| Lincolnshire, Parts of Holland | |
| Geography | |
| Status | Administrative county |
| 1901 area | 268,992 acres (1089 km²) |
| 1961 area | 267,847 acres (1083 km²) |
| HQ | County Hall, Boston |
| History | |
| Created | 1889 |
| Abolished | 1974 |
| Succeeded by | Lincolnshire |
| Demography | |
|---|---|
| 1901 population | 77,610 |
| 1971 population | 105,685 |
Holland ( /ˈhɒlənd/) is an area of south-east Lincolnshire, England. The name is still recognised locally and survives in the district of South Holland.
The Parts of Holland was one of the three medieval subdivisions or 'Parts' of Lincolnshire (the other two were Lindsey and Kesteven) which had long had separate county administrations (Quarter Sessions). Under the Local Government Act 1888 it obtained a county council, which it retained until 1974. At that point the three county councils were abolished and Lincolnshire (minus the northern part of Lindsey) had a single county council for the first time.
Before the changes of 1888, Holland had, since probably the tenth century, been divided into three wapentakes of Elloe, Kirton and Skirbeck.
Under the Local Government Act 1894 it was divided into rural districts, urban districts, with the municipal borough of Boston remaining untouched. The rural districts were Boston, Crowland, East Elloe and Spalding, whilst Holbeach, Long Sutton, Spalding and Sutton Bridge became urban districts. In 1932, the Crowland (which consisted of the single parish of Crowland) RD was abolished and added to Spalding RD, and all urban districts apart from Spalding were abolished and added to East Elloe RD.
The extent of the parts of Holland (the pre-1974 county) was the same as that of the combined modern local government districts of Boston and South Holland.
Holland was all close to sea level, achieving a maximum altitude of about five metres on artificially raised river banks (levees). It therefore needed carefully managed drainage to maintain the very productive arable farmland which covered almost its entire extent. Consequently, a significant part of its drainage for arable use had to await the introduction of steam pumping. Before the mid nineteenth century, it was a much more pastoral area, used for fattening stock brought in from Scotland and northern England before it was driven to market in places like London. Many of the country roads are still called droves.
The motto shown on the Coat of Arms is incorrect and should read "LABOR IPSE MERCES" (Work is its own reward). Examples may be seen in the window of the old hall (library) at Boston Grammar School, and on the wall of the Dining Room at Lincoln Hall, University of Nottingham.