Baron Botetourt
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Baron Botetourt ( ) is an
abeyant Abeyance (from the Old French ' meaning "gaping") describes a state of temporary dormancy or suspension. In law, it can refer to a situation where the ownership of property, titles, or office is not currently Vesting, vested in any specific perso ...
title in the
Peerage of England The Peerage of England comprises all peerages created in the Kingdom of England before the Act of Union in 1707. From that year, the Peerages of England and Scotland were closed to new creations, and new peers were created in a single Peerag ...
. It was created by
writ of summons A writ of summons is a formal document issued by the monarch that enables someone to sit in a Parliament under the United Kingdom's Westminster system. At the beginning of each new Parliament, each person who has established their right to attend ...
on 19 June 1305. It became
abeyant Abeyance (from the Old French ' meaning "gaping") describes a state of temporary dormancy or suspension. In law, it can refer to a situation where the ownership of property, titles, or office is not currently Vesting, vested in any specific perso ...
in 1406, but was recalled from abeyance in 1764 for Norborne Berkeley. However, it became abeyant again on his death in 1770. It was recalled a second time in 1803 for the 5th Duke of Beaufort, and became a subsidiary title of the dukes of Beaufort until the death of the 10th Duke in 1984, when it became, and remains, abeyant.


In Virginia

Known and remembered in the American state of
Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...
as "Lord Botetourt", Norborne Berkeley was governor of the
Colony of Virginia The Colony of Virginia was a British Empire, British colonial settlement in North America from 1606 to 1776. The first effort to create an English settlement in the area was chartered in 1584 and established in 1585; the resulting Roanoke Colo ...
from 1768 to 1770 and a member of the Board of Visitors of the
College of William and Mary The College of William & Mary (abbreviated as W&M) is a public research university in Williamsburg, Virginia, United States. Founded in 1693 under a royal charter issued by King William III and Queen Mary II, it is the second-oldest instit ...
. Before coming to Virginia he was Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire 1741–1763. He then obtained his peerage when it was called out of abeyance in 1764, the third holder of the title having died in 1406. As governor, Botetourt resided in the Governor's Palace near
Duke of Gloucester Street Colonial Williamsburg is a living-history museum and private foundation presenting a part of the historic district in Williamsburg, Virginia. Its historic area includes several hundred restored or recreated buildings from the 18th century, wh ...
, now a major attraction of
Colonial Williamsburg Colonial Williamsburg is a living-history museum and private foundation presenting a part of the historic district in Williamsburg, Virginia. Its historic area includes several hundred restored or recreated buildings from the 18th century, wh ...
in the
Historic Triangle The Historic Triangle includes three historic colonial communities located on the Virginia Peninsula, bounded by the York River on the north and James River on the south. The three points that form the triangle are Jamestown, Colonial Williams ...
. Although a popular governor, Botetourt served only two years. He died suddenly while still in office in 1770 and was buried in the crypt beneath the chapel of the Wren Building. Following his death a statue was commissioned and placed on the piazza of the Capitol building. Later it was moved, and the statue stood for many years in front of the Wren Building before being relocated once again to a more sheltered location within the ground floor of
Earl Gregg Swem Library The Earl Gregg Swem Library (colloquially Swem Library) is located on Landrum Drive at the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. The library is named for Earl Gregg Swem, College Librarian from 1920-1944. In 2008, the Princeton R ...
. A full-size facsimile stands in its place, one of the more familiar of campus icons. Nowadays, William & Mary students dress up the statue for various occasions such as Charter Day (February 8). Botetourt County was named in his honor, as was Berkeley County, which became part of
West Virginia West Virginia is a mountainous U.S. state, state in the Southern United States, Southern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States.The United States Census Bureau, Census Bureau and the Association of American ...
at the time of the
American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...
. A lifelong bachelor, he endowed an award at the College of William and Mary that is still known as th
Botetourt Medal
it is the college's most prestigious award. The medal was awarded to two students a year from 1772 to 1775, one in Classics and one in the Physical or Metaphysical Sciences. The medal was not awarded again until 1941, and has been awarded to one student each year since then. It is awarded to the "single undergraduate with the greatest distinction in scholarship" on Commencement Day each May. Lord Botetourt High School, located in Botetourt County, is named after him as well. Additionally, Botetourt Street and Botetourt Gardens, both located in
Norfolk, Virginia Norfolk ( ) is an independent city (United States), independent city in the U.S. state of Virginia. It had a population of 238,005 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of cities in Virginia, third-most populous city ...
, are also named after him.


Barons Botetourt (1305)

* John Botetourt, 1st Baron Botetourt (d. 1324) * John Botetourt, 2nd Baron Botetourt (d. 1385), grandson * Joan Burnell, 3rd Baroness Botetourt (d. January 1, 1406) * ''abeyant until 13 April 1764'' *
Norborne Berkeley, 4th Baron Botetourt Norborne Berkeley, 4th Baron Botetourt ( – 15 October 1770) was a British Tory politician and colonial administrator who served as the governor of Virginia from 1768 to 1770, when he died in office. While serving as rector at the College o ...
(d. October 15, 1770) * ''abeyant until 4 June 1803'' * Henry Somerset, 5th Duke of Beaufort, 5th Baron Botetourt (1744 – October 11, 1803) * Henry Charles Somerset, 6th Duke of Beaufort, 6th Baron Botetourt (1766–1835) * Henry Somerset, 7th Duke of Beaufort, 7th Baron Botetourt (1792–1853) * Henry Charles FitzRoy Somerset, 8th Duke of Beaufort, 8th Baron Botetourt (1824–1899) * Henry Adelbert Wellington FitzRoy Somerset, 9th Duke of Beaufort, 9th Baron Botetourt (1847–1924) * Henry Hugh Arthur Somerset, 10th Duke of Beaufort, 10th Baron Botetourt (1900–1984) * ''abeyant ''


Family tree


References

;Citations ;Sources * {{DEFAULTSORT:Botetourt, Baron 1305 establishments in England Abeyant baronies in the Peerage of England Noble titles created in 1305