Lincolnshire - Towns and Villages

Towns and Villages

The non-metropolitan county of Lincolnshire is characterised by the absence of any major urban areas, apart from the areas in and around Lincoln and Boston. However, the Skegness, Ingoldmells and Chapel St Leonards areas (and to a lesser extent the Sutton-on-Sea and Mablethorpe areas) along the Lincolnshire Coast are becoming increasingly urbanised as people holiday at large caravan sites during the summer months. These holidaymakers are not reflected in census or local population figures, though it is estimated that during the height of the summer months there are over 100,000 such people residing in these areas along the Lincolnshire Coast. This has an appreciable impact on the local infrastructure and amenities.

The principal settlements and their populations are: Lincoln (85,595), Boston (35,124), Grantham (33,243), Spalding (30,000), Gainsborough (20,110), Skegness (18,910), Stamford (17,492), Louth (17,000), Bourne (11,933), Mablethorpe (11,700), North Hykeham (11,538), Sleaford (10,388), Holbeach (9,448), Deeping St. James (6,923), Market Deeping (6,200), Horncastle (6,090), Waddington (6,086), Long Sutton (5,037), Sutton Bridge (3,936), Ingoldmells (3,888), Saxilby (3,660), Woodhall Spa (3,657), Crowland (3,607), Coningsby (3,238), Market Rasen (3,230), Heckington (3,069), Alford (2,700), Caistor (2,601), and Spilsby (2,336). Other places of interest include Ancaster, Corby Glen, Belmont, Donington, Billingborough, Chapel St Leonards, Sutton-on-Sea, Wainfleet All Saints and Donna Nook. Many of the towns in the county continue to hold a weekly market, a centuries-old tradition reinvigorated recently by the growth of farmers' markets.

Most of the urbanised area of Lincolnshire is on the Humber estuary, where two unitary authorities are located:

• North East Lincolnshire, where the two towns of Great Grimsby (87,574) and Cleethorpes (34,907) have become one large conurbation, and between them have a population of over 120,000: the largest single settlement in the whole of the ceremonial county of Lincolnshire. The next largest town is Immingham (12,200) followed by Scartho (9,380), Waltham (6,425), Humberston (5,375) and New Waltham (4,557)
• North Lincolnshire has the larger area of the two unitary authority areas and it includes Scunthorpe (75,514) (including Bottesford). The next largest town is Barton-upon-Humber (9,334), followed by Brigg (5,076), Winterton (4,729), Crowle (4,090), Epworth (3,734), Kirton in Lindsey (2,964) and Barrow upon Humber (2,745).

For a full list of Lincolnshire towns and villages see the List of places in Lincolnshire page.