Botne Municipality

Botne Municipality
Botne herred
Former municipality
View of Botne Church
View of Botne Church
Vestfold within Norway
Vestfold within Norway
Botne within Vestfold
Botne within Vestfold
Coordinates: 59°28′46″N 10°16′49″E / 59.47947°N 10.28031°E / 59.47947; 10.28031
CountryNorway
CountyVestfold
DistrictJarlsberg
Established1 Jan 1838
 • Created asFormannskapsdistrikt
Disestablished1 Jan 1964
 • Succeeded byHolmestrand Municipality
Administrative centreBotne
Government
 • Mayor (1956–1963)Halfdan Kongsten (Ap)
Area
 (upon dissolution)
 • Total
85.4 km2 (33.0 sq mi)
 • Rank#539 in Norway
Highest elevation
(Hvittingen)
403.6 m (1,324 ft)
Population
 (1963)
 • Total
4,561
 • Rank#195 in Norway
 • Density53.4/km2 (138/sq mi)
 • Change (10 years)
Increase +24.9%
DemonymBotne-folk
Official language
 • Norwegian formBokmål
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
ISO 3166 codeNO-0715

Botne (Norwegian pronunciation: [ˈbʊ̂tnə]; locally [ˈbɔ̂tnæ]) is a former municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. The 85.4-square-kilometre (33.0 sq mi) municipality existed from 1838 until its dissolution in 1964. The area is now part of Holmestrand Municipality in the traditional district of Jarlsberg. The administrative centre was the village of Botne where the Botne Church is located. Other villages in the municipality included Hillestad and Gullhaug.

Prior to its dissolution in 1964, the 85.4-square-kilometre (33.0 sq mi) municipality was the 539th largest by area out of the 689 municipalities in Norway. Botne Municipality was the 195th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of about 4,561. The municipality's population density was 53.4 inhabitants per square kilometre (138/sq mi) and its population had increased by 24.9% over the previous 10-year period.

General information

Administrative history

The formannskapsdistrikt law of 1837 created a system of local government in Norway by establishing each town (ladested or kjøpstad) and each Church of Norway prestegjeld as a civil municipality. On 1 January 1838, Botne prestegjeld was established as Botne Municipality. The initial population of Botne Municipality was about 1,600 residents. In 1942, an area of Botne Municipality (population: 148) was transferred into the neighboring Holmestrand Municipality. In 1947, an area of Botne Municipality (population: 8) was transferred to the neighboring Våle Municipality.

During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1964, Botne Municipality (population: 4,656) was dissolved and merged with Holmestrand Municipality (population: 1,956) to form an enlarged Holmestrand Municipality.

Name

The municipality is named after the old Botne prestegjeld. The prestegjeld was named after the old Botne farm (Old Norse: Botnar) since the first Botne Church was built there. The name is the plural form of botn which means "bottom", "hollow", or "depression".

Churches

Baptismal font in Botne Church

The Church of Norway had two parishes (sokn) within Botne Municipality. At the time of the municipal dissolution, it was part of the Botne prestegjeld and the Nord-Jarlsberg prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Tunsberg.

Churches in Botne Municipality
Parish (sokn)Church nameLocation of the churchYear built
BotneBotne ChurchBotnec. 1200
HillestadHillestad ChurchHillestad1724

Botne Church (Botne kirke) is a stone church from the 13th century that is dedicated to St. Nicholas. There is rectangular nave and lower and narrower choir. The Renaissance / Baroque altarpiece is from 1664 and consists of four pictures from the gospels. The pulpit is from 1634 with five subjects with evangelists and painted in large fields. The baptismal font is also from the 1600s and has an octagonal basin with painted biblical scenes on four sides.

Geography

The highest point in the municipality was the 403.6-metre (1,324 ft) tall mountain Hvittingen, located along the northern border with Sande Municipality. Sande Municipality was located to the north, Holmestrand Municipality was located to the east, Våle Municipality was located to the south, Ramnes Municipality was located to the southwest, and Hof Municipality was located to the west.

Government

While it existed, Botne Municipality was responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, welfare and other social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads and utilities. The municipality was governed by a municipal council of directly elected representatives. The mayor was indirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council. The municipality was under the jurisdiction of the Holmestrand District Court and the Agder Court of Appeal.

Municipal council

The municipal council (Herredsstyre) of Botne Municipality was made up of 21 representatives that were elected to four year terms. The tables below show the historical composition of the council by political party.

