Exploring Doncaster’s connection to Scotland

IT was a pleasure to read Phil Penfold’s very positive piece on Doncaster (Built on railway and racehorses, The Yorkhsire Post, April 11).

The incomparable Colin Joy, late tourism manager for the borough, would have approved.

I should mention, though, that in 1136 Stephen gave the lordship of Doncaster not to David I but to his son and heir Henry.

The treaty of 1136 was certainly effective – there is clear evidence that Henry of Scotland was in active possession of Doncaster – but it didn’t make Doncaster part of Scotland; it made Doncaster a piece of England held of the English Crown by the heir to the Scottish throne as his personal property – which is not quite the same thing.

Even if it were possible to show that Doncaster became part of Scotland in 1136 – and I have to stress that it isn’t – we should have to define what is meant by ‘Doncaster’ in this context.

The lordship of Doncaster was then made up of the town plus Hexthorpe, Balby, Rossington, Long Sandall, Loversall, and Blaxton, and not much else.

If there were a plebiscite on joining Scotland, the voters of Bawtry, Thorne, Finningley, Conisbrough and Tickhill and many others would find themselves disenfranchised.

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James Mitchinson

Editor