Meet Hastings in Lincoln: five-metre dragon, free entry
From the driveway across Lincoln Castle’s lawn, visitors can now look up at a five-metre-tall dragon keeping watch from the roof of the Heritage Skills Centre. Named Hastings, the scaly sculpture is the castle’s third mythical resident and its largest yet.
Lincolnshire County Council published details of the unveiling on 25 August 2026. Hastings is at Lincoln Castle, Castle Hill, Lincoln LN1 3AA, and no closing date has been announced. Entry to the castle grounds is free except on event days, while a castle day ticket or annual pass is required for the full visitor experience. The installation is aimed particularly at families, young explorers and visitors interested in Norman history.
A dragon rooted in Lincoln’s Norman story
Hastings joins the castle’s existing dragons, Lucy and Norman. His name refers to the Battle of Hastings in 1066, while Lincoln Castle was built two years later as William the Conqueror established his rule in England.
The sculpture draws on the mythical creatures depicted throughout the Bayeux Tapestry. Its arrival forms part of “Bayeux Around Britain, supported by WorldQuant”, a nationwide British Museum programme intended to bring the tapestry’s history and significance to audiences around the country.
The programme coincides with the tapestry’s return to the UK for a British Museum exhibition. According to the council’s announcement, this will be its first appearance on UK shores in a millennium.
Kim Vickers, Culture Service Manager at Lincolnshire County Council, said bringing a five-metre dragon into an ancient monument presented practical challenges. She described Hastings as a playful way to introduce visitors to the castle’s origins and the Norman history beneath the site.
Where visitors can get the clearest view
Hastings is positioned on top of the Heritage Skills Centre. The council identifies the driveway on the lawn as the best viewing point, allowing visitors to see the sculpture looking out across the castle grounds.
The dragon will also overlook events hosted at the castle, including the Weekend at the Asylum Steampunk Festival from 28 to 31 August. Visitors planning around an event should remember that the usual free entry to the grounds does not apply on every event day.
Cllr Natalie Oliver, Lincolnshire County Council’s executive member for children’s services and culture, said the dragons have attracted visitors since Lucy arrived at Cobb Hall in 2022. Their popularity has led to the monument being described locally as the “castle of dragons”.
Free grounds access and the ticketed castle experience
Visitors who only want to see Hastings can enter the castle grounds free of charge outside event days. A castle day ticket or annual pass is needed to access the wider paid experience, which includes one of four surviving original copies of the 1215 Magna Carta, the Victorian Prison and views from the medieval walls.
The council’s announcement does not provide a specific daily viewing time, individual ticket prices, transport guidance or accessibility details. Visitors who want the full experience can check current admission arrangements and book a day ticket or annual pass through the official Lincoln Castle website before travelling.
Source: Lincolnshire County Council
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The venue, access conditions, viewing point and historical programme were checked against Lincolnshire County Council’s announcement published on 25 August 2026.
- Confirmed Hastings is a five-metre sculpture positioned on the Heritage Skills Centre.
- Confirmed the recommended viewing point is the driveway on the castle lawn.
- Confirmed grounds entry is free except on event days and that the full experience requires...
- Checked the installation’s connection to the British Museum’s Bayeux Around Britain progra...
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- Lincolnshire County Council
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- Lincoln
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- 2026-08-25 10:11
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