Since Lincoln Cathedral is the first major example of English Gothic style (Draper), it is difficult to compare to other works. The building of the cathedral at Lincoln was contemporary with the building of the cathedral at Canterbury, and the two have been compared as possible architectural rivals (Draper).
The interior of the Canterbury Cathedral shares many features with that of the Lincoln Cathedral which are common to Gothic cathedrals, such as ribbed vaults, bay structures, and Corinthian column capitals, but the forms at Lincoln are still quite distinct.
As previously mentioned, one major deviation that the Lincoln Cathedral and subsequent English Gothic buildings made from the earlier French traditions was in the decorative nature of seemingly structural elements (Draper). The ribs on vaults and the interior columns are notable examples of features that appear structural but actually only serve to highlight and define the geometries and proportions used in the design of the cathedral (Draper). Many of the vaulted ceilings in the Lincoln Cathedral resemble other Early Gothic cathedrals. They are very high, symmetrical, and feature decorative ribs. The uniquely asymmetrical vaults over St. Hugh’s Choir showcase the experimental and often playful nature of Early Gothic buildings and their decorative features.
The vaults over the Angel Choir very clearly show the Gothic style of decorative ribs
The decorations inside the cathedral reflect a remarkable attention to detail common in Gothic style. The carved seats in St. Hugh’s Choir feature various scenes, both biblical and not (Kendrick). The Angel Choir is populated with statues of angels filling the spandrels (Kendrick). As with other Gothic buildings, the expanses of stained glass eliminated wall space for frescoes, so the windows themselves became the medium for art instead, as seen in the depictions of saints in the great rose windows over the transept (Bowley).
The undersides of the seats are carved with scenes ranging from the resurrection of Christ to two monkeys, one riding a lion and the other a unicorn (Kendrick).
A common motif which permeates the decorative features of the cathedral is imitations of nature. The large leaves in the pattern of the Bishop’s Eye window and the “stiff-leaf foliage” of the column capitals, which do not appear stiff at all, but are called so because of the stalk rising from the capital (Kendrick), are both examples of this motif in the cathedral decoration.
The repetitive column forms hold an abundance of foliage shapes.
It would be a disservice to the builders to discuss the Lincoln Cathedral without noting its tenure as the tallest building in the world. Although its original height was not its full height, the 60 ft ceilings of the original nave would still appear lofty, although not as elegant as the current vaults, which reach 82 ft (Kendrick). The original building was designed to be very sturdy, with deep foundations and thick walls (Kendrick). The extensions by subsequent builders were not so durable, with the west towers needing to be strengthened by the narthex to keep from leaning (Bowley). The central spire, which brought the building to its full 525 ft height, ended up collapsing entirely, ending the cathedral's reign as tallest building in the world (Bowley).
This model shows how the cathedral would look if its spires remained.