Bolingbroke, Lincolnshire, England. Further historical information.

BOLINGBROKE, a parish and small town in the west division of the soke of Bolingbroke, parts of Lindsey, in the county of Lincoln, 8 miles to the N. of Boston. Spilsby is its post town. The Great Northern railway passes near it The parish is situated near the head of a rivulet, which falls into the river Witham, and includes the village of New Bolingbroke. It was the site of a fortress erected in the reign of Stephen, by William de Romara, Earl of Lincoln, which was an important military station.

The castle was enlarged in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, and was the scene of several conflicts in the civil war of the 17th century. It was dismantled by order of the parliament, and left to fall into decay. This castle was the birthplace of ((proud Bolingbroke,"" afterwards Henry IV., son of ""old John of Gaunt, time-honoured Lancaster."" The living is a rectory in the diocese of Lincoln, of the value with that of Hareby, of £560 gross, in the patronage of Sir John J. Smith, Bart. The church is dedicated to SS. Peter and Paul. It is an ancient edifice of large dimensions, but the tower and a large part of the church were destroyed during the Civil War. Besides the parish church there is a district church, lately erected at the village of New Bolingbroke, the living of which is a perpetual curacy,* value £100, in the patronage of trustees. There is a chapel belonging to the Wesleyan Methodists, and a small free school, with an endowment of £15 5s. per annum. There are some other charities producing about £11 a year. The market is discontinued, but an annual fair is held on St. Peter's Day.