Local Information On South Linco

Holbeach, Long Sutton, Spalding and Sutton Bridge along with Boston and Bourne go to make up the original area of Lincolnshire known as Holland, so named as this large area is mainly under sea level and was drained by Dutch engineers in the 17th century, most of the main areas was marsh land that would flood at high tide.

The majority of inhabitants lived on small Islands which are to-days small market towns. The Dutch retained a big influence especially in Spalding which for many years the Van Geest family was the main employer in the town. Daffodils and Tulips are also grown commercially and this area of Lincolnshire has strong connections with the Dutch bulb trade.

South Holland covers an area of approximately 742 square Kilometres with total a population of around 82'100, borders the borough of Boston to the north, The Wash and the county of Norfolk to the east, the county of Cambridgeshire with Peterborough to the south, the Lincolnshire district of South Kesteven to the west, and the district of North Kesteven to the north-west.

The main industry in South Lincolnshire is agricultural, potatoes from Lincolnshire are famed throughout the United Kingdom, vegetables, are another main crop and South Lincolnshire has a large number of vegetable processing plants plus one of the largest food processing and canning factories in Europe is located between Long Sutton and Sutton Bridge. The bulb trade is also a large industry in South Holland and many visitors come to South Holland to view the Daffodils and Tulip field in the spring, also Spalding Tulip Parade attracts many visitors to see the floats made from tulip heads.

South Holland is a local government district of Lincolnshire. The district council is based in Spalding.

It was formed in 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, as a merger of the Spalding urban district with East Elloe Rural District and Spalding Rural District. All these were previously in the administrative county of Holland.

	Holbeach, Long Sutton, Spalding and Sutton Bridge along with Boston and Bourne go to make up the original area of Lincolnshire known as Holland, so named as this large area is mainly under sea level and was drained by Dutch engineers in the 17th century, most of the main areas was marsh land that would flood at high tide. The majority of inhabitants lived on small Islands which are to-days small market towns. The Dutch retained a big influence especially in Spalding which for many years the Van Geest family was the main employer in the town. Daffodils and Tulips are also grown commercially and this area of Lincolnshire has strong connections with the Dutch bulb trade. South Holland covers an area of approximately 742 square Kilometres with total a population of around 82'100, borders the borough of Boston to the north, The Wash and the county of Norfolk to the east, the county of Cambridgeshire with Peterborough to the south, the Lincolnshire district of South Kesteven to the west, and the district of North Kesteven to the north-west. The main industry in South Lincolnshire is agricultural, potatoes from Lincolnshire are famed throughout the United Kingdom, vegetables, are another main crop and South Lincolnshire has a large number of vegetable processing plants plus one of the largest food processing and canning factories in Europe is located between Long Sutton and Sutton Bridge. The bulb trade is also a large industry in South Holland and many visitors come to South Holland to view the Daffodils and Tulip field in the spring, also Spalding Tulip Parade attracts many visitors to see the floats made from tulip heads. South Holland is a local government district of Lincolnshire. The district council is based in Spalding. It was formed in 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, as a merger of the Spalding urban district with East Elloe Rural District and Spalding Rural District. All these were previously in the administrative county of Holland.

	Spalding on the river Welland is a market town and the administrative centre for South Holland with a population of around 22'000 but this can be a lot more as there a large number of foreign workers in the area. Spalding has for a long time been the centre of the bulb and flower growing industry the Geest family has been one of the most predominate families in processing fruit and vegetables plus in the past they were one of the largest importers of Bananas in the United Kingdom. To day it is now Welland Fresh Foods which employees over 1'000 people in the Spalding Plant and is part of the Icelandic food giant Bakkavör Group. Spalding has many garden centres and nurseries in the surrounding area, it is the centre of a thriving agricultural industry and various vegetable packing plants both in Spalding and its surrounding area. The main vegetables grown locally are root and salad vegetables The vast majority of these are sold to large concerns such as supermarkets, with little being available for local sale. The Fenlands that surround Spalding is mainly silty soil which gives a high yield of vegetables flower and bulb growth, Spalding is home to George Adams the pork butcher known for its Lincolnshire Sausages and pies. Uniq formerly Unigate have a factory in Spalding producing prepared salads. To-day Spalding has developed its town centre and unlike many towns has encouraged its main retail outlets to stay within the town centre with the exception of a small retail mall built on the old Springwood Gardens next to the river Welland. Spalding has a good public Transport connections by road with hourly services to Kings Lynn via Holbeach Long Sutton and Sutton Bridge and to the east it has regular services to Boston and Skegness. Spalding has its own main line Rail Station operated by East Midland Trains connecting Spalding to Skegness via Boston, London Kings Cross via Peterborough and Cambridge, Sheffield Doncaster and Liverpool and Leicester. See East Midland Trains website

