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Botus Fleming

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Botus Fleming (Cornish: Bosflumyes), which has also been spelled as Botusfleming, is situated in the Hundred and Deanery of East. It is bounded on the east by Landulph and the River Tamar, on the south by St Stephens-by-Saltash, on the west by Landrake and on the north by Pillaton and the detached portion of St Stephens called 'Howton'. The parish is named after and unknown dwelling place: Bod meaning dwelling in Old Cornish; the prefix is also found in names such as Bodmin and Botallack. The Fleming part may be a name.

This romantic and highly-interesting parish comprises hills, valleys, rich meadows and arable land, with luxuriant orchards and cherry gardens. Besides the Churchtown, the main village is Hatt.

Most parish and church description(s) on these pages are from Lake's Parochial History of the County of Cornwall by J Polsue (Truro, 1867 - 1873)

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Cemeteries

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Census

Census information for this parish (1841 - 1901) is held in the Cornwall Record Office. The Cornwall Family History Society offers a census search service for its members.
Specific census information for this parish is available as follows:

  • 1841.
    • The 1841 Census of Botus Fleming (HO107/135), Enumeration District 5 [including schools], is available on-line from the Cornwall Online Census project.
    • The 1841 census for this parish has also been filmed by the LDS church; film No. 241259.
  • 1851.
    • The 1851 Census of Botus Fleming (HO107/1900), Enumeration District 5, is available on-line from the Cornwall Online Census project.
    • The New Zealand Society of Genealogists have compiled separate surname indexes of the 1851 Census for each Cornish registration district; Botus Fleming is listed in Volume 9. The booklets are available in Cornwall at the Cornwall Centre, (formerly known as the Cornish Studies Library), and is available in the Cornwall FHS Library.
  • 1861. The 1861 Census of Botus Fleming (RG9/1525), Enumeration District 1, is available on-line from the Cornwall Online Census project.
  • 1871. The 1871 Census of Botus Fleming (RG10/2231), Enumeration District 1, is available on-line from the Cornwall Online Census project.
  • 1881. The 1881 Census of Botus Fleming (RG11/2278), Enumeration Districts 1, is available on-line from the Cornwall Online Census project.
  • 1891. The 1891 Census of Botus Fleming (RG12/1808), Enumeration District 1, is available on-line from the Cornwall Online Census project.
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Church History

  • Anglican. The parish church is located in OS Grid Square SX405614 and was dedicated to St Mary the Virgin, in 1259. It comprises a chancel, nave, and a north and south aisles. The arcade has five arches of Pentewan stone, supported by slender, octagonal monolith pillars of the same material. In the north aisle, under a low obtuse arch, is the recumbant figure of a crusader, said to be Stephen le Fleming, who founded the church during the reign of King Richard I. The tower is of three stages, buttressed at the angles to the second stage. There are six bells. The church was reroofed and generally restored in 1873.
    The burial ground of the church bears witness to the fact that many natives of the parish went to Devonport and even further afield to seek their fortunes, but obviously wished their remains to return to the peaceful parish of their birth. Monumental inscriptions, carved in slate, have been put on the exterior church wall and date from as early as 1737. Details about the plans of this church are available on-line.
  • Non-Conformists. There was a Wesleyan Methodist chapel in Botus Fleming.
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Church Records

  • LDS Church Records.
    • The LDS Church batch numbers for Botus Fleming are: C052701, P006211. These are searchable by surname.
    • The IGI coverage of this parish is 1547 - 1837; the records are NOT believed to be fully included in the LDS Church's International Genealogical Index (IGI).
  • The Cornwall Record Office holdings: Baptisms 1548 - 1968, Burials 1548 - 1922, Marriages 1560 - 1982, Boyd's Marriage Index 1550 - 1812, Pallot's Marriage Index 1800 - 1812.
  • Baptisms.
    • Baptisms 1547 to 1902, and parish baptisms 1675 to 1773 (Bishop's Transcripts), are available on-line through the OPC search Facility - (C-PROP).
    • The Cornish Forefathers' Society have published on CD, baptisms 1690 to 1910 for this parish and these are available for purchase on Parish Chest.
  • Marriages.
    • The Cornwall Family History Society have published transcripts of: Parish Marriages 1548 to 1836, which is available in Book, CD or downloadable .pdf file formats.
    • Marriages 1576 to 1911 (with gaps), Phillimore's marriages 1550 to 1812, and marriages (Bishop's Transcripts) 1675 to 1771, are available on-line through the OPC search Facility - (C-PROP).
  • Burials.
    • The Cornwall Family History Society have published transcripts of: Parish burials 1813 to 1837, which is available in Book format.
    • Burials 1684 to 1936, and burials (Bishop's Transcripts) 1675 to 1773, are available on-line through the OPC search Facility - (C-PROP).
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Civil Registration

