Avatar photo

Evie Stevenson

EvieStevenson

Evie Stevenson is currently studying Fashion Communication at Northumbria University and loves writing about new and interesting events, especially in fashion.


The Lincoln Knights’ Trail has been officially launched! Today marks the official 800th anniversary of the Battle of Lincoln and the city has been in full swing with the celebrations.

There was entertainment for all the family, including a re-enactment of the Battle of Lincoln, a Medieval farmers’ market, a children’s Medieval banquet, a family cycle ride and many more. Find out more information here about events across the whole weekend.

For those of you who want to take on the quest of the Lincoln Knights’ Trail, The Lincolnite has created an overview of all 36 knights from the trail.

You can pick up your free trail map from various venues across the city or download the full map here.

Have you found them all?

1. Quintessentially English by David Graham

Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

“The limited use of red and white on one side of the design and the lush green countryside on the other, is in celebration of everything English, as the Knights’ Trail acknowledges a significant change in English law and the role of the English town of Lincoln. Iconic imagery from leisure and aviation, heritage and farming, relaxation and recreation, engineering and architecture as well as food, encapsulate England at its best.”

The knight is sponsored by Burton Road Chippy.

2. Knight Rider by Carolyn Short

Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

“At night the Knight Rider shares the roads around Lincolnshire with many animals both large and small. Todays truck drivers are privy to glimpses of these nocturnal, secretive creatures in the same way as the knights would have seen centuries before them as they travelled around the county establishing well worn routes.”

The knight is sponsored by Denby Transport.

3. Lincoln Greene by Jane Veveris Callan

Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

“Inspired by the Charter of the Forest and traditional dyers colour Lincoln Green (famously worn by Robin Hood) the horse is decorated in a medieval style forest. The knight is a greenman and bears the Lincoln insignia the Fleur de Leys.”

The knight is sponsored by Leap.

4. Knight & Day by Kieron Reilly and Lynsey Brecknell

Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

“Knight & Day shows off some of Lincoln’s stunning landmarks including their beautiful Cathedral. The architecture has been shown off in silhouette form against the warm glow of a sunset, that gradually fades up into a starry night.”

The knight is sponsored by Bishop Grosseteste University.

5. Lincoln Green by Deven Bhurke

Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

“Lincoln Green is inspired by the heroic Robin Hood and his strong association with green coloured dyed woollen cloth made in Lincoln. Robin Hood was also known to rob from the rich and give to the poor. This design helps to promote homelessness issues, the wider societal determinants, reminding us that through good deeds we can help homeless people.”

The knight is sponsored by Your Print Partner.

6. Sheriff De La Haye by Rachel Olin

Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

“As a woman I found myself drawn to Nicolaa de la Haye. It surprised me to find that woman had held a position of such power at that time and I felt the need to portray a strong representation of her using early medieval paintings as a reference.”

The knight is sponsored by Pipers Crisps.

7. The Battle of Lincoln Knight by Amy Sayer

Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

“The Battle of Lincoln Knight represents 800 years since the Battle of Lincoln in 1217. This is my design interpretation of a knight during this period. I wanted to reflect ‘Lincoln’ by using the Lincoln flag and its strong colours. I have kept my design clean and bold, as I wanted it to be a true representation of a knight on a horse without over complicating it. I imagine my knight standing tall and protecting Lincoln Castle and the rest of Lincoln during the Lincoln Knights’ Trail 2017.”

The knight is sponsored by The Bailgate Area Guild & Steep Hill.

8. Knight of the Skies by Rosie Ablewhite

Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

“I was inspired by the heroes of Bomber Command and the Spire Memorial on Canwick Hill. My design highlights the scale of the Lancaster Bombers, the Bomber Command motto and that their acts of bravery will never be forgotten.”

The knight was sponsored by Game Engineering Ltd.

9. Inspiring a New Generation by Mel Langton

Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

“The idea behind this design was to encorporate the themes of nature and environment alongside construction, whilst illustrating the journey of a young apprentice through the years, on their path to a career within building and development.”

The knight is sponsored by Gelder Group.

10. Lincoln City Knight by Leah Goldberg

Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

“I love my work as a potter and illustrator and relished the challenge of combining two important dimensions to our lovely city. In 2017 Lincoln City Football Club have added a new dimension to the history of Lincoln – as well as a beautiful historical city, we also have a team to be proud of!”

The knight is sponsored by Visit Lincoln.