	Holbeach is a small fenland market town in the South Holland area of Lincolnshire with a population of around 5'000, situated just 8 miles from Spalding, 20 miles from Kings Lynn 17 miles from Boston, 23 miles from Peterborough. The town centre and main shopping area is the High Street which is the B1515. The Parish of Holbeach is one of the largest parishes by area in England extending from the Wash to the Cambridgeshire boarder the population of Holbeach parish is reckoned to be around 24'000. Holbeach is the home of Welland Power www.wellandpower.net which produces diesel electric generators and exports them to every single corner of the world. Taylors Bulbs www.taylors-bulbs.com based in Holbeach farm 317 acres of daffodils; and 1860 acres of other crops include vegetables, cereals, potatoes and sugar beet. Taylors are one of the largest bulb companies in the country, with their own Dutch purchasing company and sourcing all types of bulbs from around the world, all to be packed at their site in Holbeach. Famous people from Holbeach include Geoff Capes the former shot putter and worlds strongest man. Stuart Storey a BBC sports commentator, William Stukley 1687 -1765 pioneered archaeological investigation of Stonehenge and Avebury, Norman Angell Nobel Peace Prize winner in 1933 was also born in Holbeach. The parish of Holbeach has two airfields as such, Fenland Airfield at Holbeach St John is mainly private light aircraft along with a flying school. RAF Holbeach is known as the Wash Bombing Range and is located around 8 miles North-North-East of Holbeach village, approximately an equal distant from Boston and King's Lynn. A regular bus service serves Holbeach which operates between Kings Lynn and Spalding.

	Long Sutton is a small but pretty market town with a total population of around 9'400, situated in South Holland in the south eastern fringes of the county. The Friday Market dates back to the early 13th Century, when the town was a prosperous trading centre, by the 14th Century Long Sutton was said to be one of the richest communities in Lincolnshire. Long Suttons main industry is farming the rich arable land that surrounds this market town, which has always contributed to the prosperity of the area, it is reported that as recently as the 1950s, eleven trains would daily transport passengers and local produce to and from the town. To day Small Holders and Farmers rely on road transport to take their produce to market, although the busy Friday Market and produce auction remain in the towns market place, Long Sutton has many examples of fine Georgian architecture, St Mary's Church, is famous for its 13th Century lead-covered timber spire. This is a similar design as Chesterfield's famous twisted spire but Long Sutton's spire still stands straight and true. It is now the highest, oldest and best-preserved lead spire in England and possibly Europe In the spring and through the summer floral displays adorn the streets and buildings in and around the Market Place and in the High Street, the floral arrangements have helped to earn Long Sutton to be named amongst the 'Best Kept Villages' in Lincolnshire, and has again – for the second year running - been named best small town in the East Midlands in Bloom competition. Long Sutton enjoys a regular and frequent bus service between Kings Lynn and Spalding plus a local service from Long Sutton to Wisbech in Cambridgeshire. The Butterfly and Wildlife Park, voted Lincolnshire's Family Attraction of the Year by the Good Britain Guide, is home to hundreds of butterflies, birds of prey and reptiles, and lies just outside the town. The pubs are the Olde Ship Inn on London Road, the Crown & Woolpack on the High Street, and the Corn Exchange on Market Street.


	Sutton Bridge is on the Norfolk Lincolnshire boarder and home to a small but very busy port that sees tons of cargo arrive in England from the near European continent destined mainly for the midlands industry.