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White's Directory of Nottinghamshire, 1853

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Sturton (Sturton in the Clay; Sturton le Steeple)

Sturton Parish comprises the village of Sturton in the Clay, and the hamlet of Fenton, and contains 637 inhabitants and 4,104 acres of land, of which, at the enclosure in 1823, an allotment of 727a 1r 4p was awarded to the Dean and Chapter of York, in lieu of the rectorial tithes, and 127a 3r 8p to the vicar, in lieu of the small tithes.

Sturton in the Clay is a large village, consisting of four streets, on the Littleborough Road, 6 miles east by north of Retford. It was anciently called Streton, from the Roman road which passes through it to Doncaster. The church, dedicated to St Peter, is a large structure, with nave, chancel, side aisles, and lofty tower, having twelve handsome pinnacles, with a peal of five bells. The benefice is a vicarage, valued in the King's books at £5 7s 3½d, now £282. The Bishop of Lincoln is the patron, and the Rev. Charles W. Eyre is the incumbent. G.S. Foljambe Esq. is lord of the manor, and owner of a great portion of the soil, as well as lessee of the Dean and Chapter land. The annual feast is on the Sunday before October 2nd. The Wesleyans have a neat chapel, erected in 1832, and in 1836, G.S. Foljambe Esq. erected a neat parish school, and the vicar send four children free.

Fenton hamlet is three-quarters of a mile south-east from Sturton. It was formerly the seat of the Fenton family, the first of whom was Sir Richard Fenton, one of whom was a famous navigator and sea officer. In 1588, at the sea fight against the Spanish Armada, he acted as pilot to the Admiral's ship.

Charities. In 1725, Francis Hopkinson left £24, and all his lands in Sturton, to the overseers in trust, that they distribute the interest and rents yearly in clothing to the poor of the parish. At the enclosure an allotment of 5a 2r 16p, now let for £5 a year, was given in exchange for part of this charity estate, the rest of which consists of the Poor's close, 3a 0r 18p (let for £7 a year), and three gardens and cottages occupied rent free by three poor people. In 1710, George Green left Goodman's Close (3a 3r 34p), now let for £6 14s 0d per annum, for a schoolmaster to teach eight poor children to read. This close is exonerated from tithe. Including the vicar's four, twelve poor children go free. In 1800, William Connell left the interest of £100 (which was vested with Mrs Srancer) to be divided amongst the poor parishoners on St Thomas' Day.

[Transcribed by Clive Henly]