11. The Circle of Lincolnshire Life by Kathleen Smith

Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

“The Circle of Lincolnshire Life, is based on the countryside of Lincolnshire. Lincolnshire produces a range of produce from wheat, cabbages, potatoes, leeks, brussel sprouts and the list goes on. By travelling through the Lincolnshire countryside a sense of the time of year and the seasons is felt, due to the deep connection with the land and farming which is present within Lincolnshire.”

The knight is sponsored by Branston.

12. ‘Home is Where the Heart Is’ by Rachael Burnett

Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

“‘Home is Where the Heart Is’ symbolises the cosiness, softness and warmth of a new home as well as highlighting the various aspects of house-hunting. The patches represent an array of home comforts as well as Newton Fallowell themselves (including their signature orange colour and their links to Sir Issac Newton). The knight himself represents the friendly and helpful staff at Newton Fallowell who assist the house-hunter in finding a warm, cosy and happy home.”

The knight is sponsored by Newton Fallowell.

13. Inside Out by Erin Fleming

Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

“After designing for JCS in Lincoln Cathedral, I felt completely inspired by the scale of the building and the series of stories that lived within and surrounded it. This concept of space, scale and stories, led to a comparison to forests, I could see tree-like shapes in the space (columns). Resulting in a direct link to the Charter of the Forest.”

The knight is sponsored by Lincs Archiving Solutions Ltd.

14. Knight Time by Mark Chambers

Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

“This design is inspired by my fascination with the night sky and how small we really are when we look up at the stars. Being an author/illustrator of children’s picture books I wanted to include plenty of fun, narrative and visual interest into my piece. I have added various landmarks and symbols that represent Lincoln and Lincolnshire, in the form of star constellations. With also adding a few real constellations, I have incorporated an educational element into my design. With this piece I also wanted to inspire everyone, young and old, to look up at the night sky from time to time and find their own shapes, whatever they might be.”

The knight is sponsored by Lincoln College Group.

15. The Spirit of Lincoln by Mik Richardson

Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

“My design was to commemorate too of the most famous aircraft, the Vulcan and Lincoln Bomber, that operated from the Lincoln bases of Scampton and Waddington. The design also pays respect to the memory of the brave souls that flew in them, it depicts the new Lincoln memorial and the knight is painted to represent a pilot, The Knight of the Skies. The main body of the design also has areas to look like removed aircraft panels showing the usually hidden details of equipment and workings of the equally unseen many tradesmen and women that maintained the amazing aircraft.”

The knight is sponsored by Allen Signs.

16. The Luttrell Psalter by Sue Guthrie

Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

“The design is based on the medieval text ‘The Luttrell Psalter’. It was produced in Lincolnshire in the early 1300’s and is considered one of the most important medieval documents in existence today. It contains the most imaginative and remarkable illustrations which form the basis of my design, an aging technique is applied to the painting to give the appearance of ageing.”

The knight is sponsored by Optima Graphic Design Consultants Ltd.

17. Pedal Pride by Erin Fleming

Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

“This design is inspired by The Lincoln Grand Prix. This knight is dedicated to my Dad, Brian Fleming, who rode this race during his professional cycling career. I wanted to show the cyclists climbing the iconic hill and course. This race is special to me as it influenced our move from London, to Lincoln. I like the contrast between the physical struggle and the picturesque background. I’m proud of my Dad and Lincoln should be proud of this event.”

The knight is sponsored by Nicholson.

18. The Knight Has a Thousand Eyes by Sue Guthrie

Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

“The title for the knight comes from the 1960’s hit for Bobby Vee. It features a deep blue, starry night sky, with many, many cartoon eyes painted all over. A phosphorescent paint is used for the whites of the eyes, so that they glow in the dark giving the sculpture a different dimension at dusk and into the night.”

The knight is sponsored by EBP.

19. Knight Jigsaw by Jon Garside

Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

“I was inspired by Lincoln as a community and liked the concept of using jigsaw pieces to represent the building of a strong community. My ‘Knight Jigsaw’ reveals the Lincolnshire flag which symbolises the people of Lincoln.”

The knight is sponsored by Daniel Charles Construction Ltd.

20. Libertas Per Sapientiam by Rose Bowskill

Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

“The design is based on the symbols and motifs from the University of Lincoln’s Coat of Arms to create the decorative patterns, shapes and colours. Its important that the design represents the achievements of past, present and future graduates of the University and so features the knight wearing a Lincoln cap and gown. It is designed to illustrate in a contemporary style the values and principles of the University, but also as an opportunity for children to find details painted around the knight.”

The knight is sponsored by the University of Lincoln.

