Bottesford, Leicestershire
| Bottesford | |
|---|---|
 Bottesford Market Cross |
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 Bottesford
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| Bottesford shown within Leicestershire | |
| Population | 3,587 (2011) |
| OS grid reference | SK8038 |
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | NOTTINGHAM |
| Postcode district | NG13 |
| Dialling code | 01949 |
| Police | Leicestershire |
| Fire | Leicestershire |
| Ambulance | East Midlands |
| EU Parliament | East Midlands |
| UK Parliament | |
Bottesford is a village and civil parish. It lies in the Vale of Belvoir and forms part of the Borough of Melton in Leicestershire, England.
Bottesford is about 20 miles (32 km) east of Nottingham and 16 miles (26 km) north of Melton Mowbray. The village is the largest in the Vale of Belvoir and is near to Belvoir Castle, home to the Duke and Duchess of Rutland. It had a population of 3,587 at the time of the 2011 census. It borders parishes in Leicestershire, Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire, such as Redmile, Sedgebrook and Elton respectively.
The local amenities include a post office, railway station, library, church and convenience store plus three restaurants and three pubs.
Bottesford derives its name from the Anglo-Saxon "Ford belonging to the botl" (house) and appears in the 1086 Domesday book as Botesford.) The ford was over the River Devon. Historically, Bottesford was closely associated with the Counts, Earls and Dukes of Rutland.
The village was built around the River Devon (pronounced Dee-von) and was named because of the ford at the centre of the village. St Mary the Virgin's Church, sometimes known as the "Lady of the Vale", is a large medieval church at the centre of the village. As with many churches this is a building with a mixture of architecture added over the centuries. The lower part of the chancel dates from the 12th century with the remainder added during the next three hundred years. The nave roof was finally completed in 1740. The octagonal crocketed spire is considered to be the tallest in the county at 210 feet and there are two gargoyles on the south transept. A headstone to Thomas Parker and a table tomb are both grade II listed within the grounds along with the gate piers and gates to the churchyard to the north. The church is also the burial place of several earls of Rutland, one of the Rutland tombs is famous for its inscription, which attributes a death to witchcraft by the Witches of Belvoir. Most of the church is 15th century, but the chancel was rebuilt in the 17th century to accommodate the Rutland monuments. These completely fill the chancel and offer a view of changing aristocratic taste in the 16th and 17th centuries. After the Manners family were elevated to the dukedom of Rutland in 1703, they built a mausoleum in the grounds of Belvoir Castle, the family home. All the dukes have been buried there.
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Wikipedia