Lincolnshire

Lincolnshire farmland near Burton Coggles

Lincolnshire has long been a primarily agricultural area, and it continues to grow large amounts of wheat, barley, sugar beet, and oilseed rape. In south Lincolnshire, where the soil is particularly rich in nutrients, some of the most common crops include potatoes, cabbages, cauliflowers, and onions. Lincolnshire farmers often break world records for crop yields.[11][12] South Lincolnshire is also home to one of the UK's leading agricultural experiment stations, located in Sutton Bridge and operated by the Potato Council; Sutton Bridge Crop Storage Research engages in research for the British potato industry.[13]

The Lincoln Longwool is a rare breed of sheep, named after the region, which was developed both for wool and mutton, at least 500 years ago, and has the longest fleece of any sheep breed.[14] The Lincoln Red is an old breed of beef cattle, originating from the county. In the mid 20th century most farms in Lincolnshire moved away from mixed farming to specialise in arable cropping, partly due to cheap wool imports, partly to take advantage of efficiencies of scale and partly because the drier land on the eastern side of England is particularly suitable for arable cropping.

Mechanization around 1900 greatly diminished the number of workers required to operate the county's relatively large farms, and the proportion of workers in the agricultural sector dropped substantially during this period. Several major engineering companies developed in Lincoln, Gainsborough and Grantham to support those changes. Among these was Fosters of Lincoln, which built the first tank, and Richard Hornsby & Sons of Grantham. Most such industrial companies left during late 20th-century restructuring.

Today, immigrant workers, mainly from new member states of the European Union in Central and Eastern Europe, comprise a large component of the seasonal agricultural workforce, particularly in the south of the county. Here more labour-intensive crops are produced, such as small vegetables and cut flowers. This seasonal influx of migrant labour occasionally causes tension between the migrant workforce and local people, in a county which had been relatively unaccustomed to large-scale immigration. Agricultural training is provided at Riseholme College and in 2016 the University of Lincoln opened the Lincoln Institute for Agri-Food Technology.

Lincolnshire is represented by 11 members of parliament (MPs). As of the 2019 general election, all 11 constituencies are represented by the Conservative Party. One constituency, Brigg and Goole, contains part of the East Riding of Yorkshire around the towns of Goole and Snaith.

General Election 2019: Lincolnshire
Conservative	Labour	Liberal Democrat	Green	Others	Turnout
348,325 (66.0%) 34,217	120,808 (22.9%) 54,307	35,049 (6.6%) 16,645	10,564 (2.0%) 4,532	13,271 (2.5%) 7,870	528,006 9,266

Map of outcome of 2017 Lincolnshire County Council election. The Conservatives retook control of the council, winning 58 of the 70 seats. North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire are unitary authorities and do not form part of the non-metropolitan county of Lincolnshire

The Conservatives control the county council, with 58 of the 70 seats. North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire are unitary authorities and do not form part of the non-metropolitan county of Lincolnshire.

The Conservative Party comfortably controlled the County Council after the 2009 local elections, in which they increased their majority to 43 seats. The Labour Party lost a total of 15 seats including 7 in Lincoln, whilst the Liberal Democrats lost three. The Lincolnshire Independents gained a total of four seats, although one of their number moved to the Conservative group during 2010, increasing the number of Conservative seats to 61. The collective group of the Lincolnshire Independents, the Boston Bypass Party and other independent councillors formed the opposition for the four-year term.

In the 2013 County Council elections, the Conservatives lost their overall majority and formed a coalition with the Liberal Democrats and independents. The UK Independence Party made significant gains from the Conservatives, particularly around the town of Boston, due to opposition to Eastern European immigration.[15]

UKIP were initially the main opposition party with 16 councillors, but six members broke away to form a separate group, UKIP Lincolnshire.[16]

The 2017 Lincolnshire County Council election took place on 4 May 2017 and saw a local landslide victory for the Conservatives, who won 58 out of the 70 seats. UKIP was left without a single seat. Labour lost four seats, reducing their number of seats to six, the Liberal Democrats were reduced to one seat, and the Lincolnshire Independents were also reduced to a single seat after losing eight seats. Four other independents were elected.

