Interesting Facts

According to legend, the devil was envious of the magnificent Lincoln Cathedral and sent three of his imps to create trouble and cause mischief. Which they did, they broke tables, tripped up the Bishop and threw stones at the angels in the Angel Choir.

The imp that caused most trouble in the Angel choir sat cheekily up high and was promptly turned to stone where he had perched temporarily and is now immortalised there forever.

This medieval stone carving or grotesque is approx. 30cm high located in Lincoln Cathedral’s Angel Choir. It has become internationally known as an emblem of Lincoln.

This stems back to the late Victorian period from James Ward Usher, a jeweller in the city who designed and created jewelled Lincoln Imp brooches, pins, and silverware.

The Imp jewellery is said to have been favoured by Queen Victoria’s son, the Prince of Wales and as King Edward VII. This royal endorsement popularised the Imp as a souvenir of Lincoln and was sales were made to far and wide.

The Lincoln Imp is the badge of the No.61 Squadron RAF and an emblem of the Lincoln City Football Club – ‘The Imps’. It is also currently used for many other local organisations and businesses.

You can purchase the full legend from the Visitor Information Centre.

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