Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county of England - until the local government reorganisation of 1974, it was the second largest after Yorkshire. It borders onto North Lincolnshire, North East Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Peterborough, Rutland, Nottinghamshire and South Yorkshire. The county town is Lincoln.
Mainly agricultural, it stretches from the southern border with Norfolk at the Wash to the Humber in the north where it meets Yorkshire. Thus it is a region of many contrasts, going from flat, marshy land (much of it reclaimed from the sea) via the rolling Lincolnshire Wolds in the middle of the county to another flat low-lying area near the major fishing port of Grimsby.
A reorganisation split off the areas of North Lincolnshire (including Scunthorpe) and North East Lincolnshire (including Grimsby) as separately administered unitary authority areas.
Towns and villages
- Alford
- Billinghay, Boston, Bourne, Brandon, Branston, Burgh le Marsh
- Caistor, Chapel St. Leonards, Coningsby, Croft, Crowland
- Deeping St. James
- Folkingham
- Gainsborough, Grantham
- Heckington, Holbeach, Horncastle
- Ingoldmells
- Leasingham, Lincoln, Long Sutton, Louth
- Mablethorpe, Market Deeping, Market Rasen, Marston, Martin, Metheringham, Lincolnshire, Martin, Horncastle, Lincolnshire
- Normanton
- Pinchbeck
- Rothwell
- Saltfleet, Scopwick, Sibsey, Skegness, Sleaford, Spalding, Spilsby, Stamford, Sutton Bridge
- Woodhall Spa
Places of interest
- Alford Manor House
- Alford Windmill
- Ayscoughfee Hall
- Belton House
- Cogglesford Watermill
- Crowland Abbey
- Doddington Hall
- East Lighthouse, Sutton Bridge - former home of Sir Peter Scott
- Grimsthorpe Castle
- Harlaxton Manor
- Heckington Windmill
- Normanby Hall
- Tolethorpe Hall
- Gibraltar Point
- River Ancholme
- The Wash
Historically, Lincolnshire was divided into three administrative areas:
- Lindsey (north of Lincoln, named after an Anglo-Saxon kingdom);
- Kesteven (south-west of Lincoln);
- Holland (south-east of Lincoln, very similar in character to parts of the Netherlands)
Grimsby was a county borough prior to 1974, and so was a separate administrative unit, but the areas surrounding it, including Cleethorpes were part of Lincolnshire.