21. Not All Stories are Black and White by Ruth Pigott

Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

“This knight has been designed with the clients that use The Nomad Trust shelter. These service users are homeless and wanted to give an insight into what this means. The colourful design leads up to the colours of The Nomad Trust and is based on maps. This could be interpreted as the streets they walk on or the map of how they got to where they are now. It is a spectrum of colours to represent how everyone and their stories are so different. The knight has messages from the service users who are or have been homeless in Lincoln.”

The knight is sponsored by The Nomad Trust.

22. Proud Knight by Leah Goldberg

Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

“I am proud of our history and culture, and visitors remark how friendly everyone is! ‘Proud Knight’ celebrates the Charter of the Forest and lovely Lincoln!”

The knight is sponsored by City of Lincoln Council.

23. Knight of the Minister by Lesley Ann Withers

Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

“Lincoln Cathedral was built to inspire and my design reflects all that happens within the iconic space, as well as some of the wonders of its architecture. The stylised trees commemorate the signing of the Charter of the Forest in 1217, owned by Lincoln Cathedral and displayed for all to see in Lincoln Castle.”

The knight is sponsored by Lincoln Cathedral.

24. Paint, Print, Publish & Play by Joanna Botterill

Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

“The Paint, Print, Publish & Play Knight was inspired by the Lincolnshire jewel that is Ruddocks. From its beginnings producing ledgers and selling books to its contribution to our city today. Taking the form of supplies for artist/students, traditional and modern day toys, hobbie magazines you can find nowhere else to a traditional tea room with a rooting in family. They are also responsible for major design and print commissions both here and overseas. To me Ruddocks represents Lincolnshire to a tee. A traditional village feel with the success of a progressive and modern day city.”

The knight is sponsored by Ruddocks.

25. Knight of Greyskull by Catherine J Bell

Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

“This design is inspired by one of my childhood heroes. By the power of Grayskull, He-Man is a futuristic (if retro) knight who defends the universe with chivalry, magic and a pithy moral, always accompanied by his trusty steed Battlecat.”

The knight is sponsored by Lincoln BIG.

26. Never Grow Up by Mel Langton

Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

“My design is inspired by childhood memories and puts technology aside for the day to instead play outdoors and partake in often forgotten activities, some of which are seldom enjoyed these days. It incorporates imagery of ice creams in the sunshine, feeding animals, flying a kite, having a picnic, building a snowman and looking at the stars. Childhood memories which will last a lifetime.”

The knight is sponsored by Daisy Made.

27. The Knight of Many Colours by Anna Carter

Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

“A kaleidoscope of colour depicts Norman, The Knight of Many Colours. His colours radiate warmth and friendliness; he will be anyone’s friend and protector.”

The knight is sponsored by Stagecoach East Midlands

28. Lincolnshire Spirit & Loving Embrace by Lizzy Mason

Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

“In celebration of our love, Lincolnshire, heritage, and lands, I have created a montage of its Lincolnshire’s unique beauty and nature, big skies, fertile lands, produce, wrapped in the county’s flag, ready to play with your beautiful self, as you are now, as now is when all changes in one moment with love.”

The knight is sponsored by St Barnabas Hospice.

29. Knight of the Construction Trade by Beth Wright

Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

“‘Knight of the Construction Trade’ was influenced by many aspects of Lincolnshire. The knight itself resembles a builder. Not only to reflect the sponsors business but also a concept of what builds the local community. Building bricks are used to uncover local landmarks, familiar across Lincolnshire.”

The knight is sponsored by Willmott Dixon.

30. The Co-Operative Knight by Sian Bristow

Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

“What inspired me for my design is the Lincolnshire Co-op’s growth over the time scale of more than 150 years. I wanted to create an artistic image of people working together, being intrinsically connected as a local community through the network of the Lincolnshire Co-op.”

The knight is sponsored by Lincolnshire Co-op.

31. Show Us What You’ve Got by Mel Langton

Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

“My design represents Lincolnshire shows and events and celebrates just a few of the things we are lucky enough to have on offer to enjoy in our county. The design brings together imagery of county shows, live concerts, conventions, entertainment, sporting events, agriculture, horticulture and our rich heritage.”

The knight is sponsored by Lincolnshire Showground.

32. Knight Music by Valerie Osment

Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

“Inspired by Bonnie Tyler’s 1984 hit ”Holding Out for a Hero’, Knight Music is a true “white knight upon a fiery steed”! Musically inspired by hero/heroine-esque songs from the 1960s onwards, he joyously gallops through Lincolnshire’s countryside – leaving a fiery trail in his wake – to help anyone calling him in need.”

The knight is sponsored by Lincs FM.

