Monument record 676/1/1 - St. Botolph's church, Sulby

The alleged site of the medieval St Botolph's Church or chapel. However, human bones, possibly indicating the site of a cemetery, have been found some 400m to the north-east at Sulby Hall. Documentary evidence indicates that the nave of the church had fallen down a long time prior to 1451 and the remainder was destroyed at the same time as the abbey located about one mile to the south.

{1} Large double platform at centre of village may be church site; 1.5m high and orientated east/west;

{2} Stone walls revealed at SP65588153;

{3} The church or chapel which formerly stood at Sulby was dedicated to St. Botolph, and was given with the manor to Sulby Abbey, 1216-72. The nave had apparently fallen down long before 1451 and when the abbey was destroyed, the church was destroyed with it. It had stood about one mile north of the abbey SE 68 SE 2 near the north-east end of the meadow called St. Botolph's pool.

{4} [SP 6558 8153] The field-name St. Botolph's Pool is not known locally. It is not unreasonable to assume that the church stood in or near the site of the DMV - Old Sulby- Northants 23 NW 1. It appears that the late J. Strongman, a prominent local antiquary,
was confident that its site could be located within the former village at a point where stone foundations were found in excavation before 1939.(a) (Indicated on ground by informant). No evidence of a building is visible in this rectangular area demarcated by ditches - within the rough pasture now occupying the site of Old Sulby

<1> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1981, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.186 (unchecked) (Series). SNN77381.

<2> Ordnance Survey, 1950s/1960s, Ordnance Survey Record Cards, SP86SE6 (checked) (Index). SNN443.

<3> Bridges J., 1791, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p. 597 (Book). SNN77325.

<4> WW, 1960, Field Investigators Comments (Note). SNN111457.

<5> Historic England, Unknown, Oral information, correspondence (not archived) or staff comments, Mr. T.D. Chance, Farmer, Home Farm, Sulby (Oral Report). SNN111577.

Record last edited

Mar 4 2024 1:19PM