Saxton with Scarthingwell
{{Short description|Civil parish in North Yorkshire, England}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox UK place
| official_name = Saxton with Scarthingwell
| type = Civil parish
| country = England
| region = Yorkshire and the Humber
| static_image_name = Crossroads near Scarthingwell, Barkston Ash - geograph.org.uk - 151414.jpg
| static_image_alt = The crossroads in the middle of the parish with the main A162 road running from the distance into the foreground
| static_image_caption = Crossroads near Scarthingwell
| area_total_sq_mi = 5.9
| area_footnotes = (2011 Census)
| population = 592
| population_ref = (2011 Census){{NOMIS2011|id=E04007764|title=Saxton with Scarthingwell Parish|access-date=16 June 2023}}
| os_grid_reference = SE491371
| coordinates = {{coord|53.829|-1.270|display=inline, title}}
| label_position = top
| post_town = TADCASTER
| postcode_area = LS
| postcode_district = LS24
| dial_code = 01937
| constituency_westminster = Wetherby and Easingwold
| unitary_england = North Yorkshire
| lieutenancy_england = North Yorkshire
| website =
}}
Saxton with Scarthingwell is a civil parish just south of Tadcaster in North Yorkshire, England. The parish contains the villages of Saxton and Scarthingwell, with two churches and the remains of a castle. Historically the area was a township, however it has been its own civil parish since 1866. Although the main part of the Battle of Towton was fought to the north out of the parish, some of the dead were interred in the parish, and at least one minor skirmish was fought within the parish boundaries.
History
Saxton is mentioned in the Domesday Book as having a church, meadow and ploughlands, but Scarthingwell is not recorded as a name until 1202.{{sfn|Wheater|1882|p=10}}{{cite web |title=Saxton {{!}} Domesday Book |url=https://opendomesday.org/place/SE4736/saxton/ |website=opendomesday.org |access-date=16 June 2023}}{{cite web |title=Scarthingwell :: Survey of English Place-Names |url=http://epns.nottingham.ac.uk/browse/id/53288201b47fc40c81004fa2 |website=epns.nottingham.ac.uk |access-date=16 June 2023}} Land in the parish was granted to Margaret Kirkton by Alice de Lacy in the late 13th century.{{sfn|Bogg|1904|p=179}} The Church of St Mary in Lead was founded in 1292 by Roger de Saxton.{{sfn|Bogg|1904|p=191}} The church, now known as a chapel, still exists, and though at times Lead was within the parish of Saxton with Scarthingwell (having been transferred from Ryther), it is now in its own civil parish.{{cite web |title=Parish records of Saxton – Archives Hub |url=https://archiveshub.jisc.ac.uk/search/archives/188866b0-e153-33a2-8b3a-16d27f44e267 |website=archiveshub.jisc.ac.uk |access-date=27 June 2023}}
The churchyard at Saxton contains at least one burial from the Battle of Towton who was interred after the battle – Randolph Dacre, who had been MP for Cumberland in 1442.{{cite journal |last1=Lowther Bouch |first1=J. |title=A note on the tombstone of Ranulph Lord de Dacre of Gillesland in Saxton churchyard, Yorkshire. |journal=Transactions of the Cumberland & Westmorland Antiquarian & Archaeological Society |date=2017 |volume=16 |page=228 |doi=10.5284/1063614}} Dacre fought on the side of the Lancastrians.{{cite book |editor-last=Cokayne |date=1916 |editor2-last=Gibbs |editor3-last=Doubleday |editor-first=G.E. |editor2-first=Vicary |editor3-first=H.A. |title=The Complete Peerage |volume=4 |edition=2 |name-list-style=amp |publisher=St. Catherine Press |place=London |editor-link=George Edward Cokayne |editor-link2=Vicary Gibbs (St Albans MP)|page=18|oclc=61913642}} Other bodies were interred at Saxton in 1745 (nearly 300 years later) when they were uncovered at the Towton battlefield site.{{cite web |title=Blood Red Roses: The archaeology of a mass grave from the Battle of Towton AD 1461 Edited by Veronica Fiorato, Anthea Boylston and Christopher Knüsel |url=https://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/archives/view/assemblage/html/6/Roses_web.html |website=archaeologydataservice.ac.uk |access-date=16 June 2023}} Before the Battle of Towton, the Yorkist side advanced towards Towton Dale from the south, moving through the Saxton parish.{{cite book |editor1-last=Page |editor1-first=William |title=The Victoria history of the county of York. vol 3 |date=1907 |publisher=Constable & Co |location=London |page=429|oclc=500092527}} In 2018, the boundaries of the battlefield were extended to also take in land within the Saxton parish. The site is recognised by Historic England as being of national importance.{{cite news |last1=Kitchen |first1=Ruby |title=Why site of key battle is far more than a shrine to history |work=The Yorkshire Post |date=9 April 2018 |page=3|issn=0963-1496}}
