospital of the Holy Innocents on South Common in 2025.
Created with support from potter Martin Bridges, historical pottery expert Jane Young and designer Rob Britt, the installation was displayed alongside artefacts uncovered during the excavation.
Throughout its three years, Local Landscapes and Hidden Histories delivered a wide range of successful events and activities, including the South Common archaeological dig, Arboretum Aglow, Sprites and Spirits, heritage walks, Local History Café talks, creative workshops and school engagement projects.
The project worked with a wide range of partners, including the Survey of Lincoln, University of Lincoln, Lincoln Free Walking Tour, Anglia Ruskin University, Lumo Workshop and many local historians, artists and volunteers who generously shared their knowledge and expertise.
Schools including Bishop King Church of England Primary School, Sir Francis Hill Community Primary School, Monks Abbey Primary School, Cherry Willingham Primary Academy and Lincoln College played a key role in helping young people discover and celebrate their local heritage.
Community organisations, including Cubs, Beavers and Brownies groups meeting at Boultham Park, also took part in activities throughout the project.
Councillor Rebecca Longbottom, Portfolio Holder for Remarkable Place at City of Lincoln Council, said:
"Local Landscapes and Hidden Histories has shown just how much heritage can be discovered in the green spaces many of us use every day. Over the past three years, the project has brought together people of all ages to uncover fascinating stories, learn new skills and create lasting connections with Lincoln's parks and open spaces.
"We would like to thank everyone who has contributed to the project's success, from our partners, volunteers and historians to the schools, community groups and residents who embraced the opportunity to explore Lincoln's hidden histories. Thanks also go to National Lottery players whose support through The National Lottery Heritage Fund made this project possible."
Lindsay Johnson, Community Engagement Officer for the Local Landscapes and Hidden Histories project, expressed her gratitude to everyone involved:
"As the Local Landscapes and Hidden Histories project comes to an end, we would like to express our sincere thanks to the many partners, organisations and individuals who have helped make it such a success.
"We are particularly grateful to Nadya Monfrinoli and Lou Jones of Lumo Workshop for curating our end-of-project exhibition, Shared Ground, and to Andrew Walker and the Survey of Lincoln for delivering our monthly Local History Café series and producing Lincoln's Green Spaces: A History, a wonderful publication that will serve as a lasting legacy of the project.
"Our thanks also go to Lincoln Free Walking Tour for developing a series of engaging heritage walks that will continue beyond the life of the project, enabling more people to discover and celebrate Lincoln's rich history for years to come.
"This project would not have been possible without the creativity, expertise and commitment of everyone involved, and we are deeply grateful for their contributions. Together, they have helped uncover, preserve, and share the stories of Lincoln's green spaces, ensuring this heritage can continue to inspire future generations."
Copies of Lincoln's Green Spaces: A History are available from Steep Hill Bookshop and Lindum Books, priced at £9.95.
Although the project has now come to an end, its legacy will continue through the online archive, educational resources, creative work and the many stories uncovered about Lincoln's parks and green spaces.
