Boston, par., mun. and parl. bor., and seaport town, S. Lincolnshire, on river Witham, 30 miles SE. of Lincoln and 107 miles NE. of London by rail -- par., 2801 ac., pop. 14,937; mun. bor., 2664 ac., pop. 14,941; parl. bor., 8872 ac., pop. 18,873; 4 Banks, 4 newspapers. Market-days, Wednesday and Saturday. Its early name was St Botolph's town. The church of St Botolph is a Gothic structure, with tower 282 ft. high. The shipping of B. had for a long time fallen off from the silting up of the harb. with sand; but, in 1881, a new channel was constructed, which has brought the port within 3 miles of the sea. There is also a new dock, covering 7 ac. (For shipping statistics, see Appendix.) Grain is largely exported, and the mfr. of sailcloth, leather, and ropes is carried on. Fox, the martyrologist (1517-87), was a native. The bor. returns 1 member to Parl.

(John Bartholomew, Gazetteer of the British Isles (1887))