![]() He may not originally be from here, but he has certainly become Lincoln’s favourite little fiend. So next time you see our little friend perched up in the cathedral, take a moment to ponder its mysterious past. Regardless of its obscure origins and prevalence throughout the country, the imp has come to represent Lincoln as its mischievous mascot. The imp, therefore is likely similar in nature, perhaps representing a deity associated with agriculture or the keeping of livestock. The most likely explanation for their existence is as a pagan deity which survived and thrived in the Christian world, much like the famous ‘ Green Man‘ (a mysterious face surrounded by and sometimes spewing vegetation, thought to represent rebirth and springtime and argued to be the inspiration for a number of tales including Peter Pan, though that is another story for another day). Also, they all seem to pre-date the modern period, with most carved during the Middle Ages. What is notable about all these examples is their depiction of the imp, with hooves, sharp, pointed teeth, ears from a cow and a hairy body. St Vigean’s Church in Scotland also has an imp-like figure. the great Bishop of Lincoln, he took it upon himself to stick out an. The angel then reappeared and gave the mischievous creature’s backside “a good thrashing” before turning it too into stone. day, and two of the devilish little demon imps were blown towards the large town of. According to others, however, this second imp was said to have travelled to Grimsby where it entered St James’ Church and began repeating its destructive behaviour. The angel, in a fit of anger, cast a spell upon the imp instantly turning it to stone.Īccording to some tales, this second imp was later frozen in stone by the angel and can be seen on the southern side of Lincoln Cathedral. The other, however, mocked the angel and began throwing stones at it. One of the creatures, fearful of the angel, duly hid under the altar. It was during this time that the angel of The Lord, removing itself from the Bible upon the altar, commanded the imps to halt their wicked ways. ![]() They then continued their path of mayhem in Lincoln, entering the cathedral where they began to make a mess of it, turning over furniture, tripping up the Bishop and throwing things about. Mary’s, where they twisted the church’s famous spire to its present shape. According to the tale, the imps first attacked Chesterfield, where they wreaked havoc upon the parish church of St. ![]() According to the legend (some time in the 13th or 14th century), the devil spawned a pair of mischievous imps to wreak havoc upon the north of England. Ethan Nicholls (Atlas Obscura User) Lincoln, England, is best known for its striking cathedral, which surpassed the Great Pyramid of Giza to become the tallest building in the. There are many tales regarding the mysterious origins of the Lincoln Imp, so for the sake of simplicity I will stick to the one which I find most entertaining. ![]()
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