Darton

The name Darton is believed to be an amalgamation of "Dearne" and the Anglo-Saxon word "ton" (meaning 'town'). Hence, in ancient times it was known as the town on the Dearne. However, other sources dispute this explanation and claim that the name originates from a description given to a deer enclosure or something similar. In 1086 the hamlet of Dertone was in the wapentake of Staincross. The hamlet grew to become a village so the Parish of Darton was founded in 1150, when the first church was built. As elsewhere in England, an official register of baptisms, deaths and marriages did not begin until later, in 1539. The parish was historically within the West Riding of Yorkshire and became a…

Darton has its own railway station on Northern's Hallam Line which links train journeys between Sheffield and Leeds. The railway station is in South Yorkshire but West Yorkshire Metro tickets are also valid to and from this station. The reason for this is because the West-South Yorkshire boundary ran between the village and its main source of employment, Woolley Colliery. On 15 June 2007, Darton hit the national headlines after 48 hours of torrential rain caused the River Dearne to burst its banks leading to heavy flooding in the village. The main road through the village was rendered impassable and many homes and businesses were damaged, including the village post office, which re-opened…