Who was St Botolph?

St Botolph was a Saxon monk who lived in the seventh century. He died in 680AD. He was born in East Anglia and built his monastery there on land given by the Saxon King of East Anglia (Ethelwold), starting in 654AD.


The monastery was at Icanho. Today the town of Boston (Botolph’s Town) in Lincolnshire claims to be ancient Icanho. It is a lovely town, with a huge and beautiful church dedicated to Botolph. However, it’s claim to be Icanho is doubtful - the more probable location being modern day Iken in Suffolk, which also has an ancient church dedicated to Botolph.


Botolph was well known in the Saxon world for his famous wisdom, holiness, and pastoral care. His brother (Adulf) was also venerated and sainted, but his cult has not survived. Botolph is still remembered, and 64 ancient (and one modern one)parish churches in England are dedicated to him, almost all of them near the sea, and mostly in East Anglia and the south coast (Botolph paid visits to the South Saxons).


His Coat of Arms is blue with silver waves (marking his association with the sea and the coast), and has the gold pectoral cross of an abbot (chief monk).


His feast day is June 17th.


The feast of his translation is December 1st