Scrooby noted as the home of Separatist William Brewster

Scrooby is a small village on the River Ryton in north Nottinghamshire, England, near Bawtry in South Yorkshire. At the time of the 2001 census it had a population of 329. Until 1766, it was on the Great North Road so it became a stopping-off point for numerous important figures including Queen Elizabeth I. Today it is noted as the home of William Brewster who led the Separatists to move to Leiden, Holland and then to America in 1620. (Click here and here for larger images below)

Brewster lived in Manor House Farm which belonged to the Archbishops of York and so was sometimes referred to as a palace. Brewster became dissatisfied with the Anglican Church as it was developing at the time, acquired Brownist beliefs and attempted to leave for the Netherlands in 1607. After that unsuccessful first attempt, Brewster succeeded in 1608. He eventually went to New England in 1620 on the Mayflower, as one of the people later called Pilgrim Fathers

All that can be found today in Scrooby are signs for a commercial campground and surrounding farm fields. The Manor House (drawing shown below) was demolished early in the 19th century, though the levelled area where it stood can still be made out. The Manor grounds were opened to the public for the first time in August, 2021, though the one remaining building remains a private residence.