Me again! We're well and truly into Autumn. The nights are drawing in, there's a chill in the air and is that a hound I hear baying on the moors? Either way, it's inexplicably October, officially spooky season and certainly as good a time as any to be out and about and exploring pubs, both near and far. I had hoped to have gotten another excursion squeezed in before now but the last month or so has been fairly chaotic as Amy and I finally bought a house and are now moved in and settled. As a result, September came and went in a blur but, now that things are more or less back into some semblance of a routine, it's business as usual.
I found myself back in Lincolnshire earlier this week, hoping to repeat the success of my last foray into this area, by exploring a town that had piqued my interest ostensibly because I knew very little about it before my trip. Apart from some knowledge of a prominent local landmark, more on which later, I had thrived in a state of blissful ignorance about my chosen destination and it seemed time to educate myself. The town of Boston was to be my stop.
Boston is a market town and inland port in the borough of the same name in the county of Lincolnshire, England.
Boston is the administrative centre of the wider Borough of Boston local government district. The town had a population of 45,339 at the 2021 census, while the borough had an estimated population of 66,900 at the ONS mid-2015 estimates.
Boston's most notable landmark is St Botolph's Church, colloquially referred to as 'The Stump', the largest parish church in England, which is visible from miles away across the flat lands of Lincolnshire. Residents of Boston are known as Bostonians. Emigrants from Boston named several other settlements around the world after the town, most notably Boston, Massachusetts, then a colony and now part of the United States.
The name Boston is said to be a contraction of "Saint Botolph's town", "stone" or "tun" (Old English, Old Norse and modern Norwegian for a hamlet or farm; hence the Latin villa Sancti Botulfi "St. Botulf's village"). The name Botulfeston appears in 1460, with an alias "Boston".
The town was once said to have been a Roman settlement, but no evidence shows this to be the case. Similarly, it is often linked to the monastery established by the Saxon monk Botolph at "Icanhoe" on the Witham in AD 654 and destroyed by the Vikings in 870, but this is doubted by modern historians. The early medieval geography of The Fens was much more fluid than it is today, and at that time, the Witham did not flow near the site of Boston. Botolph's establishment is most likely to have been in Suffolk. However, he was a popular missionary and saint to whom many churches between Yorkshire and Sussex are dedicated.
The 1086 Domesday Book does not mention Boston by name, but nearby settlements of the tenant-in-chief Count Alan Rufus of Brittany are covered. Its present territory was probably then part of the grant of Skirbeck, part of the very wealthy manor of Drayton, which before 1066 had been owned by Ralph the Staller, Edward the Confessor's Earl of East Anglia. Skirbeck had two churches and one is likely to have been that dedicated to St Botolph, in what was consequently Botolph's town. Skirbeck is now considered part of Boston, but the name remains, as a church parish and an electoral ward.
The order of importance was the other way round, when the Boston quarter of Skirbeck developed at the head of the Haven, which lies under the present Market Place. At that stage, The Haven was the tidal part of the stream, now represented by the Stone Bridge Drain, which carried the water from the East and West Fens. The line of the road through Wide Bargate, to A52 and A16, is likely to have developed on its marine silt levees. It led, as it does now, to the relatively high ground at Sibsey, and thence to Lindsey.
The reason for the original development of the town, away from the centre of Skirbeck, was that Boston lay on the point where navigable tidal water was alongside the land route, which used the Devensian terminal moraine ridge at Sibsey, between the upland of East Lindsey and the three routes to the south of Boston:
- The coastal route, on the marine silts, crossed the mouth of Bicker Haven towards Spalding.
- The Sleaford route, into Kesteven, passed via Swineshead, thence following the old course of the River Slea, on its marine silt levee.
- The Salters' Way route into Kesteven, left Holland from Donington. This route was much more thoroughly developed, in the later Medieval period, by Bridge End Priory.