33. Knight in the Forest by Julia Allum

Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

“The 800th anniversary of the sealing of the Charter of the Forest was the inspiration behind the design. The horse is decorated with flora and fauna, with many animals and birds hiding between trees and leaves. The Lincolnshire landscape features on the knights body, with his sword and shield standing out in gold. The design is painted in a bold, almost stained glass style with pearlescent and gold leaf highlights to really sparkle in the sun.”

The knight is sponsored by St Marks Shopping Centre.

34. The Construction Knight by Peter Segasby

Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

“I love Lincoln and I’ve always been inspired by our great ability in “building a community” Lincolnshire has many diverse activities to offer, where people worldwide come together, to work, play and enjoy our great historical heritage. Businesses and individuals provide a great contribution to our social fabric, where we can enjoy a lively and diverse backdrop. The ‘Construction Knight’ celebrates the fun people have in creating a happy and lively community. I’ve used a painting style that can be described ‘as child like images’ which I have attempted to show the very basic layers of coming together as a community. Sponsored by Chestnut Homes.”

The knight is sponsored by Chestnut Homes.

35. The Golden Knight by Peter Segasby

Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

“Seeing the Lincoln Knight sculpture for the first time, I felt its sophisticated style and architectural form looked preciously symbolic to a time where art was an important part of the ancient world of Egyptian Culture. So the period inspired the actual colour pallet and the use of hieroglyphics, which seemed an ideal vehicle to contain trade symbols to represent ‘The Central Market’ Independent traders/crafts their products and all good things in this close community of Lincoln. Plus, the Egyptian theme ties nicely into the Lincolnshire Poacher Regiment with its very distinct Egyptian sphinx logo with its strong Lincolnshire connection.”

The knight is sponsored by Lincoln Central Market.

36. Guardian of the Forest by Emma McKinlay

Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

“The Guardian of the Forest is handsome, chivalrous and romantic. She is inspired by the virtuous knights depicted in tapestries by the artist Edward Burne-Jones, as well as the nature-inspired patterns of designer William Morris. She nobly protects the right of access to the royal forests. Like her trusty steed, she is at one with nature – a knight to remember!”

The Knight is sponsored by Investors in Lincoln.


The Lincoln Knights’ Trail will last from Saturday May 20 until Sunday September 3 2017. The knights will then be sold at auction.

Most of the proceeds raised from the trail, donations and the auction will go towards The Nomad Trust.

The rest of the money raised from the Lincoln Knights’ Auction will be presented to the YMCA, to fund a new build scheme and an Art and Innovation Fund for the City of Lincoln.

A Lincoln campaign group are sending out an urgent appeal for donations of sleeping bags for refugees in Calais.

On Saturday, May 27 Compassionate Lincoln are holding a collection in aid of supporting refugees in Calais. The collection is being held at Bishop Grosseteste University car park from 8:30am until 4:00pm.

Every month thousands of sleeping bags are donated to the people in refugee camps, including refugees who are being forced to sleep in the surrounding woodland and fields. However, reports from the camps indicate stocks are running low.

Compassionate Lincoln are asking for any donations of clean, good condition sleeping bags, roll-mats, blankets and tents.

Collection-organiser, Holly Munro said: “We know that there are lots of people in the city who continue to be really concerned about the refugee crisis and know that just because it isn’t on the news every day, the need hasn’t gone away.

“This collection is a really practical way of sending love and support to refugees and the charities working to support them so if people are able to donate the items we’re collecting it will be really gratefully received.”

In addition to warm sleeping items, people are being asked to put together ‘dignity bags’ which will be sent to women and girls in Syria and Iraq as part of a campaign by the Samara’s Aid Charity – http://www.samarasaidappeal.org/.

Dignity packs should include all of and only the following (new and unused) items:

  • Sponge or body puff
  • Soap x3/4 bars (no liquids)
  • Toothbrushes (multipack)
  • Toothpaste
  • Roll-on Deodorant (no aerosols/glass)
  • Sanitary towels x4 packs (no tampons)
  • Panty liners x2 packs
  • Nail clippers
  • Pack of knickers
  • 4/5 pairs (medium size)
  • Hairbrush
  • Tub of face/hand cream
  • Tub of Vaseline or similar
  • Plastic box/tub with lid (to keep soap in)

The Lincoln community group aims to identify practical solutions to challenging situations. There recent campaigns include the introduction of The Warm Rail and The Big Lincoln Soup (both in Lincoln). Compassionate Lincoln thrives to help and support Lincoln’s community and local charities as much as they can.

Warm Rail campaign. Photo: Compassionate Lincoln

+ More stories