Catton

CATTON

The ancient parish of Catton lies on both banks of the river Derwent, partly in Ouse and Derwent wapentake and partly in the Wilton Beacon division of Harthill wapentake. (fn. 1) In places the irregularlyshaped parish measures five miles by four, and its total area in 1850 was 8,002 a. (fn. 2) On the east bank of the river, in the Wilton Beacon division, it included the townships of High and Low Catton and Stamford Bridge East. Part of Stamford Bridge comprised the manor of Hundburton and there may at one time have been a distinct hamlet of that name. West of the river, in Ouse and Derwent wapentake, lie the townships of Kexby, which was made a separate parish in 1853, Scoreby, and Stamford Bridge West. Scoreby became depopulated during the Middle Ages.

Though it lies close to the edge of the Vale of York, most of the parish west of the Derwent and much of it to the east is covered by typical deposits of outwash sand, silt, and clay, with a narrow belt of alluvium along the river valley. Both the York and the Escrick moraines, however, end in the neighbourhood. The Escrick moraine forms a prominent ridge of boulder clay and glacial sand and gravel which runs northwards through the Cattons, before turning north-eastwards towards Full Sutton. It provides an elevated site for High Catton village, whereas Low Catton stands close beside the Derwent. A smaller area of glacial sand and gravel forms a capping to an outcrop of Keuper marl in Stamford Bridge East township. The York moraine skirts the northern margin of Scoreby and Stamford Bridge West townships. Stamford Bridge village stands at a natural crossing point on the Derwent, and both Scoreby and Kexby were also sited close to the river. (fn. 3)

High Catton and Low Catton were separate civil parishes until 1935, when they were combined as 'Catton'. Stamford Bridge East civil parish was enlarged by the transfer of 25 a. from Stamford Bridge West and Scoreby in 1935, and was renamed Stamford Bridge civil parish. The rest of Stamford Bridge West and Scoreby civil parish was transferred to Kexby civil parish that year. (fn. 4) In the following account the Cattons and Stamford Bridge East, whose histories were closely connected, are treated together, as are the townships west of the river.