The 1975 EC membership referendum was the first major referendum to be held in the county, and saw one of the largest majority votes in favour of continued membership of the then European Communities (which would later become the European Union) within non-metropolitan Lincolnshire and also Humberside, which then included northern parts of historic Lincolnshire. The referendum was held on 5 June 1975 with votes within the county being centrally counted under the provisions of the Referendum Act 1975 where voters were asked to decide on the question “Do you think that the United Kingdom should stay in the European Community (the Common Market)?” by voting for either “Yes” or “No”. The result was declared on the following day.

• The result above only includes non-Metropolitan Lincolnshire as parts of historic northern Lincolnshire made up part of Humberside at the time.

The 2011 United Kingdom Alternative Vote referendum was the first to be held in Lincolnshire since the 1975 EC membership referendum and was only the second time that the people of Lincolnshire have been asked to vote in a referendum. The referendum asked voters whether to replace the present "first-past-the-post" (simple plurality) system with the "alternative vote" (AV) method for electing MPs to the House of Commons in future general elections. The proposal to introduce AV was overwhelmingly rejected by voters with all eight counting areas within Lincolnshire returning significant "no" votes.

United Kingdom Alternative Vote referendum, 2011 Lincolnshire
Choice		Votes	%
	No	232,034	75.19%
	Yes	76,570	24.81%
Valid votes		308,604	99.49%
Invalid or blank votes		1,593	0.51%
Total votes		310,197	100.00%
Registered voters and turnout		722,210	40.17%

• The result above includes all areas within historic Lincolnshire

The seven shire-districts and two unitary authorities in Lincolnshire were used as the voting areas.

On 23 June 2016, in the EU referendum, the people of Lincolnshire voted for the second time on the issue of the UK's continued membership of what is now known as the European Union under the provisions of the European Union Referendum Act 2015 where voters were asked to decide on the question “Should the United Kingdom remain a member of the European Union or leave the European Union” by voting for either “Remain a member of the European Union” or “Leave the European Union”. Of the ten MPs which represented the historic county at the time six MPs Andrew Percy, Martin Vickers, Edward Leigh, Karl McCartney, Stephen Phillips and John Hayes supported a "Leave" vote with five MPs Matt Warman, Nick Boles, Victoria Atkins, Melanie Onn and Nic Dakin supported a "Remain" vote.[17]

United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, 2016 Lincolnshire
Choice		Votes	%
	Leave the European Union	380,556	65.98%
	Remain a member of the European Union	196,184	34.02%
Valid votes		576,740	99.95%
Invalid or blank votes		308	0.05%
Total votes		595,954	100.00%
Registered voters and turnout		780,761	73.91%

• The result above includes all areas within historic Lincolnshire

The seven shire-districts and two unitary authorities in Lincolnshire were used as the voting areas.

Lincolnshire is one of the few counties in the UK that still uses the 11-plus to decide who may attend grammar school. As a result, many towns in Lincolnshire have both a grammar school and a secondary modern school. Lincolnshire's rural character means that some larger villages also have primary schools and are served by buses to nearby high schools.

Lincoln itself, however, is primarily non-selective, as is the area within a radius of about seven miles. In this area, almost all children attend comprehensive schools, though it is still possible to opt into the 11-plus system. This gives rise to the unusual result that those who pass the Eleven plus can attend a Grammar School outside the Lincoln Comprehensive area, but those who do not pass still attend a (partly non-selective) Comprehensive school.

The Humber Bridge connecting North Lincolnshire to the East Riding of Yorkshire

Being on the economic periphery of England, Lincolnshire's transport links are poorly developed compared with many other parts of the United Kingdom. The road network in the county is dominated by single carriageway A roads and local roads (B roads) as opposed to motorways and dual carriageways – the administrative county of Lincolnshire is one of the few UK counties without a motorway, and until several years ago, it was said that there was only about 35 km (22 mi) of dual carriageway in the whole of Lincolnshire. The M180 motorway passes through North Lincolnshire, splitting into two dual carriageway trunk roads to the Humber Bridge and Grimsby, and the A46 is now dual carriageway between Newark-on-Trent and Lincoln.

The low population density of the county means that the number of railway stations and train services is very low considering the county's large area. Many of the county's railway stations were permanently closed following the Beeching Report of 1963. The most notable reopening has been the line and two stations between Lincoln and Sleaford, which reopened within months of the Beeching closure. Most other closed lines in the county were long ago lifted and much of the trackbed has returned to agricultural use.

