The Papestry is back in Lincoln — with no closing date

beehiveweb.co.uk editorial team 2026-08-14 19:34 3 min read

A man in a green suit crouches before a long, detailed architectural sketch of buildings.

Lincoln visitors can once again see The Papestry, Matthew D. Wright’s nearly six-metre pen drawing of Bailgate and Steep Hill. Lincolnshire County Council confirmed on 14 August 2026 that the work is now permanently displayed in Gallery Two on the ground floor of the Usher Gallery.

The exhibition is open to the general public during the gallery’s usual hours: Thursday to Monday, from 10am to 4pm. The council’s announcement does not specify an admission price or booking requirement.

Plan a visit to The Papestry

Visit detail	Confirmed information
Venue	Usher Gallery, Lincoln
Gallery location	Gallery Two, ground floor
Opening days	Thursday to Monday
Opening time	10am to 4pm
Display period	Permanent
Price and booking	Not stated in the council announcement

No closing date has been announced because the drawing has been acquired by Lincolnshire County Council as a permanent part of the gallery display. Visitors should note that the supplied information gives Lincoln as the venue location but does not provide transport, parking or accessibility guidance.

A six-metre view of Bailgate and Steep Hill

The continuous drawing records the buildings and character of two of Lincoln’s best-known historic areas in extensive pen detail. Wright described the work as a time capsule: a snapshot of Bailgate at a point when the area continues to change.

Its return follows a heavily attended temporary exhibition during June and July. The council recorded 7,042 visitors, with queues forming outside the Usher Gallery during the final days as people arrived for another look before the initial run ended.

The Papestry is back in Lincoln — with no closing date

Wright said he was overwhelmed by the response and pleased that the drawing could remain available in the city’s art gallery. The permanent placement means residents who missed the temporary exhibition—and those who want to study its detail again—now have another opportunity to see it during regular opening hours.

The Lincoln views displayed beside it

The Papestry now hangs with three earlier artistic perspectives of the city. These are LS Lowry’s Lincoln from 1959, William Logsdail’s Lincoln Cathedral, Exchequer Gate and Castle Square from 1904, and Peter DeWint’s Lincoln from the South with Bargate from 1824.

That arrangement places Wright’s contemporary street-level record beside works spanning more than a century of Lincoln imagery. Visitors can compare how artists depicted the city’s architecture and skyline at different moments, using only the works assembled in Gallery Two.

Councillor Natalie Oliver, Lincolnshire County Council’s executive member for children’s services and culture, said the response showed how strongly the drawing had connected with residents and visitors. The immediate next step for anyone planning to see it is to visit the Usher Gallery between 10am and 4pm on any opening day from Thursday to Monday; admission and booking details were not included in the announcement.

Source: Lincolnshire County Council

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The venue, permanent-display status, opening hours and attendance figure were checked against information published by Lincolnshire County Council.

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Confirmed that The Papestry is permanently displayed in Gallery Two on the Usher Gallery’s...
Confirmed opening hours of 10am to 4pm from Thursday to Monday.
Confirmed that 7,042 people attended the earlier June and July exhibition.
Noted that admission price, booking, transport and accessibility details were not supplied...

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