Saxton, North Yorkshire

Saxton is a village in North Yorkshire, England, 14 miles (23 km) south-west of York[1] and 12 miles (19 km) east of Leeds. The resident population is about 250. The closest town is Tadcaster.

Saxton
All Saints' Church, Saxton
Saxton is located in North Yorkshire
Saxton
Saxton
Location within North Yorkshire
Unitary authority
Ceremonial county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townTadcaster
Postcode districtLS24
Dialling code01937
PoliceNorth Yorkshire
FireNorth Yorkshire
AmbulanceYorkshire
The Greyhound at Saxton

History

The place-name 'Saxton' is attested in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as Saxtun.[2] This is from the Old English Seax-tūn, meaning 'town or settlement of the Saxons'.[3]

A motte and bailey castle was built at Saxton. A medieval manor house replaced the castle until it was demolished in the early-19th century but some earthworks of the bailey and the motte survive.[4]

All Saints' Church is a grade I listed structure which dates to the 11th century.[5] Some bodies of those who were killed in the Battle of Towton were buried in the churchyard.[6] The men who gave their lives in the First World War are remembered on the War Memorial outside the church and a plaque inside the church.

The Battle of Towton was fought just north of the village.[6]

Saxton is home to an Anglican church, a primary school, a village hall, one pub, the Greyhound owned and operated by Samuel Smith's Old Brewery and a cricket club.

References
  1. "Genuki: Saxton, Yorkshire (West Riding)". www.genuki.org.uk. Retrieved 16 July 2019.
  2. "Saxton | Domesday Book". opendomesday.org. Retrieved 16 July 2019.
  3. Ekwall, Eilert (1960). The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Place-names (4 ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 460. ISBN 0-19-869103-3.
  4. Historic England. "Saxton Castle: a motte and bailey castle with a later medieval manor house and field system including a trackway and fishpond (1008226)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 16 July 2019.
  5. Historic England. "Church of All saints (Grade I) (1168016)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 16 July 2019.
  6. Speight 1902, p. 214.

Sources
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