Austerfield

Austerfield is a village and civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster (part of South Yorkshire, England), on the border with Nottinghamshire. It lies to the north-east of Bawtry on the A614 road to Finningley, and is located at 53° 26' 30" North, 1° 0' West, at an elevation of around 7 metres (23 feet) above sea level. It is close to the River Idle, and has a population of 571, reducing to 536 at the 2011 Census.

Its name derives from the Germanic 'Ouestraefeld' meaning 'eastern field'.

In 702 the Council of Austerfield was convened here by King Aldfrith of Northumbria. Austerfield was then on the boundary between the two Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of Northumbria and Mercia, attended by Berhtwald, Archbishop of Canterbury to decide on whether Saint Wilfrid should become Archbishop of York.

Austerfield contains the 11th century church of St Helena, built in 1080 by John de Builli, where William Bradford", Pilgrim Father" and governor of Plymouth Colony, who was born in Austerfield, was baptised. The ancient font in which Bradford was baptised was accidentally discovered at a local farm 40 years ago, and can be seen at the church.

English comedy writer Roy Clarke, known for 'Last of the Summer Wine' and 'Open All Hours', was born here in 1930.