The parish is the site of the smaller conflict of the Battle of Dintingdale, a minor fight on the same day as the Battle of Towton. Lord Clifford, fighting for the Lancastrian side, was killed at Dintingdale. The Battles of Ferrybridge, Dintingdale and Towton, were all held on the same day, but because of the casualties at Towton, it eclipses the other two.{{cite journal |last1=Sutherland |first1=Tim |title=Killing Time: Challenging the Perceptions of Three Medieval Conflicts – Ferrybridge, Dintingdale, and Towton |journal=Journal of Conflict Archaeology |date=June 2009 |volume=5 |issue=1 |pages=1–26 |publisher=Taylor & Francis |doi=10.1163/157407709X12634580640173 |s2cid=159544440 |issn=1574-0773}}{{cite book |last1=Clifford |first1=Arthur |title=Collectanea Cliffordiana |date=1980 |orig-date=1817 |publisher=Skipton Castle Publications |location=Skipton |isbn=0950697508 |page=73}} Historically, Towton was within the parish boundaries, and Saxton and Scarthingwell were a township in the parish.{{cite book |title=Kelly's Directory of West Riding of Yorkshire, 1881. [Part 2: Places L-Y] |date=1881 |publisher=Kelly's |location=London |page=992|oclc=1131686669}}{{cite web |title=Sawbridgeworth – Saxton {{!}} British History Online |url=https://www.british-history.ac.uk/topographical-dict/england/pp23-26#h3-0024 |website=www.british-history.ac.uk |access-date=23 June 2023}}
The A162 road cuts through the parish on a north/south axis and connects the parish with Tadcaster in the north {{convert|4|mi}}, and Sherburn-in-Elmet to the south.{{cite web |title=Genuki: SAXTON, Yorkshire (West Riding) |url=https://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/YKS/WRY/Saxton/SaxtonHistory |website=genuki.org.uk |access-date=16 June 2023}}{{cite news |last1=Oxley |first1=Chris |title=Ride like the wind.... but check it first |work=The Yorkshire Post |date=24 June 2023 |location=Country Week |page=30|issn=0963-1496}} Three bus routes totalling eight services per day connect the parish with Tadcaster and Sherburn.{{cite web |title=492 – Wetherby – Sherburn in Elmet |url=https://bustimes.org/services/492-wetherby-sherburn-in-elmet |website=bustimes.org |access-date=16 June 2023}}{{cite web |title=494 – Ulleskelf – Sherburn |url=https://bustimes.org/services/494-ulleskelf-sherburn-2 |website=bustimes.org |access-date=16 June 2023}}{{cite web |title=495 – Tadcaster Bus Station – Selby Bus Station |url=https://bustimes.org/services/495-tadcaster-selby |website=bustimes.org |access-date=16 June 2023}} The nearest railway station is {{rws|Church Fenton}}, some {{convert|5|km|order=flip|0}} to the east.{{cite web |title=Scarthingwell Crescent postcode in Saxton |url=https://postcodebyaddress.co.uk/scarthingwell-crescent/651169 |website=postcodebyaddress.co.uk |access-date=16 June 2023}}
Although now delisted from the main works, a section of the proposed HS2 railway line to {{rws|York}} was projected to run through the far south-eastern corner of the parish.{{cite web |title=High Speed Rail (Crewe to Manchester and West Midlands to Leeds) Working Draft Environmental Statement Volume 2: Community Area report |url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/745196/HS2_Phase_2b_WDES_Volume_2_LA16_Garforth_and_Church_Fenton.pdf |website=assets.publishing.service.gov.uk |access-date=16 June 2023 |page=6 |date=October 2018}}{{cite news |last1=Topham |first1=Gwyn |title=HS2 rail leg to Leeds scrapped, Grant Shapps confirms |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/nov/18/hs2-rail-leg-to-leeds-scrapped-grant-shapps-confirms |access-date=16 June 2023 |work=The Guardian |date=18 November 2021}}
= Saxton Castle =
The village holds the site of Saxton Castle, an 11th-century motte and bailey design, which has been damaged by being built upon since its demise.{{NHLE|desc=Saxton Castle: a motte and bailey castle with a later medieval manor house and field system including a trackway and fishpond|num=1008226|grade=|access-date=16 June 2023}}
= Scarthingwell Hall =
