About our Town
Bourne is a small historic market town in the heart of south Lincolnshire, with a truly unique charm and friendliness. The town is fortunate to be situated in an outstanding location, which is both pretty and idyllic, with an abundance of woodland, water ways, and recreational spaces. This makes way for an attractive setting, in one of the country's largest and most diverse counties.
The town originated from a Roman road, from which it was built upon, and also from the exceptionally fine-quality water supply derived locally from natural springs. The name “Bourne“ is a common name for a settlement and derives from the Anglo-Saxon meaning “water” or “stream”. To this day the ancient water ways and springs are a distinguishing feature of Bourne, and make a pleasant backdrop to this beautiful town.
Amenities in Bourne
At the present time Bourne is a growing market town with many amenities including a leisure centre, outdoor swimming pool, snooker and sports bar, restaurants, gyms, public houses, a fully equipped theatre, and a good range of shops and businesses. The town boasts two outstanding secondary schools, including the reputable Bourne Grammar School and the Robert Manning Technology College. The town also has two established primary schools, which offer top quality education to the younger population of Bourne - the Bourne Abbey Primary School has recently been rated 'outstanding' by ofsted inspectors.
Bourne is blessed with many green open spaces that provide a useful setting for a variety of recreation activities and relaxation. The Abbey Lawns boasts an attractive cricket ground, bowling green, sports field, and a traditional heated outdoor swimming pool, with newly refurbished changing pools and cafe.
Bourne also has an attractive park, with an abundance of trees and water ways, views of pretty countryside and some intriguing historic buildings, including the old stone park keepers cottage, which sits in the heart of park. The park is also home to one of the most ancient sites of artesian water supply in the country - St Peter's Pool. This pool is reputably filled by seven springs and it's from this natural feature that the early settlement of Bourne was first formed. The best time to visit the park is in the spring time when the trees that line the pathways are full with blossom.
One of Bourne's best leisure facilities are the extensive Bourne Woods. Situated on the western outskirts of the town, this ancient woodland is home to a variety of wildlife, including the shy and reclusive fallow deer. There are many paths and tracks for the public to explore, in 400 acres of beautiful woodland - great for exploring by foot or by bike. For public convenience; parking facilities, a picnic area, children's play area, and toilets are provided at the main entrance to the woods from the A151. The best time to visit the woods is early spring when the pretty blue bells are in full bloom - providing an impressive display of blue carpets of flowers. In spring the dog's mercury, wood anemone, yellow archangel and wood sorrel can also be seen in the woods.
If you fancy a complete retrieve from the town, the beautiful Lincolnshire countryside is easily accessible via car or on foot, with many pretty traditional Lincolnshire villages a short distance from Bourne. The unspoiled countryside that surrounds Bourne is steeped in history, and is perfect for discovering a range of historic buildings and features, some of which have existed for hundreds of years. Amongst the many delights of the countryside, you will find a number of traditional country pubs, many of which serve food on a daily basis. Alternatively, near-by Peterborough offers a vast number of amenities, typical of any large city. Some of Peterborough's best facilities include a large shopping centre, showcase cinema, bowling alleys, ice-skating, greyhound racing, and many fast food outlets.
The Town Centre
The unique charm and character of the town centre gives some indication of Bourne's prosperous past, with a diverse range of attractive architecture to be seen, most notably, the Red Hall - a stunning grade II architectural legacy in the heart of the town. This delightful building is among the oldest surviving domestic properties in Bourne today. It was built in the early 17th century by a wealthy businessman, Gilbert Fisher and is now owned by Bourne United Charities. Another historic building is the ancient Baldock's Mill. This building is now used as Bourne's Heritage centre, and is classified as a Grade II listed building, because of its architectural and historic interest. This old mill has also recently benefited from a new electric water wheel, generating up to 5kw of power. Other notable buildings in Bourne include the luxury Angel Hotel, the Corn Exchange, and the imposing Town Hall.
Bourne hosts a twice weekly market next to the popular Corn Exchange - the venue for many events and meetings in the town. The market, held on Thursdays and Saturdays, offers a variety of stalls, maintaining the traditional values of the town. Special market events are also held though-out the year, including the Christmas market, which marks the beginning of the Christmas season.
At present the town is undergoing some exciting new developments; a major regeneration is planned for one area of the town centre in the near future, which it is hoped will bring new retailers and business opportunities into the town, along with making the town centre a more attractive place for visitors and residents alike. A new Tesco's supermarket has also just been completed on the outskirts of the town, and a new petrol station and family pub are planned for the near future.
The town offers many high street retailers including, Boots, Clinton Cards, Costa Coffee, Heron Foods, M&Co, Superdrug, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Walkers and Thorntons, alongside a good range of traditional independent retailers, providing a friendly service. There are also a number of good coffee shops and eating establishments in the town, including Costa Coffee, providing a welcome reprieve from the stresses and strains of the high street. For nights out, Bourne benefits from a number of pubs and restaurants, which offer a diverse range of cuisines and ales, making way for a vibrant nightlife. There are a good variety of pubs in the town that cater for all types of people, from the modern and stylish serving cocktails, to the more traditional venues where you can get a get a good old fashioned pint of beer. Many pubs also provide entertainment, including karaoke, live bands, and quizzes. For more hardcore party goers, there is a popular nightclub, playing party tunes until the early hours of morning and with free entry all night long. If you fancy a late night away from the hustle and bustle of the nightclub, the town also has a brand new late bar that is open until 3am at weekends - the perfect place to relax and chill out with friends at the end of a night in a stylish setting.
Despite the constant threat of parking charges being introduced in the town, Bourne is still lucky enough to benefit from free parking in all its car parks - a luxury that cannot be found in many other towns and cities.
Living in Bourne
The majority of housing in Bourne is represented by detached family houses and bungalows - many of which were built in the 1980's as part of a major expansion to the west of the town. There are, however, a variety of other housing types available in the town to suit different living requirements, including semi-detached, town-houses, terraced, and apartments.
More recently, there have been a number of new high-density housing developments being built in the town to accommodate the growing number of people wishing to move into the area. The biggest of such developments being the Elsea Park estate, located on the southern outskirts of the town that is expected to bring 2000 new homes to Bourne upon completion. This estate has provided the largest influx of housing in Bourne for many years and was greeted with a great deal of criticism when plans were first submitted. The estate is, however, an attractive development, which is managed by a Community Trust and will include a number of new facilities once completed, including a sports field, nature conservation areas, a multi-purpose community hall, and a primary school. Houses are set among existing woodland and ponds, and the lake and fountains that form the entrance to this innovative development creates an impressive entry into the town from the A15.
House prices in Bourne are generally amongst the most expensive in the county, however, prices are still relatively cheaper than the near-by towns of Stamford and Market Deeping. It should be possible to pick up a decent sized apartment for around the £100,000 mark, with the average cost of a detached family home setting you back around £180,000.
Bourne has good commuter links to other towns and cities in the area - it is just 16 miles from the city of Peterborough, and approximately an hour’s drive from the county's capital - Lincoln. The towns of Market Deeping, Spalding, Stamford, Sleaford, Grantham, and Boston are also only short distance from the town. There are also excellent train links to London from near-by Peterborough, meaning a journey to London can take just 50 minutes using the high speed East Coast main rail line.
See what others think of the area on channels 4's best and worst webpage.