Long Sutton, Lincolnshire

Long Sutton, is a market town in the South Holland district of Lincolnshire, England. It lies the Lincolnshire Fens, close to the Wash and 13 mi east from Spalding.

History
The Friday market dates back to the early 13th century when the town was a prosperous trading centre. By the mid-14th century, it was considered to be one of the richest communities in Lincolnshire. Within St Mary's Church can be found a memorial inscribed "Alas Poor Bailey". This is in memory of a local surgeon, John Bailey, who was killed by robbers while returning to the town following a visit to a patient in Tydd St Mary. He was attacked just after midnight on 22 April 1795. His murderers were never caught.

Prosperity continued into the 20th century, helped by the arrival of the railways. In the 1950s eleven trains would daily transport passengers and local produce to and from the town.

The town previously had a railway station on the Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway. However, it was closed in 1959 when passenger services were withdrawn from almost the entire M&GN route.

In 1987 a Butterfly Park was opened near Long Sutton. The park was closed in October 2012 after a series of losses and bad weather.

On 21 June 2012, at about 2:30 pm, a tornado hit Long Sutton. Particular damage was caused in Woad Lane with the tornado "leaving a trail of destruction in its wake".

Community
Long Sutton is the terminus of the A1101, the UK's lowest road. It is now bypassed, with Sutton Bridge, by the A17 which follows the former railway. In 2001 the town had a population of 6,461.

Long Sutton has a Friday market and produce auction.

The town has a history of association with antique dealers and shops, because of its location just off the A17 which leads to Newark where the International Antiques & Collectors fair is held annually.

The town is known for floral displays that decorate the town and its churches throughout spring and summer, and was named amongst the best kept villages in Lincolnshire, and for the second year running, has been named best small town in the East Midlands in Bloom competition.

Long Sutton is served by one main local newspaper company, Spaldingtoday, which produces the Spalding Guardian and the Lincolnshire free press.

Premier Foods have a food processing plant, producing Fray Bentos pies.

Facilities and landmarks
Town public houses are the Olde Ship Inn on London Road, the Crown and Woolpack on High Street, and the Corn Exchange and the Granary on Market Street.

Long Sutton County Primary School is located on Dick Turpin Way in the centre of Long Sutton; it has about 400 pupils. The Peele Community College is the local co-educational secondary modern school.

St Mary's Church has a 13th-century lead-covered timber spire. It is of a similar design to Chesterfield's twisted spire but Long Sutton's spire is straight. It is the highest, oldest and best-preserved lead spire in England and possibly Europe. The town has many examples of Georgian architecture.

Sport
The town's football club, Long Sutton Athletic, play in the Peterborough & District League, and have previously played in the Eastern Counties League.

Notable people
The highwayman Dick Turpin lived in Long Sutton for about nine months, under the alias of John Palmer (or Parmen). There is a road in the town named after him.