BOSTON - ENGLAND |
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Boston, population 54,000 (1996), is a town on
the North Sea coast of England in Lincolnshire which received its
charter in 1545. It is the main town in the borough of Boston. The name
"Boston" is a contraction of "Saint Botolph's Town". Its primary
landmark is The Stump, the parish church with the highest tower in all
of England, visible in the flatlands of Lincolnshire for miles. Boston
is a twin town with Laval, France.
Sites of Interest
Boston is located in the Lincolnshire Fens in what is known as Holland,
named after the Dutch workers who came over in the 17th and 18th Century
to assist in draining the marshy land. It is notable for being one of
the flattest areas in England. Much of the surrounding area of Boston is
farmland, Lincolnshire being one of the centers of the English farming
industry. |
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The magnificent mediaeval Boston parish church, with its high tower,
known locally as the "Boston Stump" can be seen for many miles around
the town. The church was begun in the 14th Century. Archaeological
records indicate that a wooden Norman church existed on the same site.
The Maud Foster Windmill, completed in 1819, is the largest operating
windmill in England after extensive restoration during the 1980s and
early 1990s.
The Guildhall, where the Pilgrim Fathers were put on trial and
imprisoned, was converted into a museum in 1929. The American Room was
opened by the US Ambassador Joseph Kennedy in 1938. The Pilgrim Fathers
Memorial is located in on Frieston Shore a few miles outside of the
town, Frieston Shore is a nature reserve and runs along the River Witham
eventually leading to the North Sea coast. It is from here that the
Pilgrims made their first attempt to escape to Holland.
The Boston May Fair has been held in the town every year since at least
1125. Traditionally this fair is held during the first week of May and
is one of the largest outdoor fairs in the country.
The Prime Meridian line passes directly through Boston, a small street
named Meridian Avenue lies approximately on this line. |
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