The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1921-10-21
BoSton

n " [F lect. Lila iva IS picturesque
+. sketches, rather than beautiful to
the actual view. At low tide lofty mud banks
are disclosed. Along either side Of these are
tall timber piles and stagings In every circuin-
stance Of age or newDess, with lofty wharves and
warehouses of antique or modern appearance.
The hest residential suburb Of Boston is Shir-
beck, which indeed claims to be older than Boston
itself. for while the town is not mentioned in
Domesday Book. Shirbeck finds a place in its
pages.
Always n seaport and thriving on trade with
Russia, with Sweden and Norway and the Baltic,
as well as on its fisheries, Boston has in most OF
its streets and queer old-world lanes a tang OF
the sea. Yet the visitor will see nothing of the
ocean in Boston town unless he cares to ascend
the lofty tower of the parish church. whose Ian
tern stage was built for the purpose not only OF
a landmark when roads scarce existed and when
the fens largely overspread. the land, but also
as a beacon for mariners out at sea and ascending
the winding river channel. 1t has been stated
that Boston steeple can be seen 40 miles out at
sea ard certainly it Is easily visible 20 miles
away on the land. Roads leading from the town
to seashore are few, and the shore Itself when
reached is not attractive.
Why It Has a Foreign Air.
. The curiously foreign air of Boston, like that
Of Kings Lynn, is derived from its trade with
foreign parts and from the merchants OF other
countries who once had houses here, in the times
of it's great commercial prosperity. For Boston
was at one time second only to London rs a port.
That was in the opening years OF the Thirteenth
century. While London and other ports have de-
yeloped, Boston has simply stood still.
There was. however, a period when "decayed"
might well have been applied here. 1t was, curl
ously enough, exactly at the time when the PHI
grim Fathers sought to leave these shores; for IN
1907 the corporation petitioned that their borough
might be put among the decayed towns" Inc
object was TO pScaDp having subsidies, DuC Ine
decay was there. The cause OF decline was the
gradual choking up by mud OF the winding river
channel. Modern docks, cut about 1857 Delow
Shirbeck, have, together with railways, Drought
back prosperity; and there seems no reason TO
doubt but that in the future there Will De q con-
siderable expansion.
Sea borne trade has been shifted below the town
except for quite small vessels. 1t is a pity TO
observe many Of those old warehouses empty,
and soon, no doubt, to be dismantled, for thev
have an architectural distinction which the mod
ern ones wholly lack. Looking at them, we see
another reason, apart from their situation, why
they are no longer desirable. They are buildings
with the small windows that make dark interiors.
The modern warehouses have little wall space
and much window. Secular architecture has, IN
fact, followed on exactly the same lines as eccie-
siastical. for Romanesque developed into Gothic
from few and tiny Norman windows into the vast
and lightsome fenestration OF the Sixteenth cen
tury.
We find this we'll exemplifed in the case OF the
great church OF Boston, that Of st. Botolph's.
whose dedication gave the town It's name Inc
existing church Is largely OF the decorated ana
perpendicular periods OF the Fourteenth ana FIJI
teenth centuries. when windows had already at
tanned a great size.
Boston Church and the "stump."
Boston church entirely dominates the town. as
fhe lofty steeple does the surrounding country.
It is said to be the Largest parish church in Eng
land.' There are several claimants to this Dig
nifty. st. Michael's. Coventry, is, however. the
largest: but st. Botolph's interior certainly con-
yeys the impression of greater size. 1t Is an
amazingly ample and dignifed interior. There
are ancient memorial brasses, a wonderful series
Of sculptured "miserere" seats, a benutitul ia
cobean pulpit of 1920. far more restrained IN style
than commonly to be met with OF that period,
and an efigy Of the lady, Dame Margaret Tilney,
who placed f5 on the foundations OF the great
tower, excavated In 1909.
This tower OF Boston church, so noble. so re-
markable. known in endearing fashion to all Lin
colnshire folk as Boston stump" from Its Singh
larly blunted outline, rises to Il height or 2SS reet.
It seems astounding that the builder should nave
had the confidence to raise SO lofty and heavy q
building upon the banks Of a muddy river chan-
mel. only some 40 feet from its shore; but the
foundations were carried down 80 feet, to q stone
he'd Ave feet below the level Of the river bottom.
For 20 wears the work Of building the tower was
stayed, and then recommended. being finished
without the topmost ~octagonal stage, which was
added at a later period, especially to exhibit a
light for sailors making the haven.
The south chapel, used In the Eighteenth cen
fury and until comparatively recent years as a
fire engine house, was restored by citizens OF bos-
ton in America in honor OF Rev. John Cotton,
who resigned his post as vicar in 1883 and. accom-
panied by many of Boston's most prominent men,
eailod in the Griffin for the newer Boston. It Is
now known as Cotton chapel.
Selling Their Antiquities. b
Boston has never been a good warden OF her
historic buildings and picturesque corners, and
very much has been destroyed. The Guildhail is
! long. low building Of two floors. Built IN red
brick in the Fifteenth century, It was ev'dently
originally Of a religious character. from the great
chmrch-like window still containing some stained
glass. once representing the twelve apostles. The
two narrow cells are survivals Of several made
in 1852 BY order OF the town council. They are
Nv H00K