The church in Boston Lincolnshire is called the Boston stump.Why.?

Question

We offten go to Boston.Just wondered why its called the stump.There must be a reason.

Answer 1

The official title of the church is "St Botolph's Church of the Parish of Boston", but it is more commonly known as the "Boston Stump", and more simply by locals "the Stump" ever since it was completed. In what is still a matter of debate, there are a number of believed origins of this nick-name that at first applied to the tower and is now frequently used to describe the whole church. What is certain is the real roots have long since faded from memory.

The first is that the tower took so long to build it resembled a stump during the construction phase. Seventy years was not, however, a particularly long time for a tower of such height to be built. Many similarly tall structures would be built a level at a time over hundreds of years.

Secondly, it was intended to be completed with a spire. This seems unlikely as there has not been a single recorded lantern tower in England that has been topped with a spire.

The third explanation is that it is named after the dramatic appearance it creates rising from the flat fenlands that surround it for miles. Other churches, including Ely Cathedral, also derive nicknames from their appearance when viewed from the fens.

Answer 2

It's because it's the biggest parish church in the country.