BOSTON, a municipal and parliamentary borough and seaport of Lincolnshire, England, on the river Witham, four miles from its mouth in the Wash, Io7m. N. of London by the L.N.E. railway. Pop. (1931) 16,597. It lies in a flat agricultural district, drained by numerous cuts, some of which are navigable. Boston (Incan hoe, St. Botolph or Botolph's Town) derives its name from St. Botolph, who in 654 founded a monastery here, which was de stroyed by the Danes, 870. Although not mentioned in Domesday, Boston was probably granted as part of Skirbeck to Alan, earl of Brittany. The excellent commercial position of the town at the mouth of the Witham explains its speedy rise into importance. King John by charter granted the bailiff of Boston sole jurisdiction in the town. By the 13th century it was a great commercial centre second only to London in paying £780 for two years to the tax of one-fifteenth levied in 1205. In 1257 a market was granted to the abbot of Crowland and in 1308 to John earl of Brittany. The great annual mart was held before 1218 and attended by many German and other merchants. Edward III. made it a staple port for wool in 1369. The Hanseatic and Flemish merchants largely increased its prosperity, but on the withdrawal of the Hanseatic League about 1470 and the break-up of the gild system Boston's pros perity began to wane, and for some centuries it remained almost without trade. Nevertheless it was raised to the rank of a free borough by the charter of 1546, confirmed in 1573 and i6o8. Two annual fairs and two weekly markets, granted by the 1546 charter, are still held. The Great Mart survives only in the Beast Mart held on Dec. 11. The church of St. Botolph, on an early site, is a Decorated building, one of the largest and finest parish churches in the kingdom. A chapel in it was restored by citizens of Boston (Mass.), U.S.A., in 1857, in memory of the con nection of that city with the English town. The western (mainly Perpendicular) tower, 29oft. high, commonly known as Boston Stump, forms a landmark for 4o miles. There are a I 5th century guildhall ; Shodfriars Hall, a half-timbered house ; the free gram mar-school, founded in 1554, with a fine gateway of wrought iron of the I 7th century brought from St. Botolph's church ; and the Hussey Tower, part of a mansion of the 16th century. In the 18th century the river had silted up so far as to exclude vessels exceed ing about So tons. In 1882-84 a dock some seven acres in extent was constructed, with an entrance lock giving access to the quay sides for vessels of 3 ,000 tons. The bed of the river was deepened to 2 7f t. for three miles below the town, and a new cut of three miles was made from the mouth into deep water. An iron swing bridge connects the dock with the L.N.E. railway. Imports include timber, grain, cotton and linseed, pit-props, granite, sugar and cement; and exports are coal, machinery and manufactured goods. The deep sea and coastal fisheries are important. Engineer ing, oil-cake, tobacco, and the sale of agricultural produce are the principal industries. The parliamentary county of Holland with Boston returns one member. The municipal borough is under a mayor, six aldermen, and 18 councillors. Area 2,727 acres.