Saint Botolph was a Benedictine, and an Englishman. Over seventy churches have been dedicated to him in England. An English town, originally called Saint Botolphstown, was later contracted by the style of utterance for which the English are famous, to Botolphstown, then Botolphston, then Botoston, and then Boston. And so, by reason, at least of its name, Boston, Massachusetts, is dedicated to this saintly seventh-century saint. Anyone walking along the side streets of Boston, Massachusetts, will see a street called “Saint Botolph’s Street.” This keeps many Bostonians from forgetting the saint for whom the original Boston was named.
Saint Botolph; Image source: Medieval Combat Society effigies
