Vale of Belvoir
Bottesford
A working village of remarkable Earl of Rutland tombs, canal and field walks, and a pub with a Laurel and Hardy story.
- Best for
- Church history, canal walks and traditional pubs
- Choose a walk
- 1.7-mile or 4.6-mile parish routes
- Don't miss
- The sixth Earl's witchcraft tomb at St Mary the Virgin
The Fox verdict
Tombs, towpaths and a famous pub connection
Bottesford combines an unusually rich parish church with straightforward walks and a village pub.
St Mary the Virgin holds eight Earl of Rutland tombs, including the sixth Earl's tomb with its inscription recording deaths by sorcery. Beyond the church, the Grantham Canal, which remains under restoration, and two parish walks open out into the Vale of Belvoir, while The Bull Inn preserves Bottesford's 1952 visit from Laurel and Hardy.
Where to go
Places in Bottesford
Every place below is checked against a published source, listed with what it is and how long to give it.
Local signatures
3 placesSt Mary the Virgin
A Grade I church with a 12th-century Norman lower chancel, a 210-to-212-foot spire and eight Earl of Rutland tombs, including the sixth Earl's witchcraft tomb.
- Visit length
- Editorial estimate: allow around 60 minutes
- Locality
- Bottesford
Grantham Canal Towpath
A towpath for walking and cycling beside the Grantham Canal at Bottesford Bridge, south of the village. The canal was completed in 1797. Boating ceased in 1929; the railway abandoned the canal in 1936, and restoration is under way.
- Visit length
- Editorial estimate: allow around 90 minutes
- Locality
- Bottesford Bridge on Belvoir Road, south of Bottesford
Bottesford Station
The village railway station on Station Road, managed by East Midlands Railway, provides access to the Nottingham–Grantham line. Check current train times and accessibility before travelling.
- Visit length
- Editorial estimate: allow around 15 minutes for station orientation and live service checks
- Locality
- Station Road, Bottesford, NG13 0GT
Food & drink
1 placeThe Bull Inn
An 18th-century traditional drinking pub with three regular cask ales, a large outdoor seating area, pub games and Laurel and Hardy memorabilia in the lounge. Dogs are welcome.
- Visit length
- Editorial estimate: allow around 60 minutes
- Locality
- 5 Market Street, Bottesford, NG13 0BW
Walks & outdoors
1 placeBottesford Parish Walks
Two Bottesford parish walks offer a 7.4 km (4.6-mile) countryside route and a 2.7 km (1.7-mile) accessible village loop.
- Visit length
- Editorial estimate: allow around 2 hours 15 minutes
- Locality
- Bottesford parish
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Three ways to explore Bottesford
Signature outings
Two parish walks
Choose a 1.7-mile accessible village loop or a 4.6-mile countryside circuit through Bottesford parish.
The canal towpath
Walk or cycle the well-maintained towpath beside the Grantham Canal, completed in 1797 and now under restoration.
Laurel and Hardy at The Bull
See the lounge memorabilia recalling Christmas 1952, when Laurel and Hardy stayed, entertained locals and served behind the bar.
The village story
Bottesford Village Guide
From Laurel and Hardy behind the bar to an extraordinary church inscription and quiet Vale walks, Bottesford rewards an unhurried visit.
Laurel and Hardy on Market Street
The lounge of The Bull Inn has Laurel and Hardy memorabilia, including a photograph of Stan Laurel pulling pints. Stan Laurel's sister Olga ran the pub from 1948; in 1952, Laurel and Hardy stayed for Christmas, served behind the bar and entertained regulars.
Bottesford is the largest village in the Vale of Belvoir. Belvoir Road runs through the village as Market Street and Rectory Lane before crossing the River Devon, pronounced "Dee-von"; High Street, the old road from Nottingham, joins from the left. The A52 bypass took through-traffic away in 1989, leaving a quieter village centre.
Everyday village life
The village centre has everyday shops and services, giving the High Street a lived-in character.
Towpaths, field walks and the witchcraft tomb
At Bottesford Bridge, the Grantham Canal towpath provides a walking and cycling route beside a canal completed in 1797. Boating ceased in 1929; the railway abandoned the canal in 1936, and restoration is under way. Two parish walks loop through the surrounding fields — a 1.7-mile accessible village route and a 4.6-mile countryside circuit.
St Mary the Virgin's spire reaches 210 feet — the second highest in Leicestershire and, unusually, 36 feet taller than the tower beneath it. The church holds eight tombs of the Earls of Rutland, the Manners family from Belvoir Castle. The sixth earl's tomb is the one people come for. Its inscription records that his two sons died "by wicked practises and sorcerye." Joan Flower and her daughters, dismissed servants from the castle, were arrested in 1618. Joan choked to death on bread she'd demanded as a test of her innocence. Her daughters were hanged at Lincoln. Simon Jenkins gave the church three stars.
Rail links, Domesday and the Vale
Bottesford has a railway station on the Nottingham-to-Grantham line. Nottingham is fifteen miles west and Grantham seven miles east. Domesday surveyors recorded 110 households and a lord called Leofric of Bottesford, making it one of the larger settlements of the time.
On a clear day, Belvoir Castle sits on the ridge above the vale. The fields between are liassic clay: flat, hedged and very quiet.
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A guide with a point of view
Written from research. Edited for real journeys.
Use the Official site links for live practical details, then use this guide for context, ideas and room to explore.
Sources
Every place on this page is checked against a published source. Each entry links the record we used and names who publishes it.
- The Bull Inn — thebullinnbottesfo.wixsite.com other published source
- St Mary the Virgin — stmarysbottesford.co.uk operator, sector body or destination organisation
- Grantham Canal Towpath — canalrivertrust.org.uk national body or asset manager
- Bottesford Parish Walks — choosehowyoumove.co.uk other published source
- Bottesford Station — nationalrail.co.uk national rail operator information