Though the names Boston and Lincoln are indelibly imprinted in the minds of Americans, the town of Boston in the county of Lincolnshire is far older and more prestigious than anything to come out of the other side of the world. Though its population of sixty thousand residents pales in comparison to the millions of people who call Boston, Massachusetts home, the fact remains that the latter town was in fact named after the former.
Many people dispute the origin of Boston's name but conventional wisdom supposes that the name was derived from the incredibly famous church that is the most popular sight in the town: St. Botolph's Church. This imposing edifice boasts one of the highest towers in all of England and it can be easily seen from nearly anywhere on the flat surrounding land of Lincolnshire. In front of St. Botolph's Church is a large stone that has been there ever since the building was made. The idea is that the town's name arose as a contraction of "Botolph's Stone". Whether this is true or not, the legend has definitely taken root although experts agree that the solution is just too simple to be factual.
Boston is surrounded by several different bodies of water including the River Slea, Bicker Haven, and the River Witham. As such, the town quickly became a highly sought after port town and by the 1200s Boston was an official "staple town" of England due to the large amount of trade that went on between the port and the other nations of Europe. It helped that Boston was privy to some of the most prized commodities at the time. During the 1300s the wool trade was at its peak and Boston shipped a large quantity of wool, earning major income throughout the process. Salt and grains were also very desirable and the town had the corner on that market as well. It was during this time that Boston began to be known around the country as one of the most divisive cities in terms of religious freedom and dissent. Revolts and riots were not uncommon in those days as different sects of Christianity were being persecuted or worse.
One of the most fascinating aspects of Boston, and a particularly interesting one when we remember the comparison with the American city that shares its name, is the fact that the original pilgrims that colonized the New World actually set off from Boston to seek the religious freedom they craved so much. They were caught while trying to reach the Netherlands via Boston and were eventually released and finally made it to their destination. The rest is literally history as the pilgrims then went on to land on Plymouth Rock and Boston was one of the first cities established in what would become the United States. Was it an ironic boast or a true declaration of loyalty? We may never know but the fact remains that the influence of Boston extends far beyond the city limits as a living, breathing testament of the world we now live in.
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