Facts about Normanton
General Info
Normanton is a town and civil parish in the City of Wakefield in West Yorkshire, England. It is north-east of Wakefield and south-west of Castleford. The civil parish extends west and north to the River Calder, and includes the large village of Altofts. At the time of the 2011 Census, the population of the civil parish was 20,872.
The Normanton ward of the Wakefield City Council does not include Altofts, but includes the civil parish of Warmfield cum Heath to the south-west of Normanton. The ward had a population of 16,220 in 2011. Normanton is home to the amateur rugby league Normanton Knights club in the National Conference League.
History
In Normantune there are 10 carucates for geld, which 5 plows can plough. 2 thegns had 2 manors there T.R.E. Now, in the King’s hand there are 6 villeins there, and 3 bordars, a priest and a church, with 3 ploughs, 3 acres (12,000 m2) of meadow. Pasturable wood (land) 6 furlongs in length and 1 in breadth. The whole of this land lies in the soc of Wachefelt, except the Church. T.R.E. it was worth 12s: now (it is worth) 10s.
Normanton was originally surrounded by a moat, and in Norman times was the site of an enclosed settlement (chosen for its strategic view points across the surrounding area), and became known as ‘Norman – tune’, or ‘Norman – ton’.