The River Witham seems to have joined The Haven after the flood of September 1014, having abandoned the port of Drayton, on what subsequently became known as Bicker Haven. The predecessor of Ralph the Staller owned most of both Skirbeck and Drayton, so it was a relatively simple task to transfer his business from Drayton, but Domesday Book in 1086 still records his source of income in Boston under the heading of Drayton, so Boston's name is not mentioned. The Town Bridge still maintains the preflood route, along the old Haven bank.
After the Norman conquest, Ralph the Staller's property was taken over by Count Alan. It subsequently came to be attached to the Earldom of Richmond, North Yorkshire, and known as the Richmond Fee. It lay on the left bank of The Haven.
During the 11th and 12th centuries, Boston grew into a notable town and port. In 1204, King John vested sole control over the town in his bailiff. That year or the next, he levied a "fifteenth" tax (quinzieme) of 6.67% on the moveable goods of merchants in the ports of England: the merchants of Boston paid £780, the highest in the kingdom after London's £836. Thus, by the opening of the 13th century, Boston was already significant in trade with the continent of Europe and ranked as a port of the Hanseatic League. In the thirteenth century it was said to be the second port in the country. Edward III named it a staple port for the wool trade in 1369. Apart from wool, Boston also exported salt, produced locally on the Holland coast, grain, produced up-river, and lead, produced in Derbyshire and brought via Lincoln, up-river.
A quarrel between the local and foreign merchants led to the withdrawal of the Hansards around 1470. Around the same time, the decline of the local guilds and shift towards domestic weaving of English wool (conducted in other areas of the country) led to a near-complete collapse of the town's foreign trade. The silting of the Haven only furthered the town's decline.
At the Dissolution of the Monasteries by Henry VIII during the English Reformation, Boston's Dominican, Franciscan, Carmelite, and Augustinian friaries—erected during the boom years of the 13th and 14th centuries—were all expropriated. The refectory of the Dominican friary was eventually converted into a theatre in 1965 and now houses the Blackfriars Arts Centre.
Henry VIII granted the town its charter in 1545 and Boston had two Members of Parliament from 1552.
The staple trade made Boston a centre of intellectual influence from the Continent, including the teachings of John Calvin that became known as Calvinism. This, in turn, revolutionised the Christian beliefs and practices of many Bostonians and residents of the neighbouring shires of England. In 1607, a group of pilgrims from Nottinghamshire led by William Brewster and William Bradford attempted to escape pressure to conform with the teaching of the English church by going to the Netherlands from Boston. At that time, unsanctioned emigration was illegal, and they were brought before the court in the Guildhall. Most of the pilgrims were released fairly soon, and the following year, set sail for the Netherlands, settling in Leiden. In 1620, several of these were among the group who moved to New England in the Mayflower.
Boston remained a hotbed of religious dissent. In 1612, John Cotton became the Vicar of St Botolph's and, although viewed askance by the Church of England for his nonconformist preaching, became responsible for a large increase in Church attendance. He encouraged those who disliked the lack of religious freedom in England to join the Massachusetts Bay Company, and later helped to found the city of Boston, Massachusetts, which he was instrumental in naming. Unable to tolerate the religious situation any longer, he eventually emigrated himself in 1633.
At the same time, work on draining the fens to the west of Boston was begun, a scheme which displeased many whose livelihoods were at risk. (One of the sources of livelihood obtained from the fen was fowling, supplying ducks and geese for meat and in addition the processing of their feathers and down for use in mattresses and pillows. Until 2018, the feathery aspect of this was still reflected in the presence of the local bedding company named Fogarty.) This and the religious friction put Boston into the parliamentarian camp in the Civil War, which in England began in 1642. The chief backer of the drainage locally, Lord Lindsey, was shot in the first battle and the fens returned to their accustomed dampness until after 1750.
