South Wheatley, Nottinghamshire

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

It is surrounded by the following local villages:

• North Wheatley to the north
• Clarborough to the south
• Bole, Saundby, Sturton Le Steeple and West Burton to the east
• Clayworth and Hayton to the west.

South Wheatley is south of the Wheatley Beck stream. North Wheatley is directly adjacent to the village. It is much smaller than North Wheatley but mainly residential, it maintains amenities such as a primary school, village hall and some leisure facilities.[3]

The Wheatley Beck stream flows west to east through the parish and separates the two villages, before eventually draining into the River Trent.

The village is low-lying, at approximately 20–25 metres (66–82 ft) and is slightly lower than North Wheatley

Wheatley was recorded in the Domesday Book as Watelaie.[4] The name "Wheatley" means 'Woodland clearing growing with wheat'.[5] In 2014 the parish was abolished and merged with North Wheatley to form "North and South Wheatley".[6]

The villages dates back to Romans times and prior. The Roman Road from Lincoln crosses the River Trent at Littleborough and goes through South Wheatley and North Wheatley before reaching Doncaster. Roman coins were found in the village.[7]

There are numerous theories about a Roman settlement in Wheatley, a possible roman villa on the playing field, but no hard evidence. Roman coins have also been found on Chapel field, situated alongside the road.[7] 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.[7]

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.[8][9] Many of the dwellings in South Wheatley were primarily farmhouses for housing agricultural workers as the parish was mainly rural, with much of the surrounding land used for that purpose.[10][11]

There is a conservation area defined for South (along with North) Wheatley.[13]

There are 4 listed buildings in South Wheatley, including the remains of Church of St Helen, designated Grade I and a scheduled monument.[2]

The church was thought to have been built in the 11th century, the surviving ruins of St Helen's consist only of an arch and its tower. The church was declared redundant in 1883 and subsequently demolished, its walls pulled down by traction engines. The stone from the church was used to repair walls in the village, with the altar being taken to St Peter and St Paul church in North Wheatley.[14]