One of the great things I'm finding out about the town I now live in, Louth, is the incredible history it's had:

* The school that Laura went to, King Edward VI Grammar School, has existed in some form or another since the 8th century, although has certainly been permanent since a reference in 1276.

* The funfair that comes to Louth each year was mentioned in the Domesday Book in 1086.

* The founder of the state of Virginia (or, more accurately, the commonwealth of Virginia), Captain John Smith, was a Ludensian (the noun for someone from the town)

* The church in Louth is the tallest parish church in the UK (that is, a non-cathedral) and was the starting point for a major Catholic uprising in the 16th century.

* Robert Wyatt lives here. Not really history though. Supposedly Ainsley Harriott has a house here too.

This has inspired me to check out the Louth Museum some time. Laura said it's pretty dull, but I imagine there's probably some really old stuff in there. This town is tiny, and nowadays inconsequential, but it's been around at least three times as long as any town in the United States, which is a pretty humbling thought.