Scotforth (parish)
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox UK place
| official_name = Scotforth
| civil_parish = Scotforth
| country = England
| region = North West England
| coordinates = {{coord|54.023|-2.770|region:GB_type:city(500)|display=title}}
| os_grid_reference = SD496588
| post_town =
| postcode_area =
| postcode_district =
| dial_code =
| shire_district = Lancaster
| shire_county = Lancashire
| hide_services = Yes
| population = 320
| population_ref = (2021 census)
| area_total_km2 =
| static_image = Blea Tarn Reservoir - panoramio.jpg
| static_image_caption = Blea Tarn Reservoir
| pushpin_map = United Kingdom City of Lancaster
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in the City of Lancaster district
| website = {{URL|https://scotforthparishcouncil.org.uk/|Parish Council}}
}}
Scotforth is a civil parish in City of Lancaster district, Lancashire, England. It does not include the suburb Scotforth, but is further south, comprising areas to the west, north and north-east of Lancaster University. The parish has an area of {{convert|645.86|hectare|4=0}} and had a population of 320 at the 2021 census.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date= |title=Scotforth (parish): population statistics, 2021 Census |url=https://www.citypopulation.de/en/uk/northwestengland/admin/lancaster/E04005203__scotforth/ |access-date=14 March 2025 |website=CityPopulation.de}}
The eastern boundary of the parish follows the course of the River Conder. Much of its area is in use for agriculture and reservoirs; the largest settlement is the hamlet of Bailrigg in the west, which is separated from the rest of the parish by the M6 motorway. The hamlet gives its name to the Bailrigg campus of the university.
There are five listed buildings in Scotforth: four houses and a bridge over the Conder.{{Cite web |title=Listed Buildings in Scotforth, Lancaster, Lancashire |url=https://britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/england/scotforth-lancaster-lancashire |access-date=2025-03-14 |website=britishlistedbuildings.co.uk}} All are Grade II listed.
There are two reservoirs in the parish. Blea Tarn Reservoir was constructed in 1896–1901 and the BFI has a film by Mitchell and Kenyon of its opening in 1902. Langthwaite Reservoir was constructed in 1935, and United Utilities began work in 2018 on the construction of a floating solar farm on its surface.
Scotforth has a parish council.
History
Scotforth was formerly a township, it became a civil parish in 1866. The parish formerly included the settlement: on 9 November 1900 the northern, urban, part of the parish was transferred to Lancaster and on 1 April 1935 a further {{convert|332|acres}} were transferred to Lancaster. The population of the parish was 1,139 in 1871, 2,263 in 1881 and 1,598 in 1891 but reduced to 251 in 1901.{{cite web |title=Scotforth Tn/CP: Population |url=https://visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10379866/cube/TOT_POP |website=visionofbritain.org.uk |publisher=Vision of Britain |accessdate=15 May 2020}}
==Exclave==
Scotforth is one of 14 parishes in England still to contain a detached portion.
References
{{reflist|refs=
{{cite web |title=From Source to Pump |url=https://britishdams.org/2016conf/includes/CT%205a%20-%20From%20Source%20to%20Pump.pdf |publisher=British Dam Society |accessdate=15 May 2020}} and United Utilities has constructed a floating solar farm on the surface of the water.
}}
Further reading
- {{cite book |title=A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 8. |date=1914 |publisher=Victoria County History |pages=56–58 |url=https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/lancs/vol8/pp56-58|chapter=Townships: Scotforth|accessdate=15 May 2020}}
External links
{{Commons category inline}}
- [https://scotforthparishcouncil.org.uk/ Scotforth Parish Council]
- {{Genuki|county=LAN|Scotforth}}
{{authority control}}
{{City of Lancaster geography}}