Prior to 1970, a through train service operated between Cleethorpes and London King's Cross via Louth, Boston and Peterborough. The part of this line in Grimsby is now the A16 road, preventing reinstatement as a railway line, and a small section of the line is now the Lincolnshire Wolds Railway, with an extension towards Louth in progress.

A daily through train service operated between Cleethorpes and London King's Cross via Grimsby, Market Rasen and Lincoln Central until the late 1980s. The Humberlincs Executive, as the service was known, was operated by an InterCity 125, but was discontinued following the electrification of the East Coast Main Line. Passengers now have to change trains at Newark North Gate when travelling to and from London. However, the East Coast Main Line passes through the western edge of the county and one can catch direct trains to London from Grantham.

A rural road in Lincolnshire

The rural B1397 in Gosberton Fen heading out towards the Bourne area

Most rail services are currently operated by East Midlands Railway and Northern. London North Eastern Railway and CrossCountry have services which pass through the county, with London North Eastern Railway frequently passing and stopping at Grantham on the East Coast Main Line and a daily return train to Lincoln which is at the end of the branch line, while CrossCountry trains stop at Stamford on their way between Birmingham and Stansted Airport. Stations along the Humber are served by TransPennine Express services between Manchester Airport and Cleethorpes. One of the most infrequent services in the UK is in Lincolnshire: the Sheffield-Gainsborough Central-Cleethorpes line has passenger trains only on a Saturday, with three trains in both directions. This line is, however, used for freight.

On 22 May 2011 East Coast started a Lincoln-London service. One train travels both ways each day, and there is a northbound service on a Sunday. East Midlands Railway also run a daily (Mon-Sat) service each way between Lincoln and London St Pancras, though this is a stopping service which takes around 3 hours via Nottingham, compared to London North Eastern Railway's service to London King's Cross which takes around 1 hour 50 minutes.

The only airport in Lincolnshire is Humberside Airport, near Brigg. East Midlands airport the main airport servicing the East Midlands is within travelling distance of the county. Doncaster Sheffield Airport near Doncaster is within travelling distance of much of Lincolnshire.

The county's biggest bus companies are Stagecoach Grimsby-Cleethorpes (formerly Grimsby-Cleethorpes Transport) and Stagecoach in Lincolnshire, (formerly Lincolnshire Road Car). There are several smaller bus companies, including Brylaine of Boston, Delaine Buses and Hornsby's of Scunthorpe.[19]

A Sustrans cycle route runs from Lincoln to Boston in the south of the county.[20]

The United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust[21] is one of the largest trusts in the country, employing almost 4,000 staff and with an annual budget of over £200 million. The north of the county is served by the Northern Lincolnshire and Goole Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

Some of the larger hospitals in the county include:

• Diana Princess of Wales Hospital, Grimsby
• Scunthorpe General Hospital
• Boston Pilgrim Hospital
• Lincoln County Hospital

Since April 1994, Lincolnshire has had an Air Ambulance service.[22] The air ambulance is stationed at RAF Waddington near Lincoln and can reach emergencies in Lincolnshire within 25 minutes. An A&E hospital is only 10 minutes away by helicopter from any accident in Lincolnshire.

Separately to the commercial water companies the low-lying parts of the county are drained by various internal drainage boards, such as the Black Sluice Internal Drainage Board,Witham 4th District IDB, Lindsey Marsh Drainage Board, or the Welland and Deepings Internal Drainage Board.[23]

Lincolnshire is now the second fastest growing county in the UK with thousands of people moving there every year. Over the next two decades, Lincolnshire is set to grow both in population and economy with the help of the Government's Growth Points strategy. Lincolnshire has been awarded £13 million in funding to deliver sustainable development and intensive growth through sites of key regional significance. In essence, the target for Lincoln is 14,000 new homes and 12,000 new jobs by 2026 whilst the target for Grantham is an additional 3,200 homes by 2016 and at least 6,200 by 2026. This housing growth will be supported by the provision for 4,800 jobs by 2016.

Lincolnshire is one of the least ethnically diverse counties of the United Kingdom (98.5% of the population describe themselves as "white"). Over recent years inward migration by people from ethnic minority communities has increased (particularly to population centres such as Lincoln and Boston) but the absolute number of non-white Lincolnshire residents remains very low.

