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Crofton History & Historical Residents Listed in the Doomsday Book as Scroftune and Scrotone Crofton Is undoubtedly more than just an ex-mining community which is the preconception that most people have about the village. Sir Titus Salt (1803 – 1876), who later in life went on to become one of the greatest employers associated with the industrial revolution and founder of Saltaire Near Bradford once lived in Crofton at Manor Farm while working as a wool stapler in Wakefield. You can now enjoy a pint where Sir Titus once lived as this building was converted in to the controversially named Goose and Cowslip pub in the 1980s, this name was widely disliked mainly down to the fact than no one had any memories of any Geese or Cowslips on the farm. The pub was soon renamed to the more acceptable and possibly more appropriate The Lord of The Manor. Richmal Mangnall (1769 -1820) is a name that may not set the bells ringing with many people but it is a fair bet she rang a bell or two to a couple of the Bronte sisters who had schooled at Crofton Hall where Richmal Mangnall was both the owner and mistress. In 1823 Maria aged nine and Elizabeth Bronte aged eight were sent to Crofton Hall which was run as a boarding school by Miss Mangnall. However, their father Patrick Bronte knowing there was Charlotte, Emily, Anne and Branwell who would soon need formal education found a school that was cheaper costing £14 a year, half the fees required to attend Crofton Hall. Mangnall was also the author of Historical and Miscellaneous Questions for the Use of Young People which was published in 1800, the publication was used as a tool to educate English girls in the first half of the 19th century. Harrison Road in Crofton is named after John Harrison (1693 – 1776) who lived in nearby Foulby in his early years. Harrison was a clockmaker and thanks to his invention of the marine chronometer long distance sea travel became possible thanks to it accurately establishing the longitude of a vessel. Despite sounding like a pretty simple achievement the problem was an incredibly hard nut to crack and the British parliament of the day offered a reward equal to £6 million in today’s terms to anyone that could offer a reliable solution to the problem. Richard Fleming (Circa 1360 – 1431) was born in Crofton and was a driving force behind the building of All Saints’ Church which stands peering over the village at the top of Church Hill. Fleming went on to be the founder of Lincoln Collage Oxford and become Bishop of Lincoln. Much more information regarding the history of Crofton and activity's that take place in village can be found on the Crofton Village website.

Crofton History & Historical Residents

Listed in the Doomsday Book as Scroftune and Scrotone Crofton Is undoubtedly more than just an ex-mining community which is the preconception that most people have about the village.

Sir Titus Salt (1803 – 1876), who later in life went on to become one of the greatest employers associated with the industrial revolution and founder of Saltaire Near Bradford once lived in Crofton at Manor Farm while working as a wool stapler in Wakefield. You can now enjoy a pint where Sir Titus once lived as this building was converted in to the controversially named Goose and Cowslip pub in the 1980s, this name was widely disliked mainly down to the fact than no one had any memories of any Geese or Cowslips on the farm. The pub was soon renamed to the more acceptable and possibly more appropriate The Lord of The Manor.

Richmal Mangnall (1769 -1820) is a name that may not set the bells ringing with many people but it is a fair bet she rang a bell or two to a couple of the Bronte sisters who had schooled at Crofton Hall where Richmal Mangnall was both the owner and mistress. In 1823 Maria aged nine and Elizabeth Bronte aged eight were sent to Crofton Hall which was run as a boarding school by Miss Mangnall. However, their father Patrick Bronte knowing there was Charlotte, Emily, Anne and Branwell who would soon need formal education found a school that was cheaper costing £14 a year, half the fees required to attend Crofton Hall. Mangnall was also the author of Historical and Miscellaneous Questions for the Use of Young People which was published in 1800, the publication was used as a tool to educate English girls in the first half of the 19th century.

Harrison Road in Crofton is named after John Harrison (1693 – 1776) who lived in nearby Foulby in his early years. Harrison was a clockmaker and thanks to his invention of the marine chronometer long distance sea travel became possible thanks to it accurately establishing the longitude of a vessel. Despite sounding like a pretty simple achievement the problem was an incredibly hard nut to crack and the British parliament of the day offered a reward equal to £6 million in today’s terms to anyone that could offer a reliable solution to the problem.

Richard Fleming (Circa 1360 – 1431) was born in Crofton and was a driving force behind the building of All Saints’ Church which stands peering over the village at the top of Church Hill. Fleming went on to be the founder of Lincoln Collage Oxford and become Bishop of Lincoln.

Much more information regarding the history of Crofton and activity's that take place in village can be found on the Crofton Village website.

Crofton Around 1780