Botne herredsstyre 1959–1963   
Party name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 13
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 3
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) 1
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 4
Total number of members:21
Note: On 1 January 1964, Botne Municipality became part of Holmestrand Municipality.
Botne herredsstyre 1955–1959   
Party name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 12
  Conservative Party (Høyre) 3
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) 2
  Farmers' Party (Bondepartiet) 3
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 1
Total number of members:21
Botne herredsstyre 1951–1955   
Party name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 11
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) 2
  Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister) 7
Total number of members:20
Botne herredsstyre 1947–1951   
Party name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 8
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) 2
  Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister) 10
Total number of members:20
Botne herredsstyre 1945–1947   
Party name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 10
  Communist Party (Kommunistiske Parti) 1
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) 2
  Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister) 7
Total number of members:20
Botne herredsstyre 1937–1941*   
Party name (in Norwegian)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) 10
  Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister) 10
Total number of members:20
Note: Due to the German occupation of Norway during World War II, no elections were held for new municipal councils until after the war ended in 1945.

Mayors

The mayor (Norwegian: ordfører) of Botne Municipality was the political leader of the municipality and the chairperson of the municipal council. The following people have held this position:

  • 1838–1847: Peder Mandrup Tuxen Abel
  • 1848–1856: Hans J. N. Hillestad
  • 1856–1859: Johan H. Ramberg
  • 1860–1861: Anders J. Myhre
  • 1862–1863: Peder P. Ramberg
  • 1864–1865: Johan Henningsen Ramberg
  • 1866–1869: Peder Cappelen Ottesen
  • 1870–1871: Anders Sv. Rønningen
  • 1872–1873: Olaus Chr. Hårjord
  • 1874–1879: Theodor L. Bjerke
  • 1880–1887: Abraham L. Hillestad
  • 1888–1895: Jess D. Koren
  • 1896–1897: Henning P. Løvald
  • 1898–1898: Newton T. Kalleberg
  • 1899–1904: Kristen Skarrebo
  • 1905–1907: Hans Backe
  • 1908–1913: Johan Kiste
  • 1914–1919: Hans Strandenæs (H)
  • 1920–1922: Aksel Jensen Foss
  • 1923–1928: Hans Strandenæs (H)
  • 1929–1934: Halvard Christian Sollie (Bp)
  • 1935–1947: Paul Seljeseth (Ap)
  • 1948–1951: Einar Weltzien (Bp)
  • 1952–1955: Paul Seljeseth (Ap)
  • 1956–1963: Halfdan Kongsten (Ap)

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Høyeste fjelltopp i hver kommune: Holmestrand (Sande)" (in Norwegian). Kartverket. 28 July 2016. Archived from the original on 31 July 2016.
  2. ↑ "Norsk Lovtidende. 2den Afdeling. 1932. Samling af Love, Resolutioner m.m". Norsk Lovtidend (in Norwegian). Oslo, Norway: Grøndahl og Søns Boktrykkeri: 453–471. 1932.
  3. ↑ Mæhlum, Lars, ed. (8 October 2026). "Botne". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Foreningen Store norske leksikon. Retrieved 24 October 2026.
  4. ↑ Statistisk sentralbyrå. "Table: 06913: Population 1 January and population changes during the calendar year (M)" (in Norwegian).
  5. 1 2 Statistisk sentralbyrå (1 January 1951). Norges Sivile, Geistlige, Rettslige og Militære Inndeling 1. Januar 1951 (PDF). Norges Offisielle Statistikk (in Norwegian). Oslo, Norge: H. Aschehoug & Co.
  6. ↑ Vabo, Signy Irene, ed. (4 February 2026). "formannskapslovene". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Foreningen Store norske leksikon. Retrieved 16 August 2026.
  7. 1 2 Jukvam, Dag (1999). Historisk oversikt over endringer i kommune- og fylkesinndelingen (PDF) (in Norwegian). Statistisk sentralbyrå. ISBN 9788253746845.
  8. ↑ Grepstad, Jon, ed. (25 March 2025). "Nikolai Schei". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Foreningen Store norske leksikon. Retrieved 19 March 2026.
  9. ↑ Hansen, Tore; Thorsnæs, Geir, eds. (27 May 2024). "kommuneinndelingen i Norge". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Foreningen Store norske leksikon. Retrieved 19 March 2026.
  10. ↑ Rygh, Oluf (1907). Norske gaardnavne: Jarlsberg og Larviks amt (in Norwegian) (6 ed.). Kristiania, Norge: W. C. Fabritius & sønners bogtrikkeri. p. 64.
  11. ↑ "Botne kirkested". kulturminnesok.no. Retrieved 1 October 2016.
  12. ↑ Hansen, Tore; Vabo, Signy Irene, eds. (25 November 2024). "kommunestyre". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Foreningen Store norske leksikon. Retrieved 31 December 2024.
  13. ↑ Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1959 (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo, Norge: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1960.
  14. ↑ Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1955 (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo, Norge: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1957.
  15. ↑ Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1951 (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1952.
  16. ↑ Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1947 (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1948.
  17. ↑ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1945" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1947.
  18. ↑ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1937" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1938.