Term Talk Summer 2016

KNIGHTS MARCH
ON LINCOLN
AGAIN IN 2017
Blazing a new trail through the city’s history
Following the success of the Magna
Carta barons last year, Lincoln Business
Improvement Group (BIG) has launched
plans for its 2017 Lincoln Knights’ Trail, to
commemorate the 800th anniversary of
the Battle of Lincoln Fair and the sealing
of the Charter of the Forest. Delighted
to be appointed as official education
partner, The EBP will get schools involved
with a ‘mini trail’ and a special education
programme on the historical theme.
Even bigger and better than last year’s
Lincoln Barons’ Trail, the Knights’ Trail
will feature 35 sculptures that businesses
will sponsor to be painted by local artists
and displayed around the city. Several
organisations have already committed
to sponsoring a knight. Like the barons,
the knight figures were created by Wild in
Art’s Chris Wilkinson and will be perfect
canvases to showcase local artistic talent.
The EBP’s role is to have around 60
half-size knights created, ready to be
designed and painted by local schools.
Each participating school will receive
education packs and lesson plans
about this compelling moment in
Lincoln’s history. The smaller knights
will also be displayed around the city
in a miniature trail, and will be returned
to the sponsoring schools when the
trail concludes.
Lincoln BIG chief executive
Matt Corrigan said,
The historical theme behind
the trail offers us a superb
opportunity to launch an
education programme
alongside, with The EBP,
and get schools involved
across Lincolnshire.”
Schools can stake their claim on a
knight now! In addition to the activity‘s
academic and artistic value, it will help to
satisfy the curricular demand to include
‘fundamental British values’.
The 2015 Barons’ Trail was a great success
with locals, tourists and sponsors,
raising £167,000 for charity when the
sculptures were auctioned. At the end of
the even bigger 2017 trail, the knights will
also be auctioned at Lincoln Cathedral.
Two-thirds of the proceeds will go to The
Nomad Trust to build accommodation
for homeless people.
Said The EBP’s Suzy Stone,
We know there is an appetite
to follow in the barons’
footsteps and we’re proud
to be part of this bigger and
better celebration of our city.
It’s a great opportunity for
the county’s students to learn
about Lincoln’s place in history.”
Contact Suzy to discuss your school’s
sponsorship of a statue from the limited
edition of half-sized knights:
suzy.stone@the-ebp.co.uk
or 01522 574174
The EBP’s Phil Everett and Suzy Stone with a
(full-size) knight, ready for painting
The First Barons’ War of the English
succession took a new turn in 1216
when the future Louis VIII of France
entered London and was proclaimed
King of England. He was supported by
various English barons, who resisted
the rule of King John. When John died
in the middle of the war, his 9 year-old
son Henry III was crowned.
The Second Battle of Lincoln,
otherwise known as the Battle of
Lincoln Fair, took place on 20 May
1217 between the forces of Prince
Louis and those of King Henry III, and
saw the English steal a decisive defeat
from the French. Lincoln’s citizens
were loyal to Louis, so Henry’s forces
sacked the city and the looting that
took place afterwards became known
as the ‘Lincoln Fair’.
Issued in November 1217 to
complement the Magna Carta, which
had dealt with the rights of barons, the
Charter of the Forest provided some
real rights, privileges and protections
for the common man against the
abuses of the aristocracy. It granted
free men the right to graze their
animals in forests that had previously
been reserved for hunting by the king.
In 2017 Lincoln will be the only place
where the Magna Carta and Charter of
the Forest can be seen side by side.
The EBP newsletter, summer 2016 www.the-ebp.co.uk
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