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The Gote - Stathern’s ancient watering place

 

There is a small brook that runs north-eastwards down from the hills and escarpment to the south-west side of the village. This is a steep watershed and with heavy rain the volume of water filling the brook increases considerably in a short time. In summer monthr the brook can dry up. When this stream reaches the village it forms a ‘watering hole’ or ‘drinking hole’ by the church known by the ancient name of the ‘Gote’.

 

This place and name has been in existence from at least the Saxon times. In the Parish Council Minutes of 1895-1913 it is referred to as the ‘Goit’. In the Churchwardens’ Accounts for Stathern in (for example) 1666 it is referred to as the ‘Goat’. Entries include: ‘pd to William West for mending the goat in the fild’, ‘pd for two load of stones and for feching them for the goat’, ‘pd to Thomas Lealand for feuing the gote and gathering stones in the Street and laying them under the Chruch yard wall’, ‘Paid to Thomas Lealand for fewing ye goate’

 

Revd. Peirson, writing about the parish in 1911, says that he believed that what is now Church Lane was originally called Bridge Street, implying that a bridge over the stream existed by the church, although there is no evidence of this.   Perhaps Main Street had a small bridge where the stream currently passes under it.

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It is probable that in those days there was a ford on Church Lane but since 1923, and possibly earlier, the brook has been culverted from the watering hole to Water Lane with the watering hole constructed as a concrete trough. The entry to the culvert has a grill which catches debris brought down by the stream, but this causes a blockage and the water spills over the trough onto the road, which floods up to 1m deep.

 

From the Gote the brook is known as the Rundle Beck which flows northwards through the village and under the canal, joining the River Whipling, then the River Smite, the River Devon, and finally joins the River Trent at Newark.

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​                                                                                       The Gote in 2024

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​                                                                   The Gote in flood with Church Lane flooded

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