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Darlton

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by John H Gilbert

We enter Nottinghamshire from Lincolnshire via the Tollbridge at Dunham. Continuing northwards along the A57 for almost three miles is the village of Darlton the current spelling of which dates from after 1612. The village mentioned in the Doomsday book was spelt 'Derlynton'. The A57 road cuts the village in half. The village church, St.Gile's, appears to have been built as a chapel of ease to the parish church of Dunham-on-Trent in the 12th.century. Little remains of the original church which was rebuilt at the personal expense of the vicar the Revd.Henry Jubb in 1856. Interestingly in the church are two brasses of a man in armour and a lady both in excellent preservation. No names or inscriptions but the armour and dress are said to be those worn in 1510 which coincide with the death of the only known person residing in the village being William Mering. Whites directory (1844) tells us Darlton is about 1000 acres; has 203 inhabitants living in 46 houses. Later figures are in 1871 173 inhabitants; in 1931, 113 and in 1991 there were 103.

Nottinghamshire county records gives us the following interesting notes; July 14th 1742 Thomas Gabbitas, weaver pleaded guilty to stealing one ewe, one lamb and one hog lamb. Sentenced to be whipped privately at 5p.m. this afternoon until his body be bloody and then delivered paying his fees. John Gibbatas of Darlton to be whipped at the pump in the market place while the court was sitting having stolen a quantity of wool value 10 pence. October 5th 1764 Ann Long of Darlton sentenced to be set in the common town stocks for the space of six hours for stealing cows milk to the value of 10 pence. In 1552 one George Gabitas was church warden and William Gabitas described as a gentleman!

Kingshaugh - King John enclosed a portion of the Royal Forest of Sherwood and made a park where he could hunt deer etc. Thoroton writes:- 'The men of Dereleton and Ragnall (Henry III 1226) had pasture for their cattle in the wood of Kingshaugh as they were wont in the times of King Henry II and King John, until the said King John made the houses to be built, and the wood enclosed, and a park made thereof which was in the time of Richard I, his brother against whom, when he was Earl John, he made war in this place.'

When it was known that Richard was coming to England to seize his possessions by force, Kinghaugh was one of the mansions fortified in readiness to resist him. Local knights were pressed into service, including Robert Mallovel-de-Rampton who in 1194 paid a fine of 20 marks for being a Knight of Earl John. The extent of the park is thus described in an inquisition temp Edward I, in the Dukery records: 'The markes and bounds that goeth about the desmayne wood of our Lord the King and the grounds of Kingshaugh and unto the way that is betwixt Dunham and Tuxford and so going to the dyke that extendeth to the field of Markham and to the Mannoure of Kingshaugh where it began and is disafforested etc.'

Finally within Darlton parish is the lost village of Wimpton which lies to the East of the main village but most recently has road signs erected.