Recently, the county has also witnessed a growing trend towards immigration of retired people from other parts of the United Kingdom, particularly those from the southern counties of England attracted by the generally lower property prices and the slower and more relaxed pace of life. The relatively high proportion of elderly and retired people is reflected in many of the services, activities and events. Sleaford is considered one of the fastest-growing towns in the East Midlands, with many professional people moving there to benefit from the (relatively) low house prices and crime rate, and the selective education.

Those born in Lincolnshire are sometimes given the nickname of Yellowbellies (often spelt "Yeller Bellies", to reflect the pronunciation of the phrase by the typical Lincolnshire farmer). The origin of this term is debated, but is most commonly believed to derive from the uniform of the 10th Regiment of Foot (later the Lincolnshire Regiment) which featured yellow facings. For this reason, the coat of arms of Lincolnshire County Council is supported by two officers of the regiment.[28]

Lincolnshire has many notable people associated with it, such as:

William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley

Captain John Smith

Sir Isaac Newton

Margaret Thatcher

John Wesley

Alfred, Lord Tennyson

Michael Foale

• Sir Isaac Newton, celebrated mathematician, physicist, astronomer, Biblical theologist, alchemist, Warden and Master of the Royal Mint, the second Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at the University of Cambridge, and President of the Royal Society.
• Margaret Thatcher, former Prime Minister
• Guthlac of Crowland
• Hereward the Wake
• Little Saint Hugh of Lincoln
• Hugh of Lincoln, Robert Grosseteste, Christopher Wordsworth and Edward King, Bishops of Lincoln
• Nicolaa de la Haye
• Lucy of Bolingbroke
• Aaron of Lincoln
• Berechiah de Nicole
• Eleanor of Castile
• Katherine Swynford
• Gilbert of Sempringham, Saint and Founder of the Gilbertine Order
• Henry IV of England
• William Byrd, composer
• William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley, Chief Advisor to Queen Elizabeth I
• Havelok the Dane
• Sir John Franklin, Arctic explorer
• Joseph Banks, Botanist and plant collector
• Matthew Flinders, navigator and cartographer
• Halford Mackinder, geographer
• George Bass Explorer of Australia
• George Boole, mathematician
• Thomas Paine, one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, who was appointed as a Grantham-based excise officer in December 1762.
• John Harrison, chronometer innovator
• William Stukeley, antiquarian
• Frank Bramley and Peter De Wint, artists
• Herbert Ingram, journalist
• Alfred Lord Tennyson, Jean Ingelow, Anne Bradstreet, Elizabeth Jennings and Andreas Kalvos, poets
• Richard Foxe, bishop and founder of Corpus Christi College, Oxford
• Anne Askew, Protestant martyr
• John Smyth, founder of the Baptist denomination
• John Whitgift, Archbishop of Canterbury
• Robert Tighe, translator on the Committee for The King James Bible
• John Foxe, author of Foxe's Book of Martyrs
• John Cotton, Puritan
• John and Charles Wesley, founders of the Methodist movement
• Samuel Eyles Pierce, preacher
• Richard Watson, theologian and Methodist writer
• Thomas Scott, Bible commentator and co-founder of the Church Missionary Society
• Captain John Smith, leader of the settlement of Jamestown, Virginia,
• Madge Kendal and Sybil Thorndike, actresses
• Arthur Lucan, part of the music hall act Old Mother Riley
• Frank Pick, railway administrator
• "The Acid Bath Murderer" John George Haigh
• Businesswoman and Welsh language translator Lady Charlotte Guest
• Inventor of Crucible Steel Benjamin Huntsman
• Tenor Alfred Piccaver
• Field Marshal William Robertson
• Founder of "The Samaritans" Chad Varah
• Industrialists Joseph Ruston and William Tritton
• R.A.F personnel Douglas Bader, Leslie Manser, Frank Whittle, Guy Gibson
• Victoria Cross recipients Charles Richard Sharpe, Harold Jackson (VC), Guy Gibson, Thomas Colclough Watson and Gonville Bromhead
• Medal of Honor recipient George Green (Medal of Honor)
• Founder of Royal College of Nursing Sarah Swift
• Historian Francis Hill
• Archbishops of Canterbury Æthelhard, Stephen Langton and John Whitgift
• Fashion Designer Charles Frederick Worth
• Hangman William Marwood
• Frontiersman George Davenport
• ballad composer and hymn writer Charlotte Alington Barnard
• Leaders of the Lincolnshire Rebellion, Nicholas Melton and Rev.d Thomas Kendall
• Clergyman and ecologist Adrian Woodruffe-Peacock