The later 18th century saw a revival when the Fens began to be effectively drained. The Act of Parliament permitting the embanking and straightening of the fenland Witham was dated 1762. A sluice, called for in the act, was designed to help scour out The Haven. The land proved to be fertile, and Boston began exporting cereals to London. In 1774, the first financial bank was opened, and in 1776, an act of Parliament allowed watchmen to begin patrolling the streets at night.
In the 19th century, the names of Howden, a firm located near the Grand Sluice, and Tuxford, near the Maud Foster Sluice, were respected among engineers for their steam road locomotives, threshing engines, and the like. Howden developed his business from making steam engines for river boats, while Tuxford began as a miller and millwright. His mill was once prominent near Skirbeck Church, just to the east of the Maud Foster Drain.
The railway reached the town in 1848, and it was briefly on the main line from London to the north. The area between the Black Sluice and the railway station was mainly railway yard and the railway company's main depot. The latter facility moved to Doncaster when the modern main line was opened. Boston remained something of a local railway hub well into the 20th century, moving the produce of the district and the trade of the dock, plus the excursion trade to Skegness.
Boston once again became a significant port in trade and fishing in 1884, when the new dock with its associated wharves on The Haven were constructed. It continued as a working port, exporting grain, fertiliser, and importing timber, although much of the fishing trade was moved out in the interwar period.
At the beginning of the First World War, a number of the town's trawlermen, together with some from Grimsby, were taken prisoner after their ships were sunk by German raiders in the North Sea. Their families did not know what had happened to them until late September 1914. The men were taken to Sennelager camp, then on to Ruhleben POW camp, where most remained until repatriated in 1918. A full report of their homecoming is in the Lincolnshire Standard newspaper, January 1918. During the war the port was used by hospital ships and some 4,000 sick or wounded troops passed through Boston. The town was bombed by a Zeppelin on 2 September 1916, injuring three adults and killing a child.
The first cinema opened in 1910, and in 1913, a new town bridge was constructed. Central Park was purchased in 1919, and is now one of the focal points of the town. Electricity came to Boston during the early part of the century, and electrical street lighting was provided from 1924.
During the Second World War, 17 residents of the borough were killed by enemy air raids. A memorial in Boston Cemetery commemorates them.
The Haven Bridge, which now carries the two trunk roads over the river, was opened in 1966, and a new dual carriageway, John Adams Way, was built in 1976–8 to take traffic away from the town centre. A shopping centre, named the Pescod Centre, opened in 2004, bringing many new shops into the town.
On paper, it was hard to know what to expect from Boston's pub scene. I had misgivings that it might be very hit and miss but there was really only one way to find out. For a change, I had chosen a location that is relatively easy to get to and well served by direct trains. I was on a tight timetable on the day in question and so had planned to arrive in the town close to mid-morning. Just over 90 minutes after leaving Nottingham, I was pulling into Boston station. There's something quite atmospheric about travelling through the fens by train, and a strange sense of liminality as hills and dales give way to flatness as far as the eye can see. I did enjoy the advantage of seeing a couple of Lincolnshire's railside landmarks, specifically, the hulking skeleton of the huge, defunct Bass maltings at Sleaford, and Heckington's windmill with its 8 majestic sails. What I'd really come here for was the pubs. The day of my trip was an unsettled, but not cold, Wednesday and I stepped from the train with equal parts determination and curiosity as my abiding emotions. Whilst the majority of my itinerary would involve pubs in and around the town centre, I had decided to begin my explorations in the suburbs, something which would involve a walk of half an hour in order to reach my first stop.
Leaving Boston station, I turned right onto Sleaford Road. I followed this for quite some time, marvelling at the strange combination of houses, some of which were large and clearly quite expensive whilst, on the same road, were boarded up and derelict bungalows. One had a horse statue in the front garden. Upon reaching the end of the road, I turned left onto Wyberton High Bridge, a not particularly high bridge that carried the road over the canal. I followed this road on, past a retail park and small shopping centre, until I reached a roundabout. I was now in the area of Wyberton Fen, where my first two stops are located. It was time to get stuck in. Immediately on the right, adjacent to the roundabout, you will find the Hammer & Pincers.
