Perched at 36 Steep Hill, LN2 1LU, in Lincoln’s Cathedral Quarter, The Lincoln Imporium is a gift shop built around one of the city’s most recognisable legends. It is home to The Ancient Order of Fabled Imp Catchers, an organisation said to have an 800-year history of capturing wild imps. Inside, you can browse handcrafted imps in different finishes and sizes, including limited releases such as the Cherry Blossom Imp, Spring Imp and Christmas Imp. There is also a one-off Founding Imp, created in October 2024 and not intended to be replicated. Smaller items include a tote bag for £5 and a glass dome for £9, while the shop’s 5-star Google rating is based on roughly 70–88 reviews as of the available information.
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The main activity is The Imp Catcher’s Great Quest, a self-guided trail through the Cathedral Quarter. It costs £13 per person and takes around 45–60 minutes. The pack includes a map and puzzles leading to ten locations, followed by a certificate and a handcrafted Little Imp when you return to the shop. It is designed for all ages, does not require booking or internet access, and gives the shop more to offer than a standard gift-buying stop. There are also Paint Your Own Imp Workshops, Sip & Paint Sessions, and Craft Room Hire in the room above the shop. These activities focus on choosing and decorating an imp, with colours inspired by Lincoln’s historic stonework.
The story behind the products comes from the small medieval Lincoln Imp carved inside Lincoln Cathedral. The figure, which is a grotesque rather than a gargoyle, is about 30 centimetres high and sits in the Angel Choir, built between 1250 and 1280. Local folklore says the Devil sent two imps to cause trouble in the cathedral, until an angel turned one to stone and the other eventually became an imp catcher. The Lincoln Imporium develops that story into its shop, trails and workshops without losing the connection to the city’s architecture and history.
The shop is currently open Wednesday to Sunday, 10:30am–4:30pm, and closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Steep Hill is cobbled and has a gradient of 16.12°, so comfortable shoes are sensible, particularly if you are combining the shop with Lincoln Cathedral, Lincoln Castle or the rest of the Cathedral Quarter. For questions before travelling, the business lists hello@lincolnimporium.co.uk and www.lincolnimporium.co.uk.
Published Date
7 November 2026