Present day figures include

• Actors Thomas Turgoose, Jim Broadbent, Jonathan Kerrigan, Neil McCarthy and John Alderton
• Actresses Patricia Hodge, Joan Plowright, Liz Smith, Kelly Adams and Sheridan Smith
• Actress and comedian Jennifer Saunders
• Singer and songwriter Ella Henderson
• Radio and TV presenter Nicholas Parsons
• Author of My Mad Fat Teenage Diary (the basis for the television show My Mad Fat Diary) Rae Earl
• Crime writer Colin Dexter
• Astronaut Michael Foale
• Songwriters Bernie Taupin and Rod Temperton
• Military historian and author Bruce Barrymore Halpenny
• Actor, comedian and writer Robert Webb
• Musicians Jane Taylor and Neville Marriner
• Musician and composer Robert Wyatt
• Golfer Tony Jacklin
• Shotputter Geoff Capes
• Swimmers Paul Palmer, Kate Haywood and Brenda Fisher
• Footballers Lee Chapman, Ray Clemence, Chris Woods, Paul Mayo, Ted Savage, Sam Clucas, and Lee Frecklington Ellis Chapman
• Cricketer Luke Wright
• Fashion designer Antonio Berardi
• Glamour model Abi Titmuss
• Motorcycle racer and television presenter Guy Martin
• Business executive and wife of the former Prime Minister David Cameron, Samantha Cameron
• Newsreader and journalist Helen Fospero

In common with most other Northern and Midlands dialects in England, "flat" a is preferred, i.e. /bæθ/ over /bɑːθ/, and also traditionally in words like water, pronounced /ˈwætər/ watter (though such a pronunciation is rarely heard nowadays). Similarly, /ʌ/ is usually replaced by /ʊ/. Features rather more confined to Lincolnshire include:

• Elaboration of standard English /eɪ/ or /iː/ into a complex triphthong approximating, and often transcribed -air- or -yair-. For example: "mate" [m(j)ɛːət]; "beast" [b(j)ɛːəst]; "tates" (potatoes) [t(j)ɛːəts].
• An equivalent elaboration of standard English /oʊ/ – commonly [oː] in Northern England – into -ooa-. For example, "boat" [bʊːət].
• Insertion of an extra schwa into the standard English diphthong /aʊ/.
• Vocabulary: "duck" as a term of endearment or informal address, "mardy" meaning upset or angry, "mowt" (pronounced like mout) for might, "while" as a substitute for standard English "until", "frit" meaning frightened, "grufty" meaning dirty or disgusting, and the inimitable salutation "now then!?" (hello), sometimes written nairn to reflect pronunciation.
• In the north-east of the county, around Grimsby and Immingham, the nurse-square merger can be heard, as is also the case along the east coast of Yorkshire and also in Liverpool. Words that take /ɜː/ in RP take /ɛː/ in these areas.

Lincolnshire has its own dialect "champion", a farmer from the village of Minting called Farmer Wink (real name Robert Carlton), who has produced videos about rural life, narrated in his broad Lincolnshire accent. A resident of Woodhall Spa has published a dictionary of words once prevalent in parts of the county.[29]

Lincolnshire was historically associated with the Lincolnshire bagpipe, an instrument derided as a coarse and unpleasant instrument in contemporary literature, but noted as very popular in the county. The last player, John Hunsley of Middle Manton,[30] died in 1851,[31] and since then the instrument has been extinct.

In 1937, Percy Grainger wrote his Lincolnshire Posy for wind band. The piece is a compilation of folk songs "musical wildflowers" collected by the composer in and around the county of Lincolnshire.