This community centred and family run pub is listed in the 2024 Good Beer Guide. Inside, there are two rooms, a lounge bar to the right and a larger public bar to the left. Beyond the lounge is a conservatory. Outside seating is abundant to the front, with a smaller area to one side and a children's play area to the rear. I entered the building, thought about turning right but then went left into the public bar, confusing the member of staff on duty in the process. The two areas are served from the same central bar. The decor gives the pub a 1970s feel, with carpet throughout, scrubbed wooden furniture, a pool table, two dartboards and a space for live music. Newspaper racks hold copies of the S*n and Daily Fail, perhaps reflective of a town that voted heavily in favour of Brexit and voted for Reform at the most recent election. A bay window protrudes from the far end of the room. High stools can be found at the bar and at a couple of tables inside the window. The overall space is quite large and spacious. A door to one side leads to a corridor where the toilets, and access to the garden, can be found. I was initially unsure that I was in the right place but the sight of two handpulls on the bar reassured me. Whilst the staff seemed confused as to why I was there, the pub had opened at 9.30 and it was now 10.45 so I wasn't intruding. At any rate, they were polite enough. My beer choices here were between Sharp's Doom Bar and Fuller's London Pride, the latter of which I settled on for £2.25 a half. I utilised one of the high stools inside the bay window, soaked up my surroundings and enjoyed the 70s rock tunes playing over the speakers. The Hammer & Pincers had certainly been an interesting place to begin. A lot of effort has been put into adding some unique touches, with bonsai trees in the gents an interesting addition and this elevates it above other such venues. Unfortunately, the beer wasn't as good as it could have been. It tasted ok but failed to clear, a sure sign that the barrel is coming to an end or the beer has been on for too long. For a GBG listed pub, this was a shame and, yes, I could have said something but, for the sake of a half and knowing I wouldn't be returning, it didn't seem worth it. I was hoping for better luck at the next venue.
Given the half an hour walk to get here, it was somewhat of a relief that my next stop was directly over the road. Pub number 2 on the trip was The Chain Bridge.
The Chain Bridge is a purpose built, food-led Marston's pub that opened in 2016 and primarily serves the nearby shopping centre with a heavy emphasis on meals. However, the casual drinker is also welcome. Anyone that's ever been in a 'new' Marston's pub knows exactly what to expect from the decor. A long bar, opposite the entrance, curves around the room. The layout is divided into sections by the creative use of partitions and pillars, resulting in several distinct areas, all laid out for dining. The general aesthetic is modern, contemporary and bright with darker shades and a mix of scrubbed wooden furniture and upholstered booths. A pair of handpumps grace the bar here too, unsurprisingly showcasing beers from Marston's portfolio. On this occasion, the options were Wainwright Gold and Pedigree. When I entered, it was approximately two minutes after the pub had opened and the member of staff on duty was busy laying out bar mats. I'm nothing if not patient and within a minute or so I'd been served. I went for the Wainwright Gold, priced at £2.45 for a half, and found a table behind a pillar where I could enjoy it. The beer was well kept, if a touch warmer than the optimum temperature, and went down very well. I often have mixed feelings about Marston's but their pub's are always welcoming and, in most cases, they can at least look after their beer.
Two pubs in and it was a case of 'so far, so mediocre'. However, I was confident that things would improve as the day went on. Having finished at The Chain Bridge, I now had to retrace my route back to Sleaford Road for the slog back to the town centre. The return journey did at least seem to take less time and, as the spire of the Boston Stump grew closer, I was in good spirits. Reaching the point at which I had exited the train station earlier, I this time carried on, crossing the tracks and heading in the direction of the town centre. At this point Sleaford Road reaches a junction with West Street and the main A52. Continuing directly on sends you down the West Street branch and, just as this road begins, a pub sits on the corner: The Eagle.
