Botolphs

infobox UK place
country = England
static_

static_image_caption= Church of St. Botolph
latitude= 50.8712
longitude= -0.30529
official_name = Botolphs
population =
civil_parish= Bramber
shire_district= Horsham
shire_county= West Sussex
region= South East England
constituency_westminster= Arundel and South Downs
post_town=
postcode_district =
postcode_area=
dial_code=
os_grid_reference= TQ193093

Botolphs is a tiny village in the Horsham District of West Sussex, England. It is located in the Adur Valley and on the South Downs Way. It lies on the Steyning to Coombes road 1.5 miles (2.4km) southeast of Steyning.

The ancient parish church is dated from 950 and large parts of the Saxon construction remain, particularly in the chancel wall and arch, and in the south wall. The tower was added in the mid-13th century, as was the chancel, replacing a Saxon apse.

The church was dedicated to Saint Peter in the earliest Norman records, and the community was known as 'Annington'. It seems likely that an original dedication to Saint Botolph was considered obscure by the Norman invaders, and the church therefore renamed (this was a common practice). However, the original dedication lived on in community memory, and eventually prevailed. By the 13th Century almost all references are to "St Botolph's Church" and the 14th Century saw the final official reference to "St Peter's Church" [ [http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=18251 Botolphs: British History on line] ] . By a process of association, the village took the name of Botolphs. The name Annington also survives, as a hamlet between Botolphs and Bramber, which includes working farms, and the small "Annington Industrial Estate", home to several small businesses.

Botolphs once had a sizeable population with trade from both the navigable River Adur and salt production. The decline of both industries (largely due to the silting of the river) led to a sharp decline, and in 1534 the ecclesiastical parish of Botolphs was united with that of Bramber. The village population has remained fairly constant from then to the present day, at around 50 to 60 people. The community did once support an independent civil parish council, but this has followed the earlier example of the ecclesiastical parish, in being absorbed into Bramber.

The village was once held by members of the Levett family, a Sussex family of Norman origin, who probably inherited by marriage from the Merlots. [ [http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=18251 Merlot, Levett, Botolphs, British History Online] ] In 1585 Lawrence Levett of Hollington died in possession of the manor of Botolphs, which he left to his sister Maria, wife of Thomas Eversfield. It remained in the possession of the Eversfield family for several centuries until it was purchased by Charles Goring. [ [http://books.google.com/books?id=EG0JAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA40&lpg=PA40&dq=levit+sussex&source=web&ots=-OWAk2EYEc&sig=qD3lStUgDOUj5HrwcSKk3oiwFdY&hl=en A History of the Castles, Mansions and Manors of West Sussex, Dudley George Cary Elwes, 1876] ] [ [http://books.google.com/books?id=o28uAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA68&lpg=PA68&dq=levitt+annington+sussex&source=web&ots=PrFmvtPIZX&sig=toD4ZMfSFqBMI8Z8ILUfOahbJH0&hl=en A Compendious History of Sussex, Mark Antony Lower, 1870] ]

The Saint Mary Magdalene leper hospital was located in neighbouring Bramber, in the area now known (by corruption of Magdalene) as Maudlyn. The leprous inmates were not permitted to attend Bramber's fashionable castle church, and were sent instead to observe the mass at Botolphs, where two leper squints were provided in the chancel walls.

The church walls bear many plaques commemorating the local 'Penfold' family, whose descendents emigrated to Australia and are now famous for wine production.

References

External links

[http://www.sussexparish.co.uk St Botolph's Church (The Parish Church)]