The Lincolnshire Poacher is a traditional English folk song associated with the county of Lincolnshire, and deals with the joys of poaching. It is considered to be the unofficial county anthem of Lincolnshire.[32]

Lincolnshire sausages

Lincolnshire has a number of local dishes:

• Stuffed chine – this is salted neck-chine of a pig taken from between the shoulder blades, salted for up to ten months and stuffed with parsley (other ingredients are normally kept secret), and served cold.[33]
• Haslet – a type of pork loaf, also flavoured with sage (pronounced HAYSS-let or AYSS-let in Lincolnshire but HAZ-let in many other parts of the country).[33]
• Lincolnshire sausages – most butchers in Lincolnshire have their own secret recipe for these and a competition is held each year to judge the best sausages in the county. Traditional Lincolnshire sausages are made entirely from minced pork, stale bread crumb (rusk is used nowadays) pepper, sage and salt. The skins should be natural casings which are made from the intestines of either sheep or pig.
• Pork pies – the same pork butchers will take a pride in their unique recipe for pork pies.
• Giblet pie.[33]
• Mutton stuffed with oysters.[33]
• Plum bread – as with plum pudding, plum refers to dried fruit, namely currants, raisins and sultanas, sometimes soaked in tea.
• Grantham Gingerbread – a hard white ginger biscuit.
• Lincolnshire Poacher cheese – a cheddar-style cheese produced in Alford. Lincolnshire Poacher has won numerous awards over the years including Supreme Champion at the 1996/7 British Cheese Awards and Best British Cheese at the World Cheese awards in 2001/2.
• Batemans ales – a beer brewed in Wainfleet and served in many pubs in the county and further afield.
• There are several small breweries.
• Grimsby is renowned for its fishing industry, and historically Grimsby Fish has carried a premium price. Since the decline of the fishing industry following entry to the European Economic Community in the 1970s this is no longer the case, with the majority of fish sold at the town's fish market being brought overland from other ports. However, Grimsby Fish is still a recognised product, one associated with a particular area that specialises in and has expertise in a particular trade (cf Sheffield steel). In 2009 smoked fish from the town was granted Protected Geographical Indication by the European Union, reflecting the unique smoking methods used by certain local fish companies.[34]

Craft Chocolatiers can be found throughout[35][36][37] the county, such as Hansens[38] in Folkingham.[39] In 2013 Redstar Chocolate's Duffy's Venezuela Ocumare Milk won a Gold medal as best bean-to-bar.[40][41] The factory is in Cleethorpes.[42]

Every year the Lincolnshire Agricultural Society, founded in 1869, stages the Lincolnshire Agricultural Show.[43] It is held on the Wednesday and Thursday of the last whole week of June at its showground at Grange de Lings, a few miles north of Lincoln on the A15. The show was first held here in 1958. First held around the year 1884, it is one of the largest agricultural shows in the country, and is attended by around 100,000 people over its two days. The showground is in regular use throughout the year for a wide range of other events and functions.

Smaller local agricultural shows, such as the Heckington Show[44] can still be found. Corby Glen sheep fair[45] has been held since 1238.

The Red Arrows, based at RAF Scampton near Lincoln[46] are a popular attraction at the Waddington Air Show

Each year RAF Waddington is the home to the RAF International Waddington Air Show. The two-day event attracts around 150,000 people and usually takes place during the first weekend of July. Since its inception over 35 countries have participated, with aircraft from around the globe attending the Lincolnshire Base. Beginning 2017, the event will be held at nearby RAF Scampton.

On the Monday before Easter, an unusual auction takes place in Bourne to let the grazing rights of the Whitebread Meadow.[47] Bidding takes place while two boys race toward the Queen's Bridge in Eastgate, the end of which dash is equivalent to the falling of the gavel. The whole affair dates back to the 1742 will of William Clay.

The Haxey Hood village competition takes place every January, as it has for over 700 years.

Stamford's Mid-Lent fair sees showmen converge on the town the week after Mothering Sunday, with rides and sideshows filling Broad Street, the Sheepmarket and the Meadows for a week. Stalls selling Grantham gingerbread and nougat are a traditional feature. The following week sees them in Grantham, on the way north for the Summer. Roger Tuby brings a small funfair to Bourne and then to Spalding in Spring and returns in Autumn at the end of the season.

The villages of Tetford and Salmonby hold an annual Scarecrow Festival in May every year.

The Belchford Downhill Challenge which is held every two years: soapbox racers race down the hill at up to 30 km/h. The turnout has been up to 1,000.

In recent years Lincoln Christmas Market, a street market throughout the historic area of the city, has been held at the start of December. Around the same time, Christmas lights are turned on in Bourne, Sleaford, Skegness, and other towns.

Throughout the summer the Stamford Shakespeare Company[48] presents the Bard's plays in the open-air theatre at Tolethorpe Hall, which is actually in Rutland.