Part of the Castle Rock chain, this Good Beer Guide 2024 listed pub is known as THE real ale pub of Boston. I think you'll find I'll be the judge of that. I must confess that I did nearly miss the pub entirely as its hanging sign is currently missing. However, no harm done, I had arrived and made my way inside. The Eagle is a two roomed L-shaped pub, with a small, cosy lounge to one side and larger, more square public bar to the other side. Both areas are served by a central bar, which features 10 handpulls divided into 2 sections. Seating takes the form of low tables and chairs, photos and pump clips adorn the walls and posters for upcoming events, many in the name of charity, are prominently displayed. Upon entering, I instinctively went left, into the larger room, which was empty but would at least afford me plenty of space and privacy. This being a Castle Rock pub (go team!), it's no surprise that the beers on offer are mostly from that brewery although there are a couple of guests accompanying them. On the day, the following Castle Rock beers were present: Sundown, Screech Owl (doubled up), Preservation (doubled up), Our House and Harvest Pale (doubled up). The guest slots were filled by Harvey's Sisters and 8 Sail Millwright Mild. As much as I was tempted by the presence of an 8 Sail beer, I wasn't in the mood for a mild at that point in time so went for the Sundown (4.3%), a recent special (£1.75 a half). Sundown is a pale ale, hopped with Citra and Cascade, meaning citrus and tropical aromas alongside floral and pine notes. It's a very refreshing beer indeed and certainly quenched my thirst after my long walk back. I found the Eagle a relaxing place for a beer, although I never managed to find the toilet. A mystery for another day!
Leaving the Eagle, I turned right and continued down West Street which then becomes High Street. Continuing on, I soon came upon Town Bridge, which spans the River Witham and leads to Market Place. Shortly before reaching the bridgehead, I turned left and found the imposing frontage of my next destination: the White Hart Hotel.
There has been a structure on the site of the White Hart since the 1200s, although the current facade is late Victorian. The earliest record of an inn here dates from the late 1700s when it was called The Unicorn, at a time of a great economic boom for Boston as a whole. The current name of the building dates from 1804 when the town centre was remodelled and a replacement bridge was built, leading to a subsequent reconstruction and renaming of the building. Whilst the White Hart functions primarily as a hotel, it also welcomes drinkers and diners. There are several entrances to the building, with one on the left leading to the Courtyard Bar. This is the direction in which I now steered myself. A former coachway, now covered, provides the entrance to this area. Inside, a long bar stretches down the side of a large main room, with sofas and comfortable chairs at one end. Beyond this, to the right, is a restaurant style space, laid out for dining. The toilets can be found in this area too. The decor is light and modern and was suitably festive for the time of year with Halloween decorations in abundance. A fine, reflective ceiling above the bar contrasts with bright but subtle lighting. Amongst the cocktail menus and extravagantly balanced wine bottles, you will find three handpulls on the bar. After enquiring with a member of staff whether casual drinkers were allowed (an affirmative yes), I made my way to the bar and perused my options, which consisted of two beers from Bateman's in the form of XB and 5G and a house beer, Coachman's Wheel, brewed by St. Austell for the White Hart and other hotels within its parent chain. It seemed rude not to partake in a Bateman's beer so I went for the 5G (£2.20 a half) and moved to a small table directly opposite the bar. The lunchtime rush was slowly building and there were several customers already seated throughout, either studying menus or enjoying hot drinks. This is a very relaxing and comfortable place to spend some time and I certainly enjoyed a few minutes soaking up the ambience of the place. The modern interior is a stark contrast to the age of the building but helps to give it a more homely feel. Plus, the beer is bloody brilliant! Bateman's 5G (4.2%) is billed as a session IPA. Brewed with Fuggles, Harlequin and Olicana, it's smooth and biscuity with aromas of peach, pineapple, mango and passionfruit. More than that, it's a delight. In and amongst the citrus and tropical notes is a real depth of flavour that I didn't get from another beer all afternoon. It is an absolute winner. I could easily have stayed for another if I didn't have to be getting on.
