The Newport Arch in Lincoln is a unique survival. A Roman archway that still spans a working road. It was the norther gate of the Colonia on the top of Lindum Hill. The west gate lies buried in the earthworks of the castle, and the east gate, having served as a temporary headquarters for the Norman bishops survives as foundations by a modern hotel. The south gate at the top of the well-named Steep Hill was only destroyed in the 1770s. The Newport arch, named after a twelfth century laid out along Ermine Street as a New Port ( ie market), is a treasure the city is rightly proud of.
BBC News recently reported on its restoration in Work to start on repairing 'tired' historic Lincoln Roman arch
Alas not everyone appears to appreciate its significance as in this report, Man denies causing criminal damage to Lincoln Roman wall
In 1964 I was on a visit to Lincoln and in the city there was palpable anger at a bright-spark of a lorry driver who thought he could drive under the arch. He couldn’t. The upper part of the arch had to be removed to get the lorry out. Me - I’d have dismantled the lorry. His firm had to send a delegation to make a grovelling apology to the Lord Mayor.
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