Sturton by Stow is a village and civil parish in the West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. The population of the civil parish was 1,369 at the 2011 census.
History The village is situated on the north-south B1241 and east–west A1500 Tillbridge Road (a Roman road). Nearby to the north is Stow. Sturton falls within the ecclesiastical parish of Stow, consequently the parish church of Sturton is Stow Minster. The Church of England maintained a mission church in Sturton, a brick building dedicated to St Hugh and designed by John Loughborough Pearson. The building was sold in January 2022 and is now in private ownership. The nearest churches are now Stow Minster, St Botolph's Church, Saxilby and St. Margaret of Antioch Church in Marton.
Visits The Duke of Gloucester visited the village on Wednesday 5 October 2005, to open new offices at Gelder GroupTimes Wednesday October 5 2005, page 73 The Duke visited Gelder Group again, on Friday 18 June 2010, having visited some schools in Grantham in the morning, then opened the new Gainsborough Education VillageTimes Friday June 18 2010, page 70 The Princess Royal visited Gelder Group on Thursday 17 July 2014, to open an education centre, in connection with the City and Guilds InstituteTimes Thursday July 17 2014, page 53
Education There is a primary school on School Lane.
Former secondary school Planning permission for the secondary school was obtained in September 1958. Saxilby had been looked at too, as a site for the secondary modern school.Gainsborough Evening News Tuesday 2 September 1958, page 4
Construction began in late 1959. The Epworth secondary school was built at the same time. The school was planned to open in January 1961, but it took longer, so was planned to open in April 1961.Retford News Friday 13 January 1961, page 12 The school opened in September 1961. The school would be officially opened on Friday 27 October 1961 by David Eccles, 1st Viscount Eccles, the Conservative Minister of Education.Retford News Friday 15 September 1961, page 16Times Friday October 27 1961
The school cost £95,000 for 450 children from 27 villages - Gate Burton, Kexby, Marton, Willingham, Torksey, Sturton, Stow, North and South Carlton, Scampton, Saxilby, Ingham, Laughterton and Upton.Gainsborough Evening News Tuesday 24 October 1961, page 8 The school was built by William Wright and Sons, of Lincoln. The playing fields were 10 acres.Grimsby Evening Telegraph Friday 27 October 1961, page 1Gainsborough Evening News Tuesday 31 October 1961, page 1 There were eight classrooms.Retford News Friday 27 October 1961, page 13Lincolnshire Echo Friday 27 October 1961, page 10
In May 1968 headteacher John Charles Capp retired. Michael Northway, from Ipswich, took over. Mr Capp was a special policeman, and a qualified football linesman,Lincolnshire Echo Thursday 2 May 1968, page 5Retford News Friday 3 May 1968, page 4 and moved to Wandover Road in Messingham,Retford News Friday 28 March 1969, page 4 where he collapsed and died at home on Monday 25 May 1970, aged 63.Gainsborough Evening News Tuesday 26 May 1970, page 1Retford News Friday 5 June 1970, page 4 Mr Capp had married in Scunthorpe in August 1934, and had attended grammar school in Grantham.Grantham Journal Saturday 2 August 1919, page 8 Mr Northway lived in Willingham; one of his daughters went to Gainsborough High School and Edinburgh University.Retford News Friday 25 November 1983, page 2
In April 1987, a decision was made to close the school. The 1st and 4th years would not be admitted from September 1988, and everyone else would leave in July 1989.Retford News Friday 24 April 1987, page 1 The headteacher Michael Northway, with deputy Don Smellie, had been at the school since 1961. Adrian East and Louise Pickwell were head boy and girl, for 1988, with Anthony Purchase and Tamsyn Davies, for the last year of the school.Retford News Friday 29 July 1988, page 9
The secondary school closed on Thursday 27 July 1989. At one time there were 500 at the school, but the school had only 50 children when it closed.Retford News Friday 4 August 1989, page 6 Some children would go to the William Farr school instead, in Welton. Others went to the Castle Hills school in Gainsborough.
Geography The village public house is The New Plough Inn on Tillbridge Road. The River Till is to the east.
References
Further reading
External links
Stow Group of Churches