Leaving the comfortable confines of the White Hart behind me, I crossed over the nearby bridge into Market Place. Needing a quick break for lunch, I made the most of the opportunity to explore the nearby churchyard, marvelling close up at the sheer scale of St. Botolph's Church A.K.A., the Boston Stump. At just under 267 feet in height, it's the tallest parish church in England to its roof. The tower can be seen for miles and stands out spectacularly against the surrounding flat countryside of the fens. Such is its scale, before the draining of the fens, fishermen would use the tower as a landmark and it is believed that the tower was lit internally at night to act as a lighthouse. Even today, on a clear day, the tower can be seen from as far away as Norfolk. More recently, it's also been identified as being a possible identity for a UFO picked up on radar by local airbases during a wave of alleged sightings in 1996. The churchyard itself also contains memorial stones to local residents who set sail for the new world and ultimately founded the namesake settle of Boston in Massachusetts. Lunch eaten and church grounds explored, it was back to the pubs. Sitting just on the edge of the Market Place is the Stump & Candle.
Managed by Stonegate, as part of its Craft Union arm, the Stump & Candle has recently had a complete refurbishment, which has somehow contrived to make the building less attractive and inviting. A purely wet-led pub, the layout is relatively straightforward. Upon entering, a curved bar sits opposite the main door. Seating is arranged immediately opposite the bar and around the perimeter of the main area with a smaller area to the back. Furniture takes the form of wooden tables and chairs, as well as banquette seating. There are TVs throughout as well as a dartboard and fruit machine. The lighting is subdued. When I entered the Stump & Candle, I was immediately struck by two things. The pub was the warmest place on earth and I was the youngest person in the building by a comfortable 20 years. However, not to be deterred, I turned my attention to the bar where 1 of the pair of handpulls was being utilised. In lieu of a pump clip, a cardboard sign informed me that the available beer was Ringwood Fortyniner, which I duly ordered for the very reasonable price of £1.65 for a half. I retreated to the back of the room, opposite another gentleman who was content to be by himself. The pub was moderately busy but the rest of the clientele were congregated in the front part of the pub, with some of them playing cards. A glance through the drinks menu confirmed that it's not just the ale that's cheap here. £3.70 for a large wine?? What madness is this?! As much as this sort of pub isn't my first choice in general, I can see the appeal of somewhere that can afford to price things like that. Besides which, the beer wasn't half bad. I've certainly had worse and that was just earlier in the day. With those sorts of prices, I was almost considering staying longer but the place was like a furnace so on I went.
It took me a couple of attempts to find my next location and it turned out that I'd already been fairly close to it. Directly in the shadow of the Stump, I eventually found the Church Keys Wine Bar.
One of the oldest buildings still standing in Boston, the Church Keys sits virtually on the bank on the River Witham and its proximity to the river has given it its characteristic lean. Believed to date from around 1520, the Church Keys takes its name from a time when the keys to the church were kept at the site. In previous years, the building has had many uses including a Thai restaurant a photography studio and an antiquities shop. In 2013, the building was devastated after the river burst its banks, leaving the area around the Stump under four feet of water, leading to a significant and long winded rebuild. The character of this unique building has certainly been maintained. Stepping through its doors is like stepping back in time. Lots of original features, from beams to whitewashed walls remain. There are a number of rooms inside, of various sizes but all decked out with a combination of comfy high back chairs or wooden furniture. Bric-a-brac and various artefacts can be found throughout. Of course, most importantly, there is a bar. In the front most room, a small bar space occupies one wall. Whilst specialising in wines and 'craft' lagers, one handpump is present (an apparently recent return according to the local CAMRA branch). On the occasion of my visit, this was offering Bateman's XB so that was to be my choice. I took this into one of the other rooms, which felt for all the world like I was in someone's living room. At 3.7%, this is a classic pale ale with fruity and spicy notes from Golding and Challenger hops. It was worth the £1.70 I paid for a half. The Church Keys is quirky and atmospheric place but one senses a dark side. Justifiably so, if the stories are true. Sarah Preston, a local woman, is believed to haunt here. She was accused, rightly or wrongly, of bringing the Black Death into the town and was persecuted so harshly that, to end her own suffering, she flung herself from the church tower to her death. Depending on who you believe, she was clutching her infant child at the time. Regardless, Sarah's screams, in particular her cries of the word 'pestilence' are heard echoing around the church, and within the bar, to this day. The current owner has also reported strange activity taking place during restoration work, not an uncommon claim in general. There's certainly the hint of something dark and tragic lurking in the corners of this place.
