Botesdale ( Botolp's Dale) is a hamlet in the parish of Redgrave, and also a township consisting of Botesdale, with portions of the parishes of Rickinghall Superior and Rickinghall Inferior adjoining, in Suffolk. The hamlet stands 4 1/2 miles W of Mellis station on the G.E.E., and 6 SW of Diss, in Norfolk. It consists chiefly of one long street, has a post, money order, and telegraph office under Diss, and a bank. Acreage of township, 1269; population, 455. A grammar-school was founded in 1576 by Sir N. Bacon, but under a scheme sanctioned in 1881 the funds are now applied in the form of exhibitions to enable boys from elementary schools to obtain a higher grade of education. The former school is now used as a church. The living is a chapelry annexed to the rectory of Redgrave, in the diocese of Norwich. Botesdale Lodge is a fine modern building of brick, standing in the midst of extensive grounds.