Arnold le Boteler

The first recorded 'lord' of the Welsh village of Pembrey, Arnold le Boteler was a late 11th and early 12th century Norman squire with a penchant for property development and who established a wealthy Anglo-Norman dynasty with a number of links to the US Presidency.

He established the manor house and estate which is now known as Court Farm in Pembrey, during the reign of William the Conqueror. Earlier, he had acquired Dundryfan (Dunraven) manor from his lord, Maurice de Londres, for services rendered and had built the first stone building on the site.

In fact, Arnold's service to Maurice de Londres was the defence of Ogmore Castle while the lord defended against Welsh insurgence at Kidwelly Castle, led by Princess Gwenllian.

With the anglicising of Norman names that developed over the next two centuries after Arnold's arrival in Wales, family branches of the le Botelers became Butlers. Thanks to their Pembrey manor's proximity to the Irish Sea, descendants of Arnold le Boteler are likely to have been among the first Butlers in Ireland, taking part in the post-1170 Norman invasion of Ireland.

In the 19th generation of the genealogy of United States President James Abram Garfield, appears one Lord Talbot who married Anne le Boteler, daughter of William le Boteler II, Lord Boteler of Wemme.

The family first appears in the 26th generation of United States President George W. Bush through James Butler, born 1305, and makes several subsequent appearances in the Bush line.

The le Boteler/Butler family crest can be seen in plasterwork in St. Illtud's Church, Pembrey. The le Boteler estate passed to the Earl of Ashburnham.

External links

* [http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/g/a/r/J-H-Garner/FILE/0141page.html] Genealogy of James Abram Garfield.
* [http://www.svu2000.org/genealogy/George_W.pdf] Genealogy of George W. Bush.
* [http://www.glamorganwalks.com/localfeatures6.htm] Walks and history around Dunraven House.
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/videonation/articles/u/uk_pembrey.shtml] Sadly inaccurate schoolteacher's video supporting restoration of le Boteler's Court House in Pembrey.
* [http://books.google.com/books?id=azrzWAAB8eMC&pg=PA243&lpg=PA243&dq=maurice+de+londres&source=web&ots=-44ui1sAKQ&sig=3WPeV4IYEZAhhzxHdlMAh7XKon0#PPA243,M1] Reference to the "faithful servant."