The Spalding Flower Parade was held in late spring every year between 1959 and 2013. Colourful floats decorated with tulip heads competed for a cup.[49]

The Gold Victorian-style Penfold post box in Lincoln painted in recognition of Paralympian Sophie Wells who won the gold medal in the team Equestrian event at the 2012 Paralympic Games in London. It is the only post box painted gold in the county

The main sports played in the county are football, cricket and rugby union. Lincolnshire does not have a high sporting profile, mainly due to the lack of facilities and high-profile football teams. Probably the most well-known sporting venues in Lincolnshire are Cadwell Park near Louth, where a round of the British Motorbike Championship is held on the last Monday of August every year and the racecourse at Market Rasen

• Three teams from Lincolnshire play in the Football League: Lincoln City play in Football League One, While Scunthorpe United and Grimsby Town play in Football League Two. In non-league football Boston United and Gainsborough Trinity play in the Football Conference North.
• In cricket Lincolnshire are a minor county and play in the Minor Counties Championship.[50]
• In hockey Lindum Hockey Club play in the north of Lincoln.
• Scunthorpe Rugby Club are the most notable rugby union team from Lincolnshire, and will play in the fifth level of the English league system in the 2017-18 season. Other notable teams include Market Rasen and Louth RUFC, Lincoln RFC, and Boston Rugby Club.
• Lincolnshire is home to one racecourse, at Market Rasen.
• Cadwell Park is the only motor-racing course in Lincolnshire. There is a speedway track in Scunthorpe, home of the Scunthorpe Scorpions, and stock-car racing at a stadium at Orby, near Skegness.
• Lincolnshire has an American Football club, the Lincolnshire Bombers, which has existed in its current guise since 2005.
• Lincolnshire is home to the UK roller derby team, the Lincolnshire Bombers Roller Girls, which is sponsored by Motörhead.[51]

Flag of Lincolnshire

The Lincoln Imp high above the choir on the southern side of Lincoln Cathedral

The unofficial anthem of the county is the traditional folk song, "The Lincolnshire Poacher", which dates from around 1776. A version of the song was the theme for BBC Radio Lincolnshire for many years.

According to a 2002 marketing campaign by the charity Plantlife, the county flower of Lincolnshire is the common dog-violet.

In August 2005, BBC Radio Lincolnshire and Lincolnshire Life magazine launched a vote for a flag of Lincolnshire to represent the county. Six competing designs were voted upon by locals and the winning submission was unveiled in October 2005.[52][53] Lincoln has its own flag – St George's flag with a Fleur-de-Lys.

The Lincoln Imp has symbolised cathedral, city and county for many years.[54][55] In 2006 it was replaced as the brand of Lincolnshire County Council by the stylised version seen on the header here which has lost even the unique pose of the carving.

Because of its flat geography and low population density, Lincolnshire is an ideal place for airfields, and the Air Ministry built prolifically with the county hosting nearly seventy separate air bases. It became known as "bomber county".[60] Since the end of the Second World War most of these airfields or stations were decommissioned, but the RAF retains a significant footprint in Lincolnshire for the air defence of the United Kingdom and aircrew training. For more information on former bases, see List of former RAF stations.

Two major front-line bases located in Lincolnshire are RAF Coningsby, which is one of only two RAF Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) Stations in the United Kingdom and home to the Eurofighter Typhoon jet fighters, and RAF Waddington, where most of the RAF's Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance aircraft are based. Other stations in Lincolnshire include RAF Cranwell, home to all Air Force Basic Officer Training for the Royal Air Force; RAF Scampton, home base to the Red Arrows Aerobatic Team and former base of the Avro Vulcan nuclear strike V bomber-force; RAF Barkston Heath, a training airfield; and minor bases such as RAF Kirton in Lindsey, RAF Donna Nook and RAF Digby.

Lincolnshire is also home to two active RAF and NATO-allied air weapons training bombing ranges, located along The Wash and north Lincolnshire coastline—RAF Holbeach active since 1926 (originally part of the former RAF Sutton Bridge station) and Donna Nook. The RAF Wainfleet range was decommissioned in 2010.

The Army runs Sobraon Barracks, home of 160 (Lincoln) Squadron, Royal Logistic Corps (RLC), as well as Prince William of Gloucester Barracks, Grantham, home to some of the RLC's Phase 2 training. In November 2016 the Ministry of Defence announced that the Grantham site would close in 2020.[61]