Leaving my riverside berth, I would now move on to my next destination. Heading back through the churchyard, I made my way around the church, parallel to the river and left the churchyard via Wormgate, a cobbled medieval street, halfway down which can be found Goodbarns Yard.
This 630 year old pub is listed in the 2024 Good Beer Guide. Inside, the front door leads directly to a T-shaped bar. Wooden beams and exposed brickwork dominate throughout. Furniture, in the form of traditional wooden tables and chairs, occupies the perimeter of the front room. To the rear is a restaurant area, separated by a dividing wall and snug. Goodbarns Yard was by far the busiest of the pubs I visited on the day but was by no means full. I walked up to the bar to find it unmanned but this did give me time to look at my options. Of the 6 handpulls, 4 were in use, featuring doubles of Timothy Taylor Landlord and Adnams Ghost Ship respectively. A member of bar staff soon emerged from the restaurant and I chose the Ghost Ship (£2.30 a half) before moving to an adjacent table. Goodbarns Yard clearly has a lot going for it. Notwithstanding the warm welcome and the excellent drop of Ghost Ship, the fact that the pub was so busy on a Wednesday afternoon speaks volumes. I felt comfortable, relaxed and grateful that I'd made the effort to find this place, especially given the mixed bag of pubs so far. I truly could have stayed here all afternoon. The warmth and friendliness of the staff. The smell of the food. The great beer. It all combined to leave me with a soft, fuzzy feeling inside.
I was into the home straight now, which would include a bit more walking after the relative ease of the middle section. Just as I left Goodbarns Yard, the heavens opened. Thankfully, I'd come prepared and, one swiftly donned raincoat later, I was off again. Heading down Fountain Lane, I emerged on Strait Bargate which, a few yards further on, becomes Wide Bargate. Navigating a traffic island, I took a slight left onto Horncastle Road. Just up ahead, on the left hand side, I located The Kings Arms.
Built in the mid-18th century, this red brick and pantile pub was built for workers digging the Maud Foster drain, a fen drainage route that runs down the middle of the road outside. Now owned by Bateman's, the internal layout has been much altered over the years. Two large but comfortable rooms are served by a round central bar. Seating is around the edge or at the bar itself. To one side, you will find a pool table, fruit machine and jukebox. The dining rooms are both used for functions. The original brick vaulted cellar, where beers are stored on stillage, still remains. An interesting additional feature is the still working windmill, with its unusual five sails, across the drain from the pub and open for visitors. Back inside, and I was given a surprisingly warm welcome. A small group of regulars were sat at the bar when I arrived. Having ordered my beer (half a Bateman's XB, the only beer available, served on 2 of the 6 handpulls, and costing £2.05 for a half) I was asked what I thought about the pub booking in a wake and a birthday party for the same day. My response was that it's a bold move, which failed to raise a smile from the stoic Irish landlord. Instead I scurried away to a table in the corner. The Kings Arms was nothing like I expected. Friendly locals, welcoming staff and a decent serving of XB made this a very nice surprise. I was even wished goodbye, which was nice.