The hall was built in the 18th century for the Hawke family, with landscaping following in the same century.{{cite web |title=Scarthingwell Hall – Saxton |url=https://www.parksandgardens.org/places/scarthingwell-hall |website=parksandgardens.org |date=January 1969 |access-date=23 June 2023 |language=en}}{{cite web |title=Scarthingwell West Riding |url=https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/26746 |website=visionofbritain.org.uk |access-date=24 June 2023}}{{sfn|Bogg|1904|p=210}} In 1854, a private chapel was built by the lake, which became the Church of the Immaculate Conception St John the Worker, a grade II listed building.{{NHLE|desc=The Church of the Immaculate Conception St John the Worker |num=1148447 |grade=II|access-date=24 June 2023 }} Scarthingwell Hall was demolished in 1960, and a care home was built upon the site in 2022.{{cite web |title=Scarthingwell Hall 1930 |url=https://www.tadhistory.org.uk/catalogue_item/scarthingwell-hall-1930 |website=tadhistory.org.uk |access-date=24 June 2023}}{{cite news |last1=Wright |first1=Greg |title=Work begins on £9m 66-bed luxury care home in picturesque North Yorkshire village |url=https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/business/work-begins-on-ps9m-66-bed-luxury-care-home-in-picturesque-north-yorkshire-village-3626502 |access-date=24 June 2023 |work=The Yorkshire Post |date=25 March 2022}}
Governance
Historically, the parish was in the wapentake of Barkston Ash, in the West Riding of Yorkshire. Since 1974, the parish has been in North Yorkshire. From 1974 to 2023 it was part of the Borough of Harrogate, it is now administered by the unitary North Yorkshire Council.{{cite news |last1=Cooper |first1=Joe |title=Final farewell as Selby councillors hold last ever meeting |url=https://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/23407290.selby-district-councillors-say-farewell-last-ever-meeting/ |access-date=16 June 2023 |work=York Press |date=23 March 2023}} The ancient parish of Saxton included the village of Towton and the land within what is now the civil parish of Lead. Saxton and Scarthingwell were classified as a township within the parish.{{cite web |title=Genuki: Saxton, Yorkshire (West Riding) |url=https://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/YKS/WRY/Saxton |website=www.genuki.org.uk |access-date=16 June 2023}}{{cite book |last1=Sheahan |first1=J. J. |last2=Whellan |first2=T. |title=History and topography of the City of York: the Ainsty Wapentake and the East Riding of Yorkshire |date=1855 |publisher=John Green |location=Beverley |page=680|oclc=473523946}} Since 1866, it has been established as its own civil parish. In 1964, the parish covered an area of {{convert|1,101|ha|mi2|1}}, which by the 2011 Census was {{convert|1,527|ha|mi2|1}}. The area is represented at Parliament as part of the Wetherby and Easingwold.{{cite web |title=Election Maps |url=https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/election-maps/gb/?x=449110&y=437598&z=7&bnd1=CPC&bnd2=WMC&labels=on |website=ordnancesurvey.co.uk |access-date=16 June 2023}}
Population
‡ Estimated.
Notable residents
- William Crowe, poet and vicar, was incumbent at Saxton in the early 19th century.{{cite ODNB|first=W. M. P.|last=Courtney|title=Crowe, William|id=6827|date=23 September 2004}}
- Edward Hawke, naval officer resided at Scarthingwell Hall{{cite journal |last1=Hellier |first1=Rachel |last2=Hutton |first2=Barbara |title=A Model Farm at Scarthingwell near York in 1793 and in 1986 |journal=The Agricultural History Review |date=1987 |volume=35 |issue=1 |page=72 |publisher=British Agricultural History Society |issn=0002-1490}}
- The Hungate baronets, a baronetcy from Saxton.{{cite ODNB|first=Alexander|last=Lock|title=Gascoigne, Sir Thomas, eighth baronet|id=105370|date=23 September 2004}}
Notes
{{reflist|group="note"}}
References
{{Reflist}}
= Sources =
- {{cite book |last1=Bogg |first1=Edmund |title=The old kingdom of Elmet, the land twixt Aire and Wharfe |date=1904 |publisher=Sampson |location=York|oclc=1049966966}}
- {{cite book |last1=Wheater |first1=William |title=The history of the parishes of Sherburn and Cawood, with notices of Wistow, Saxton, Towton, etc |date=1882 |publisher=Longmans Green & Co |location=London|oclc=18942470}}
External links
- [https://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/YKS/WRY/Saxton/SaxtonMap Map of the parish in 1850]