Originally founded by Richard Fleming, Bishop of Lincoln, to combat Lollardism, the college has developed into a tight-knit community of around 600 students. Notable alumni include Dr Seuss, John le Carré, John Wesley (whose room is still kept in its original condition) and the Olympic gold medal-winning pentathlete Steph Cook.

Famously, Lincoln's mascot is the Imp, a small statue placed above the entrance to the hall. Replaced in 2001 following years of weather-beating, the original Imp now resides in the college bar (one of the best in Oxford, known as Deep Hall). Other noteworthy masonry includes the new gargoyles lining Turl Street, which depict various notable alumni and donors.

The jewel in Lincoln's crown is its library, housed in All Saints' Church at the corner of Turl Street. One of the most prominently dreamy spires on the Oxford skyline, the college transformed the church in the '70s into one of Oxford's most impressive reading rooms. Members of the public are only permitted into the library on certain tour days during the year, such as the annual Oxford Open Doors, but, as with the rest of the college, it is well worth a look.