St Botolph’s Church, Lincoln faces onto Lincoln High Street and was built as a Prebendal church granted by Henry I to the then bishop of Lincoln in the early part of the 12th century. It was second only to the cathedral in size. At that time St Botolph’s was in open country outside the city boundry. When the city was besieged by Parliamentarians in 1644 St Botolph’s was severely damaged and the lead off the roof was used to make bullets. Without the protection of the lead the stone vaulting, exposed to the elements, began to decay and in 1646 a large part of it caved in during Divine Worship. Luckily the congregation, forewarned by small bits of falling masonry, were able to get out of the church before the main part of the roof collapsed. It wasn't until 1721 that the site was cleared and the building of a new church consisiting of a tower (which contains a substantial amount of stone work from the original church), nave, and chancel began. In the 19th century by two aisles were added.
