Louth is a market town and civil parish in the East Lindsey district of the English county of Lincolnshire. It is located at the foot of the Lincolnshire Wolds, where they join the Lincolnshire Marsh. The town is on the eastern edge of a canyon sculpted into the Wolds that forms the Hubbard's Hills, which is an area that was created from a glacial overspill in the last glacial period. The River Lud passes through this canyon before it continues to flow through the town. Marked with a plaque on the north side of the street on which it passes, the Greenwich Meridian goes through the town. According to the 2001 Census, Louth has a permanent population of around 15930. Settlements are considered to have been on the area since the Paleolithic era, which is supported by such archaeological evidence as 3 handaxes identified on the wolds dating from between 424000 and 191000 years ago. Historical discoveries have also featured arrowheads thought to have been made in the Bronze Age. Louth is identified especially for its huge variety of independent retailers, with around 70 percent of businesses in the town being independently owned in 2013. Several long-lasting businesses display the established retailing history of the town, especially the department store 'Eve and Ranshaw', started in 1781, 'Dales and Sons' poulterers, open since 1896, and the century old butchers 'Lakings of Louth'. It is also widely known for its specialist grocers, local butchers and 'The Cheese Shop', which acquired national recognition in 'The Guardian'. This retailing reputation has been consolidated by being labelled as 'Britain's favourite market town' in 2012 by the BBC's 'Countryfile' tv programme. For all your house upgrades, make sure to make use of trustworthy specialists in Louth to make certain of quality.