The village was known as Seaton until about 1575. This name is derived from two Old English Words – 'ton' a farm of settlement; 'sea' a pool of water or more likely in this case, the marsh that lay to the East of the village. So we may translate the name "settlement near the water." Ross was added in the 16th century when the land came into the hands of the de Ros family.

There was a settlement ... in the 11th century. After the conquest in 1066 the North rebelled and William subjected the land to ravage. This accounts for the reference in Domesday Book (1086) :

Settone : Gamel had 1 manor of 4 carucates* for geld and 2 ploughs can be (there). Now Nigel has (it) of the Count (of Mortain) and it is waste.

The medieval village was centred on the Cross, which is corroborated by the names of the roads from this point – North End, West End, South End and Carr Lane.

* A carucate was the amount of land a team could plough in the course of a year.

Further Information

For more village history read the 'Past Times' section in the Seaton Ross Times or click here to read the online version.