BOTESDALE, a chapelry (formerly a market-town)
in the parish of REDGRAVE, hundred of HARTISMERE,
county of SUFFOLK, 26 miles (N. N. W.) from Ipswich,
and 86 (N. E. by N.) from London, on the road to Norwich,
containing 584 inhabitants. The name, contracted
from Botolph's Dale, is compounded of Botolph;
the name of the. tutelar saint of the chapel, and the
dale in which the town is situated. The town consists
principally of one long street, which extends into the
parishes of RiekinghaU Superior and Rickinghall Infei
rior: the houses are indifferently built, but the inhabitants
are amply supplied with water. The market, formerly
on Thursday, has been discontinued: a small fair
for cattle and pedlary is held on Holy Thursday. Courts
leet and baron are held at Whitsuntide, at the former
of which constables and other officers are appointed,
The chapel, which has been substantially repaired, is
a neat edifice, in the later style of English architecture,
of which it exhibits good specimens: within are
some interesting monuments, among which may be noticed
those to Sir Nicholas Bacon, and that celebrated
lawyer and patriot, Lord Chief Justice Holt, whose remains
are deposited here. The free grammar school
was founded and endowed, in 1576, by Sir Nicholas
Bacon, for a master and an usher, who are appointed
by the Master and Fellows of Corpus Christi College,
Cambridge, in which there are six exhibitions belonging
to this school: the income is £30 per annum, of whicU
sum, the master receives £20, and the usher £8, the
remainder being expended in repairs. The school-house,
which stands to the west of the chapel, was erected at
the expense of Edward Britiffe, Esq.