Location

North and South Wheatley lay in the north of the county, and the east of the district.

It is surrounded by the following local villages:

• Gringley-on-the-Hill and Beckingham to the north
• Clarborough to the south
• Bole, Saundby, Sturton Le Steeple and West Burton to the east
• Clayworth and Hayton to the west.

The parish is approximately 2 miles in width, by 3 miles.

Settlements

The parish consists of one urban area divided into two distinct villages:^[5]

• North Wheatley
• South Wheatley

Landscape

Predominantly, many of the parish residents are clustered around the urban area formed by the two villages. Outside of this is a light scattering of farms, farmhouses, auxiliary buildings and cottages amongst a wider mainly farmland setting. A few small wooded areas exist throughout the parish.

Toponymy

Wheatley was recorded in the Domesday Book as Watelaie.^[8] The parish was formed on 1 April 2015 from the then independent parishes of "North Wheatley" and "South Wheatley".^[9]

Roman period

The villages dates back to Romans times and prior. The Roman Road from Lincoln crosses the River Trent at Littleborough and goes through Wheatley before reaching Doncaster. Roman coins were found in the village. There is proof of Roman soldiers being in Wheatley, as a Roman centurion's tombstone was discovered under the foundation of the present church in North Wheatley church tower when major restoration work was being carried out during the 1930s. Part of this tombstone is presently being displayed in the church.^[10]

There are numerous theories about a Roman settlement in Wheatley, a possible Roman villa on the playing field, but no hard evidence. An 1899 OS map of Wheatley shows a Roman pitchment, situated on Low Street as the road forks into Top Street,^[11] the term pitchment can mean both a road and the floor area of a dwelling, of which it could have been either, but more likely it was the road.

Numerous coins and fragments of pottery from the Roman period have been found around Wheatley, mainly from Wheatley Grange and Wheatley Wood when excavations took place to create a large pond for drainage purposes, this high point could have been the site of a look-out post. The fragments of pottery are mainly Samian ware, a red glazed decorated ware imported by the Romans from northern France. Roman coins have also been found on Chapel field, situated alongside the road.^[10] A Roman fantail bow brooch with pin and catchplate were also found in South Wheatley, as well as coins and a love token in the chapel field. These items are now in the Bassetlaw Museum in Retford.^[10]

Medieval age to present

Around the time of Domesday (1086), Wheatley is recorded of having come under part ownership of the Archbishop of York. The rest came under the tenure of Roger de Busli. Landowners in later centuries became fragmented, they included the Markham family, the Earl of Shrewsbury, Lord Middleton and Marquess of Dorchester.^[12][13]

The Grade II* listed Old Hall at North Wheatley has over the door the arms of Thomas Cartwright, and dates from 1673, possibly being the oldest dormitory building in the village.^[14] It is unclear if this Cartwright family were related to the Marnham family of the same name, due to the different coat of arms in use by both.^[15] Many of the heritage residences were primarily farmhouses for housing agricultural workers as the parish was mainly rural, with much of the surrounding land used for that purpose.^[16][17]

Development protection area

There is a conservation area defined for much of North Wheatley, along with a portion of South Wheatley.^[20]

Listed buildings

There are 18 listed buildings, including:^[4]

• Remains of Church of St Helen, Grade I and scheduled monument, South Wheatley
• Church of St Peter and St Paul, Grade II*, North Wheatley
• North and South Wheatley War Memorial in the North Wheatley church grounds, Grade II
• The Old Hall, Grade II*, North Wheatley

North Wheatley

The North Wheatley churches are now shared amongst one congregation worshipping alternatively in the two buildings. It is a local ecumenical partnership of Anglican and Methodist churches.^[21]

South Wheatley