Boston

Boston sits where the River Witham meets the flat, fertile expanse of the Lincolnshire Fens, a few miles inland from The Wash. It grew rich in the medieval period as a wool-trading port, second only to London for a time, and that wealth is still visible in the scale of its parish church and the merchants' houses that line its streets. Today it is a working market town, the hub for the surrounding fen villages and one of the country's most productive agricultural areas, with vast fields of vegetables, salad crops and flowers stretching towards the coast.

The town's skyline is dominated by the tower of St Botolph's Church, known to everyone simply as "the Stump", which was for centuries a landmark for sailors and fen travellers navigating the flat, featureless landscape. Boston's streets carry real history too: this is the town from which a group of Puritan separatists tried to flee to Holland in 1607, were caught and imprisoned, and later went on to become part of the Mayflower voyage that founded Boston, Massachusetts. That link between the two Bostons still draws American visitors keen to see where their city's name began.

Top things to do in Boston

Boston rewards a slow wander, with most of its historic sights within easy walking distance of the Market Place.

• St Botolph's Church (the Stump) — the tallest parish church tower in England without a spire, rising 272 feet above the town. Climb the 209 steps for panoramic views across the Fens and out towards The Wash.
• Boston Guildhall Museum — a Grade I listed medieval hall on South Street where the Pilgrim Fathers were tried and held in 1607 after their failed escape attempt; you can still see the original cells.
• Pilgrim Fathers Memorial — a monument on the bank of the Haven, a few miles from town, marking the spot where the group tried to board their ship before being intercepted.
• Maud Foster Windmill — the tallest working windmill in Britain and the last survivor of the fifteen windmills that once stood in Boston, still milling flour today.
• Boston Market — one of the largest outdoor markets in Lincolnshire, held on the historic Market Place every Wednesday and Saturday, with a monthly Makers & Farmers Market between March and October.
• Fydell House — a fine Queen Anne townhouse with links to early American history, used today as a community and heritage venue near the church.
• Frampton Marsh and Freiston Shore — RSPB nature reserves on the edge of The Wash, a short drive from town, where huge numbers of wading birds and wildfowl gather across the saltmarsh.

Getting to Boston

Boston lies on the A16 and A52, roughly 35 miles south-east of Lincoln and 30 miles north-east of Peterborough, making it an easy detour for anyone travelling between the East Midlands and the Lincolnshire coast. The town has a railway station on the Poacher Line, with regular services connecting to Skegness and, via Sleaford and Grantham, on to Nottingham. There is no direct motorway link, so most visitors arrive by car along the A-road network through the Fens; the drive itself, past dead-straight drainage dykes and huge open skies, is part of the area's appeal.

Best time to visit Boston

Spring and early summer bring the Fens to life, with the surrounding fields turning yellow with tulip and daffodil blooms and the market gardens in full swing. Summer is the most popular season for visiting the nearby coast and nature reserves, with long daylight hours suited to walking or cycling the flat fenland lanes. Autumn draws birdwatchers to Frampton Marsh and Freiston Shore as thousands of migrating waders and geese arrive on the mudflats. Winter is quieter, but the town's historic core and its Christmas market around the Stump have their own charm, and accommodation is easiest to find and best value out of season.

Where to stay in Boston

Boston has a modest but useful range of places to stay, from town-centre hotels and pubs with rooms to bed and breakfasts in the surrounding villages. Its location makes it a practical base for exploring both the Lincolnshire Fens and the coast around Skegness, and prices tend to be lower than at the more tourist-heavy seaside resorts nearby.

Food and drink in Boston

The Market Place and its surrounding streets hold most of the town's cafes, pubs and restaurants. The Moon Under Water and the Ostrich Inn are well-known Wetherspoons and traditional pub options in the centre, while smaller independent cafes around Strait Bait and the Market Place serve the fenland's produce, from locally grown vegetables to fresh fish landed along the coast. Boston's large Eastern European community, drawn by the area's agricultural industry, has also brought a good spread of Polish and Portuguese delis and restaurants to the town, adding an unusual variety to the food scene for a market town of its size.