Leebotwood

Leebotwood
St Mary's Church, the parish church
Leebotwood  Leebotwood shown within Shropshire
Population	231 (2011)[1]
OS grid reference	SO 475 986
Civil parish	Leebotwood
Unitary authority	Shropshire
Ceremonial county	Shropshire
Region	West Midlands
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	Shrewsbury
Postcode district	SY6
Dialling code	01694
Police	West Mercia
Fire	Shropshire
Ambulance	West Midlands
EU Parliament	West Midlands
UK Parliament	Shrewsbury and Atcham
List of places UK England Shropshire

Coordinates: 52°34′59″N 2°46′30″W / 52.583°N 2.775°W

Leebotwood is a small village and civil parish in Shropshire, England. It is about 9 miles (14 km) south of Shrewsbury and 3.5 miles (5.6 km) north of Church Stretton.

Geography

The village is located on the A49 road, north of Church Stretton and south of the village of Dorrington. Nearby villages include Longnor (approximately 1½ miles to the north) and All Stretton which is 2 miles distant, between Leebotwood and Church Stretton.

Leebotwood is the only recognisable settlement in the parish. The Welsh Marches railway line runs through the parish, and there was once a small railway station, though today the nearest station is Church Stretton.

The Cound Brook passes through the village, flowing north towards Longnor.

The parish was part of the borough of Shrewsbury and Atcham, which existed 1973-2009. It continues to be part of the Parliamentary constituency of Shrewsbury and Atcham and in the area of Shropshire's unitary Council.

History

Leebotwood's parish church (St Mary's) dates from the 12th century and is a plain and simple building in comparison to its many neighbouring churches, including Church Stretton's St Laurence's Church. It is the burial place of the Corbett family of Longnor Hall, the local lords of the manor.

A valley between Leebotwood and Caer Caradoc was important as a thoroughfare dating right back to Roman times. The eastern boundary of the village was formed from the ancient route of Watling Street which is still visible today. Caer Caradoc to the south of Leebotwood rises to a height of 1506 ft and is said to be one of the last strongholds of the native chief "Caradoc" or "Caractacus" who held out against the Romans.

Etymology

The whole area was covered in thick forest, called "Botwde" (as the area was recorded in the Domesday Book) or "Bottewode" (as written in 1170)^[2] until later in medieval times. Henry II granted this area to Augustinian canons with a chapel at Lega - hence the placename of "Lega in Bottewode"^[2] (1170) and in modern times "Leebotwood". Nearby, in the parish of Church Stretton, is Botvyle, which also derives its name from the historic forest.

Present day

Local businesses

The Pound public house, with its thatched roof, on the A49 road.

There is a thatched public house called "The Pound",^[3] a tea rooms called "The Copper Kettle", a farm shop, and a village hall that offers internet use.

There are multiple "mixed farms", livestock farms and dairy farms around the village.

References

1. "Civil Parish population 2011". Retrieved 27 November 2015.
2. Poulton-Smith, A (2009) Shropshire Place Names p 80
3. The Pound