Watton, East Riding of Yorkshire

In the 6th century Watton was home to a Frankish saint, MonegundaMonegunda is a female name meaning "overprotective" and was known from medieval France. of Watton{{cite book|first=David |last=Farmer|title= The Oxford Dictionary of Saints |publisher=Oxford University Press|year= 2011}} and in the 13th century to William de Malton, master-mason who built Beverley Minster{{cite book|last=Malton|first= William de |title= A Dictionary of Architecture and Landscape Architecture |publisher=Oxford University Press}} was buried here.

The Venerable Bede in his Ecclesiastical History of the English People tells of a miracle of Saint John of Beverley that took place in Watton. It is also the setting for the 12th-century miracle story De Sanctimoniali de Wattun.

File:Watton Abbey.jpgWatton is the location for Watton Priory which was a Gilbertine double monastery founded in 1150 by Eustace fitz John.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/humber/content/articles/2006/01/09/history_watton_forbidden_love_feature.shtml|title=Forbidden love in Watton|date=9 January 2006|work=Where I Live - Humber|publisher=BBC|accessdate=27 August 2010}} The present building dates mainly from the 14th and 15th centuries, although it has earlier origins, and a house was added in the 19th century. It is a Grade I listed building.{{NHLE|num=1161550|desc=Watton Abbey|accessdate=2 August 2013}}{{NHLE |num=1161550 |desc=Watton Abbey |accessdate=2 May 2013}} The priory was dissolved in 1539 by Henry VIII. The Nun of Watton, famous from Ailred of Rievaulx's De Sanctimoniali de Wattun, is noted for her pregnancy while in the priory.

Near to the priory is the Church of St Mary which was designated a Grade I listed building in September 1966 and is now recorded in the National Heritage List for England, maintained by Historic England.{{NHLE|num=1083772|desc=Church of St Mary|accessdate=2 August 2013}} The church building is primarily of 15th century construction but some 13th century materials remain,{{cite web|url=http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-167880-church-of-st-mary-watton- |title=Church of St Mary, Watton|work= British Listed Buildings|accessdate=13 March 2014}} while the south porch, and north vestry are dated 1859. The parapet to tower is 20th century.

The origin of the word Watton is uncertain, but suggestions include:{{cite web |title=Watton :: Survey of English Place-Names |url=http://epns.nottingham.ac.uk/browse/East+Riding+of+Yorkshire/Watton/5328549ab47fc40a4d000569-Watton |website=epns.nottingham.ac.uk |access-date=12 October 2021}}{{cite book |last1=Ekwall |first1=Eilert |author-link=Eilert Ekwall |title=The concise Oxford dictionary of English place-names |date=1960 |publisher=Oxford University Press |location=Oxford |isbn=0-19-869103-3 |page= 501|edition=4}}

• Old English wád, or woad, and ton meaning small farming settlement; or
• waden meaning ford; or from waétan meaning watery.

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• {{cite book|title=Gazetteer — A–Z of Towns Villages and Hamlets|year=2006|publisher=East Riding of Yorkshire Council|page=11}}

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{{Commons category|Watton, East Riding of Yorkshire|Watton}}

• {{OpenDomesday|OS=TA0249|name=watton|display=Watton}}

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Category:Villages in the East Riding of Yorkshire

Category:Civil parishes in the East Riding of Yorkshire