Staunton (also known as Staunton-in-the-Vale) is a small
village
A village is a human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town with a population typically ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand. Although villages are often located in rural areas, the term urban v ...
and
civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a type of administrative parish used for local government. It is a territorial designation which is the lowest tier of local government. Civil parishes can trace their origin to the ancient system of parishes, w ...
in the
Newark and Sherwood
Newark and Sherwood is a Non-metropolitan district, local government district in Nottinghamshire, England. It is the largest district by area in the county. The council is based in Newark-on-Trent, the area's largest town. The district also incl ...
district of
Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire (; abbreviated ''Notts.'') is a ceremonial county in the East Midlands of England. The county is bordered by South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west. Th ...
, England. It takes its name from the
Vale of Belvoir
The Vale of Belvoir ( ) is in Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire, England. The name is from the Norman-French for "beautiful view".
Extent and geology
The vale is a tract of low ground rising east-north-east, drained by the ...
and shares it with the local Staunton family, which has resided in the area since the
Norman Conquest
The Norman Conquest (or the Conquest) was the 11th-century invasion and occupation of England by an army made up of thousands of Normans, Norman, French people, French, Flemish people, Flemish, and Bretons, Breton troops, all led by the Du ...
and possibly before, making them one of the few English families still resident on their estate.
Geography
The settlement lies 15 miles east of
Nottingham
Nottingham ( , East Midlands English, locally ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area in Nottinghamshire, East Midlands, England. It is located south-east of Sheffield and nor ...
, 6 miles south of
Newark-on-Trent
Newark-on-Trent () or Newark is a market town and civil parish in the Newark and Sherwood district in Nottinghamshire, England. It is on the River Trent, and was historically a major inland port. The A1 road (Great Britain), A1 road bypasses th ...
, and 6 miles north of Belvoir, within the Vale of Belvoir. The land is generally very low-lying and level, averaging in elevation, except for a ridge north of the village centre that rises to , and the highest point of Folly Hill at on the eastern boundary of the parish. The conjunction of three counties, Three Shire Oak, is by the south-east corner of the parish. The population was 66 at the
2021 census. The village is mainly rural, with much farmland, but very little in the way of amenities.
Staunton's neighbours include:
*
Cotham, Nottinghamshire to the north
*
Flawborough and
Shelton, Nottinghamshire to the west
*
Alverton
:''Alverton can also be a variant of Alverston or Alton (disambiguation), Alton.''
Alverton is an English Hamlet (place)#United Kingdom, hamlet and civil parish in the Newark and Sherwood district of Nottinghamshire. It is joined by neighbourin ...
,
Kilvington, and Normanton/
Bottesford, Leicestershire
Bottesford is a village and civil parish in the Borough of Melton in the ceremonial county of Leicestershire, England. It lies close to the borders of Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire.
Location
Bottesford is about east of Nottingham and nort ...
to the south
*
Long Bennington,
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire (), abbreviated ''Lincs'', is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the East Midlands and Yorkshire and the Humber regions of England. It is bordered by the East Riding of Yorkshire across the Humber estuary to th ...
to the east
The historic village area is primarily by the crossroads in the High Street. The Back Dyke forms the northern boundary of the parish and the
River Devon the southern.
Local leisure areas include Stanton Park to the south-east of the village centre, and the Staunton Quarry Nature Reserve by the Back Dyke, which is a reclaimed
gypsum
Gypsum is a soft sulfate mineral composed of calcium sulfate Hydrate, dihydrate, with the chemical formula . It is widely mined and is used as a fertilizer and as the main constituent in many forms of plaster, drywall and blackboard or sidewalk ...
/
limestone
Limestone is a type of carbonate rock, carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material Lime (material), lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different Polymorphism (materials science) ...
mine, notable as a preserve of the
Grizzled Skipper
''Pyrgus'' is a genus in the skippers butterfly family, Hesperiidae, known as the grizzled skippers. The name "checkered" or "chequered skipper" may also be applied to some species, but also refers to species in the genera '' Burnsius'' and '' C ...
butterfly.
Economy
Most of the parish consists of agricultural land, which accounts for some local employment.
The only public house, The Staunton Arms, stands in the High Street at the crossroads.
The Staunton Industrial Estate maintains units and workshops for small-scale manufacturing about north-west of the village, off Grange Lane.
Education
Staunton School, in the High Street, is primarily a nursery, started in 2001 and run by Staunton family members. Private schooling is also available for older children.
History
In the
Domesday Book
Domesday Book ( ; the Middle English spelling of "Doomsday Book") is a manuscript record of the Great Survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086 at the behest of William the Conqueror. The manuscript was originally known by ...
of 1086, the village was known as Stanton. It was recorded that Malger held the manor through the feudal tenure of the castle guard at Belvoir. He had charge of a high tower known as Staunton's Tower. Whenever the Royal Family visits Belvoir, the head of the Staunton family attends and presents the golden key of the tower, as did the Rev. F. Staunton on the occasion of the first visit of the Prince of Wales
Malger's father, Sir Bryan de Staunton (1040–1100), is the first known member of this family. The family had French origins and it is believed that the mispronunciation in spelling is derived from this. The Staunton Tower at
Belvoir Castle
Belvoir Castle ( ) is a faux historic castle and stately home in Leicestershire, England, situated west of the town of Grantham and northeast of Melton Mowbray. A castle was first built on the site immediately after the Norman Conquest of 10 ...
is a reminder of the Stauntons' connections. The family maintained
Lord of the Manor
Lord of the manor is a title that, in Anglo-Saxon England and Norman England, referred to the landholder of a historical rural estate. The titles date to the English Feudalism, feudal (specifically English feudal barony, baronial) system. The ...
rights into modern times, and continue to play a role in local affairs through civil parish administration.
Railway
The
Great Northern and London and North Western Joint Railway ran a line from
Melton Mowbray railway station (initially Melton) via the
Bottesford South junction to
Newark North Gate through the western part of the parish, but the nearest station was at
Cotham. The line closed in 1987.
Landmarks
Staunton Hall
Located on the south end of the High Street, the 16th-century Hall is a
Grade II* listed
In the United Kingdom, a listed building is a structure of particular architectural or historic interest deserving of special protection. Such buildings are placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, H ...
building, and is still the Staunton family's main residence.
St Mary's Church
This stands in the hall grounds and was the family chapel. It is now the parish church for Staunton and
Flawborough. The Domesday Book records a church and a priest in the village, but it is unclear if it was on the present site. Certain church features have been dated as far back as the 12th century.
Listed buildings
Several structures and buildings throughout the parish have listed status, including the hall and church and the ''Staunton Arms'' public house from the early 19th century, a vintage telephone kiosk, and a wall with notable features.
References
{{Nottinghamshire
Villages in Nottinghamshire
Civil parishes in Nottinghamshire
Newark and Sherwood