St. Botolph's Church aka. The Stump

When people ask where I'm from, most people have never heard of Boston in Lincolnshire. Maybe the occasional sports fan has heard of its failing football team, but asside from that, Boston lives up to its status as the most remote town in England. Despite its unpopularity, Boston has a lot to be famous for. For instance, a group of monks in the 1600's were imprisoned in Boston's Guildhall, who were responsible for founding Boston, Massachusetts and New England in the USA.

This leads me onto Boston's most famous landmark, commonly known as the Boston 'Stump'. The building of the church took a total of 176 years between 1309 and 1520. Around this time, Boston's port was the second most important in England so the church was built to show off the prosperity of the town.

The Stump has always been a building I have marvelled at and looks magnificent from a distance and up close. According to numerous sources, 'it has the tallest non-cathedral church tower in the world from the floor to roof (not spire)", which is a hugely impressive status for a building situated in town, who's population is less that the amount of student at Leeds University. The recent addition of orange spotlights give it an eerie presence at night that can be viewed from miles away. Although the public can only climb half way up the huge 272ft tower, the views are spectacular and it is surprising how many people, who have lived in Boston their whole lives have never been up the Stump.

The design of the church is spectacular and the attention to detail inside and out is amazing. This is a reflection on the amount of time taken to build it and an example of stunning medieval craftsmanship. As a youngster, I would always look up at the roof and try and count the number of intricate tiles. Needless to say, this is an impossible task for anyone, but passed the time well during school ceremonies. I find this building truely inspirational as it is not just an outstanding piece of architecture, but a symbol of the town's heritage and pride.