Steep Hill And The Strait - Lincolnshire.org

Steep Hill and The Strait are quaint shopping areas, packed with a stunning selection of shops and delightful tea rooms.

The former is one of the most visited places in the city of Lincoln in Lincolnshire, England.

Steep Hill connects uphill Lincoln to the town centre and retail centre, which are located on the level plain. Formerly known as Ermine Street, it is currently maintained by the Lincolnshire County Council. It was built by the Romans to connect the different growing parts of the city of Lincoln.

Named as such because the hill is quite difficult to ascend and descend due to its gradient, some people have to stop once in a while to catch their breath! Handrails have even been positioned to help people as they go up and down. Incidentally, pushing a wheelchair, either up or down the hill, is not recommended.

At the top of Steep Hill is the bustling Castle square, which contains entrances to both Lincoln castle and cathedral. The latter is one of the earliest buildings in the Gothic English style. At the bottom of the hill is Well Lane, which leads to The Strait.

This attractive city climb has cobbled streets with streetlights of Victorian style and medieval half-timbered buildings.

You will not only enjoy the sights of the old structures, but also the numerous specialty stores such as book stores, sweet shops, gift shops, art galleries and more.

Steep Hill

The award-winning Steep Hill – winner of The Great Street award in 2011 – is a pretty cobbled street, with many half-timbered buildings resting at a range of slightly different angles. It links the Cathedral Quarter and Bailgate to The Strait and then onto the High Street.

Here you will find a myriad of independent shops including up-market florists, antique & vintage shops and several jewellery shops – selling both traditional and contemporary jewellery.

There are numerous boutiques selling a wide range of goods, from country clothing to designer handbags. There is even a shop selling Russian dolls!

Steep Hill has art galleries, handmade pottery shops, book shops and gifts shops galore, all nestled alongside cosy tea shops and cafes.

If you’re looking for shops selling hand-made fudge, home-made cake or old-fashioned sweets, Steep Hill won’t disappoint!

There are specialist wine merchants and purveyors of the finest tea and coffee also available.

As Steep Hill widens into The Strait, you will find shops selling antiques and Fair Trade goods.

Please note that Steep Hill lives up to its name and is very steep indeed!

There is a Walk and Ride electric bus service that runs every 20 minutes, linking The Cathedral Quarter to the High Street, but it does not go down the pedestrianised Steep Hill.

Leading from Steep Hill is The Strait…

The Strait

The Strait is another quaint, narrow, cobbled street, with fantastic glimpses of Lincoln Cathedral towering high above.

Independent shops, cafes, restaurants, pubs and bars all line this lovely little road.

There is a traditional sweet shop, full of old-fashioned jars of delicious sweets that will take you back to your childhood!

Should you want to buy some reasonably-priced clothes, there are several independent boutiques to choose from, selling a variety of clothing from vintage to the latest fashion. A number of charity shops also line both sides of the street if you’re after a bargain!

The Cheese Society, Lincoln’s award winning café, have a fantastic shop just off The Strait, selling a wide variety of cheeses as well as locally-produced food.

The Jew’s House, which is one of the oldest town houses in England, is home to one of Lincoln’s best restaurants, as well an an antiquarian bookseller.

Opening out from The Strait is Lincoln’s lively High Street.

Steep Hill

The Strait

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