The parish of Botus Fleming is in the St Germans Registration District, and has been since 1st July 1837; there were sub-districts at Antony, St Germans and Saltash but they have now been abolished. Parishes within the district were: Antony, Botusfleming, Landrake, Landulph, Maker, Millbrook, Pillaton, Quethiock, Rame, St. Erney, St. Germans, St. John's, St. Mellion, St. Stephen's, Saltash, Sheviock, Torpoint.

The Superintendant Registrar of St Germans can be contacted at: Ploughastel Drive, Saltash, Cornwall, PL12 6DL. Tel: 01752 842624.

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Description & Travel

    You can see pictures of Botus Fleming which are provided by:

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    Gazetteers

    The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland - 1868

    "BOTUS-FLEMING, a parish in the south division of East hundred in the county of Cornwall, 3 miles to the N.W. of Saltash, its post town. It is situated near the river Tamar. It took the addition to its name from the Fleming family of Stoke-Fleming, who once held it. The living is a rectory* in the diocese of Exeter, of the value of £250. The parochial charities amount to £3 a year. The principal mansion is Moditonham House, the seat of the Carpenters. It was rebuilt in 1760, and stands in pleasant grounds, commanding good views over the country and the Tamar."

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    Genealogy

    • OPC Assistance.The On-line Parish Clerk (OPC) scheme operates a service to help family historians; the OPC page for this parish is available on-line, from where the OPC can be contacted by email.
    • Mailing Lists. British-genealogy.com operate a mailing list for anyone with a genealogical and or historical interest in the Parish of Botus Fleming. To post a message to all the list members, send an email to: opc-con-botus-fleming[at]british-genealogy[dot]com. .
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    Manors

    The only manor in this parish is that of Modeton (or Modyton), now called Moditonham, which was held by Philip de Vautort (or Valletort), under the Earl of Cornwall. It was afterwards in the Dauney family, from whom it passed with an heiress to the Courtnays, and was at a later period, in the Waddons.

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    Maps

    You can see maps centred on OS grid reference SX401621 (Lat/Lon: 50.436847, -4.253351), Botus Fleming which are provided by:

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    Poor Houses, Poor Law

    • Botus Fleming parish was part of the St Germans Union for Poor Law administration and parish relief.
    • Overseers' Accounts (1827 to 1837) are available in the Cornwall Record Office
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    Population

    • Population in 1801 - 201 persons
    • Population in 1811 - 237 persons
    • Population in 1821 - 297 persons
    • Population in 1831 - 279 persons
    • Population in 1841 - 250 persons
    • Population in 1851 - 247 persons
    • Population in 1861 - 237 persons
    • Population in 1871 - 248 persons
    • Population in 1881 - 215 persons
    • Population in 1891 - 203 persons
    • Population in 1901 - 230 persons
    • Population in 1911 - 276 persons
    • Population in 1921 - 257 persons
    • Population in 1931 - 274 persons
    • Population in 1951 - 295 persons
    • Population in 1961 - 276 persons
    • Population in 1971 - 290 persons
    • Population in 1981 - 655 persons
    • Population in 1991 - 780 persons
    • Population in 2001 - 783 persons
    • Population in 2011 - 750 persons
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    Religion & Religious Life

    The Incumbents of Botus Fleming parish church are listed on-line.

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    Statistics

    The parish comprises 1145 acres of land and 17 acres of water.