incoln Castle is just one of the two castles in England that has two mottes, the other example being Lewes Castle in East Sussex. In 1068, only a couple of years after the Norman Invasion, a Norman-style castle was built at Lincoln on the order of William the Conqueror. Records show that 166 houses were demolished to make room for the construction site. Lincoln Castle stands a short distance from the magnificent Lincoln cathedral, both of which dominate the city's skyline. The castle has two gatehouses, an ornate large gatehouse directly opposite the cathedral on the eastern side and a simpler square tower to the west. The motte to the south west has the remains of a shell keep on top of it which is known as the Lucy Tower. The tower is roughly circular in shape consisting of fifteen sections of 20 foot tall walls. The motte to the south-east of the castle has another tower on its summit known as the Observatory Tower.

In 1140 Lincoln the city and castle were taken possession supporters of Matilda, the daughter of King Henry I. Matilda was fighting to take the English throne from King Stephen. The King's army besieged the castle in the final months of 1140 and when news reached Matilda she sent her army to help. In February 1141 at the Battle of Lincoln King Stephen was captured and transported to Bristol where he was held prisoner for a short time.

At the start of the Civil War, in the reign of Charles I, the castle was fortified and held by Royalist supporters. But the castle and the city fell to Parliamentarian forces in May 1644.