Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)/Boston (England)

BOSTON, a seaport in Lincolnshire, England, 107 miles N. E. of London. Its name is a contraction of Botolph's town, and it is commonly supposed to occupy the site of the Benedictine Abbey founded on the Witham by St. Botolph in 654, and destroyed in 870 by the Danes. The parish church of St. Botolph measures 283 by 99 feet, and is one of the largest without transepts in England. In 1843 the restoration of the church was commenced, the work continuing 10 years, and over $50,000 being expended. A chapel to the memory of the Rev. Thomas Cotton, at one time Vicar of Boston, was erected at the expense of the inhabitants of the city of Boston, Mass. A promenade by the river is tastefully laid out, with a people's park, public gardens, and recreation ground adjoining. Boston has also a free grammar, charity, national, and other schools, a guildhall, etc. The chief exports are coal, machinery, corn, and wool; and the imports consist of timber, maize, cotton seed, and general merchandise. The river and canals furnish communication with Lincoln and several other towns. Boston is a great market for cattle and sheep, and has manufactures of canvas, sail cloth, ropes, sacking, beer, iron, brass, leather, bricks, whiting and hats, with some shipbuilding. Fox, the martyrologist, and Herbert Ingram, founder of the “Illustrated London News,” to whom a statue was erected in 1862, were natives of Boston. Since the Distribution of Seats Act (1885) Boston returns only one member to Parliament. The town owns extensive docks. Pop. about 17,000.