I had two pubs left to go now. Turning right out of the pub, I retraced my route to the traffic junction from earlier but this time, upon reaching Wide Bargate, I turned left onto Pen Street. Following this on for a few yards, I soon saw my penultimate stop: the New Inn.
This is a former Home Ales pub with a mock Tudor exterior. Inside, a single L-shaped bar sits at one end of the main room. A covered conservatory/smoking area is to the rear. The main room features beamed ceilings and a large fireplace. Various photos of both regulars and the local area can be found displayed throughout. My first impression of the New Inn was that it's a bit rough and ready but also the sort of place that does a fine job catering for its regulars. Everybody seemed to know each other and the number of gifts addressed to the landlord and proudly displayed throughout certainly speaks to a level of affection and respect. It's just a same that he appears to be a Man City fan. Still, at least this place serves real ale. The solitary working handpull was offering Doom Bar (£1.90 a half) and, to be fair, it wasn't bad. I drank it whilst seated at a corner table trying to dry off a bit from the rain. It was becoming clear that pubs on the outskirts of Boston weren't the ones that tourists, of a beer variety or otherwise, would be flocking too.
Just as well then, that my final pub of the day would again be on the edge of town, albeit on the southern flank. To get there, I made my way back through the town centre and headed straight down the High Street, which eventually becomes London Road. This took me down along the river, where seabirds lurked in the tidal shallows and where the Black Sluice has mastery over the flow of water to the fens. It's also where boats enter and leave the port along the river Witham. London Road eventually joins the A16 at a roundabout and from here I went left. A short distance away, my last stop appeared like a beacon in the Fenland afternoon. I would wrap things up at the Spirit of Endeavour.
This is a large, modern pub, aimed primarily at families. The inside is large and spacious and very much indicative of the modern pubco style, with sofa style seating and wooden furniture. The bar is relatively large and occupies one end of the main room. Smaller sections can be found to the rear and an adjacent building houses a giant children's soft play area/infection ground zero. The toilets are located towards the rear. After a much needed comfort break, it was time to check out the bar. A trio of handpulls, standing proud, gave me a choice between Doom Bar, Kirkstall Three Swords and Weston's Rosie's Pig cider. The Kirkstall won the day and I parted with £2.15 for a half. I imbibed this at a nearby table, whilst pondering what I'd achieved and how my day had played out. The Three Swords (4.5%) was a suitable beer to finish on. This is an extra pale ale with three American hop varieties, resulting in clean and refreshing citrus flavours and a crisp finish. Before I knew it, it was gone and it was time for me to go too.
My 25 minute walk back to the train station helped me to get my thoughts in order and figure out what my overall opinion of Boston was. I was also able to hone in on my one major regret: that I wasn't able to visit the Good Beer Guide listed Carpenters Arms as it opened after my return train was due to depart. I was on a fairly tight schedule so couldn't afford to wait around. All in all, I think my initial fears about Boston were accurate. Hit-and-miss is probably as good a term as any to describe the beer scene in this area. Whilst there are a couple of genuine standouts, the alternatives are a mass of chain pubs with an, at best, unreliable and, at worst, indifferent attitude to cask beer. That's not to say that all hope is lost. The pubs that are worth visiting are doing things well and their neighbours would do well to learn from them. Boston as a destination has enough quirks and history to make things interesting but, as a beer hotspot, it can be said to be slightly lacking. This doesn't mean it isn't worth a second chance. All the pubs I've featured here do at least serve cask beer in one form or another which certainly puts them above other destinations in that regard. I think, if I'm being honest, Boston could be one to keep an eye on, with the hope that the cask revolution is slowly starting to pick up steam in this corner of Lincolnshire.
Pub of the day: Goodbarns Yard. A standout.
Beer of the day: Bateman's 5G. Just wonderful.
Biggest surprise: Definitely The Kings Arms. A warm welcome, friendly locals and, more importantly, good beer to boot!
