US CONNECTIONS

Lincolnshire, on the east coast of England, is home to the ‘original’ Boston. It was here at St Botolph’s Church that Rev John Cotton inspired the mass migration of 1630s. Boston and nearby Gainsborough also played a key part in the early story of the Mayflower Pilgrims. Prior to the Mayflower voyage, John Smith, from Willoughby Lincolnshire, sailed to Jamestown where he met his future wife Pocahontas.

Rich in religious history, the city of Lincoln and surrounding countryside is dominated by the vast presence of its ancient cathedral. In 1215, Lincolnshire man Stephen Langton was the guiding force behind Magna Carta, which can be seen in its protective vault at Lincoln Castle. The region was the childhood home to Methodist leaders John and Charles Wesley.

Known as Bomber County, Lincolnshire, is synonymous with military aviation. During World War II, there were more than 50 active military air elds across the county and every village learned to love the tens of thousands of USAAF and RAF crews living among them. Today, the county’s many museums and heritage sites keep their stories and connections alive. All who contributed to Bomber Command are remembered at the new International Bomber Command Centre, Lincoln.