Scotter

Description and Travel

Scotter is a parish and a large village due south of the conurbation of Scunthorpe and which sits nine miles northeast of Gainsborough. The parish of Messingham lies to the north, Scotton parish to the south. The parish covers about 5,400 acres and includes the hamlets of Scotterthorpe, Susworth (on the Trent River), Cotehouses (now virtually gone) and Woodhouse.

The picturesque village lies south of the the M180 motorway. The A159 trunk road cuts through the heart of the village. The small River Eau passes through the village and just north of Scotterthorpe.

The hamlets of Susworth and Cotehouses (also given as "Gotchouses") are on the River Trent west-northwest of the village of Scotter.

Ideas for a visit to Scotter:

• Here's a street scene from bygone Scotter days. It is a Paddy and Yankee carrier cart:
  
  

• The village had its own web site at www.this-is-scotter.co.uk, but this site was not working when last checked.
  
  
• Modern day visitors to Scotter might enjoy a picnic in the wooded grounds in the southwestern part of the parish or fishing at Morton's Pond. But watch out for the hundreds of ducks that roam the village (residents of the River Eau).
  
  
• Don't forget to stop at Choxx on the Messingham Road for a chocolate treat.
  
  
• And visit our touring page for Lincolnshire.
  
  

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Census

• The parish was in the Scotter sub-district of the Gainsborough Registration District.
  
  
• We have a list of surnames extracted from a small portion of the 1901 census for Scotter.
  
  
• Check our Census Resource page for county-wide resources.
  
  
• The table below gives census piece numbers, where known:
  
  

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Church History

• The Anglican parish church is dedicated to St. Peter.
  
  
• The church is built of stone.
  
  
• Some portions of the church date from the early Norman period.
  
  
• The church was extensively repaired in1820.
  
  
• The church seats 400.
  
  
• There is a photograph of St. Peter's Church on the Wendy Parkinson Church Photos web site.
  
  
• Here is a photo of St. Peter's Church, taken by Ron Cole (who retains the copyright):
  
  

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Church Records

• The Anglican church parish registers exist from 1561.
  
  
• We have a handful of entries in our Parish Register Extract text file. Your additions are welcome.
  
  
• The Lincolnshire FHS publishes indexes of marriages and a burial index for the Manlake Deanery to make your search easier.
  
  
• Susworth had its own Wesleyan Methodist chapel in the 1800's. Scotter had chapels for the Wesleyan, New Connexion and Primitive Methodists. The one for the Wesleyan Methodists is still in use. For information and assistance in researching Methodist chapels, see our non-conformist religions page.
  
  
• Check our Church Records page for county-wide resources.
  
  

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Civil Registration

• The parish was in the Scotter sub-district of the Gainsborough Registration District.
  
  
• Check our Civil Registration page for sources and background on Civil Registration which began in July, 1837.
  
  

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History

• Diggings around the village indicate that the Anglo-Saxons lived here for some centuries.
  
  
• In recent centuries, a cattle fair was held at Scotter on July 10^th of each year.
  
  

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Maps

• The national grid reference is SE 8800.
  
  
• For a map, click on MultiMap.
  
  
• You'll want an Ordnance Survey Explorer map, which has a scale of 2.5 inches to the mile.
  
  
• See our Maps page for additional resources.
  
  

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Names, Geographical

• The meaning of the name Scotter is uncertain, possibly from the Old English Scot+treow, for "tree of the Scots". In the 1086 Domesday Book it appeared as Scotere.
  
  
• Scotterthorpe apparently has a different derivation, coming from Old Scandinavian Skalli+thorp, for "hamlet of a man called Skalli". In the 1086 Domesday Book it appeared as Scaltorp. Susworth appears to mean only "southern settlement".
  A. D. Mills, "A Dictionary of English Place-Names," Oxford University Press, 1991.
  
  

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Politics and Governance

• The parish was in the ancient Corringham Wapentake in the West Lindsey district in the parts of Lindsey.
  
  
• The parish boundaries were changed slightly in 1885 when a detached portion of Scotton parish was transfered to Scotter.
  
  

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Poorhouses, Poor Law, etc.

• The Common Lands were enclosed here in 1812.
  
  
• As a result of the 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act, this parish became part of the Gainsborough Poorlaw Union.
  
  

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Population

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Schools

• A National School was built here in 1834 and by the 1870's was schooling about 100 children. An Infants school was added in 1877. This school closed in July, 1932. Scotter Primary School, which opened in Aug, 1932, now resides on High Street.
  
  
• The Minute Books for Scotter Primary School are deposited for 1932-55 and 1955-69 at the Lincoln Archives. No admission registers were deposited.
  
  
• A Public Elementary School was built is Susworth hamlet in 1904 to hold upto 52 students.
  
  
• For more on researching school records, see our Schools Research page.
  
  

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