{{short description|Area of Scarborough in North Yorkshire, England}} {{Redirect|Manor of Northstead|the play|The Manor of Northstead}} {{Use British English|date=September 2016}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2016}} [[File:Open-air theatre, Northstead Manor Gardens (1) (geograph 5332518).jpg|thumb|The open air theatre]] '''Northstead''' is an area on the North Bay of [[Scarborough, North Yorkshire|Scarborough]] in [[North Yorkshire]], England. The area near [[Newlands, Scarborough|Newlands]] and [[Barrowcliff, Scarborough|Barrowcliff]] includes [[Peasholm Park]] and [[Scarborough Open Air Theatre]].
In 2011, the namesake ward had a population of 4,038.<ref>{{NOMIS2011|id=E35001385|title=Middlesbrough Built-up Area sub division|access-date =14 September 2021}}</ref> Since 2019 the ward no longer covers the area, with most of the old ward now in the Woodlands ward.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://s3-eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/lgbce/Reviews/Yorkshire%20and%20the%20Humber/North%20Yorkshire/Scarborough/Final%20Recs/Scarborough_F_SO.pdf|title=Electoral Review of Scarborough|access-date=21 June 2022}}</ref>
==History== The Manor of Northstead consisted of a medieval [[manor house]] surrounded by fields and farms in the parish of [[Scalby, North Yorkshire|Scalby]] in the [[North Riding of Yorkshire]].<ref name="HCIO">{{cite web |url=http://www.parliament.uk/documents/commons-information-office/p11.pdf |title=The Chiltern Hundreds |date=August 2010 |work=Factsheet P11 Procedure Series |publisher=[[House of Commons Information Office]] |access-date=14 January 2011}}</ref> The estate originally bordered the northern side of the ancient boundary of the Borough of [[Scarborough, North Yorkshire|Scarborough]], following the line of Peasholm Beck. The estate passed into the ownership of [[the Crown]] during the reign of [[King Richard III]] (1483–1485). By 1600, the manor house had fallen into disrepair, being latterly occupied by [[Richard Cholmeley (died 1631)|Sir Richard Cholmeley]]'s shepherd until it finally collapsed.<ref name="HCIO"/>
The land, but not the lordship of the manor, was bought from the Crown by the Scarborough Corporation in 1921.<ref name="discoveryorkshirecoast.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.discoveryorkshirecoast.com/history/scarborough/manor-of-northstead|title=The Manor of Northstead |publisher=Discover Yorkshire Coast|access-date=11 August 2016}}</ref> The [[manor house]] for the former estate no longer exists and the land has since been redeveloped as part of modern-day [[Scarborough, North Yorkshire|Scarborough]]. The site of the manor house is believed to have been covered by the lake in [[Peasholm Park]], a municipal park opened in 1912.<ref name="discoveryorkshirecoast.com"/>
==Politics== {{see also|List of stewards of the Manor of Northstead}} The ancient title of the ''Crown Steward and Bailiff of the Manor of Northstead'' persisted beyond the manor, however, being used since the 19th century as a [[sinecure]] post which plays a role in the procedure for effecting an MP's [[resignation from the House of Commons of the United Kingdom]].
By virtue of the fact that it became and was retained as a Lordship of [[the Crown]] beyond the sale and eventual disappearance of the estate, since the 19th century the post of Crown Steward and Bailiff of the Manor of Northstead has played a role in the procedure for effecting [[resignation from the House of Commons of the United Kingdom]] by [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Members of Parliament]] (MPs). While no longer having any actual role or responsibility, it remains a nominal [[Office of profit|paid office]] of the Crown, a sort of [[sinecure]], appointment to which is one of the things which by law disqualifies an MP from the House. This principle goes back to the [[Act of Settlement 1701]], and is now regulated by the [[House of Commons Disqualification Act 1975]]. Since 1623, MPs have not been permitted to resign their seats directly.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tompkins |first=Sam |date=21 June 2023 |title=Appointments to the Chiltern Hundreds and Manor of Northstead Stewardships since 1880 |url=https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/sn04731/ |access-date=7 September 2023 |website=House of Commons Library}}</ref> Although several such offices have been used for this purpose in the past, in the present day only two are used: the Northstead post and that of Crown Steward and Bailiff of the three [[Chiltern Hundreds]] of Stoke, Desborough and Burnham.<ref name="HCIO"/><ref name="discoveryorkshirecoast.com"/>
Most references say that the Northstead post was first used in this way on 20 March 1844 to allow [[George Henry Rose|Sir George Henry Rose]], Member for [[Christchurch (UK Parliament constituency)|Christchurch]], to resign his seat. But the official book recording appointments to the various stewardships (lodged in [[The National Archives (United Kingdom)|The National Archives]] under catalogue reference E 197/1<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/displaycataloguedetails.asp?CATLN=6&CATID=193143 |title=Piece details E 197/1 |work=The Catalogue |publisher=[[The National Archives (United Kingdom)]] |access-date=14 January 2011}}</ref>) indicates that [[Patrick Chalmers (MP)|Patrick Chalmers]], MP for [[Montrose Burghs]], was appointed Steward of the Manor of Northstead on 6 April 1842. The [[writ of election]] for a replacement was moved as if Chalmers had been appointed to the Chiltern Hundreds.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1842/apr/06/preamble |title=Preamble |date=6 April 1842 |work=[[Hansard|Parliamentary Debates (Hansard)]] |access-date=5 February 2011}}</ref>
Appointments to the posts are made by the [[Chancellor of the Exchequer]]. Using two posts allows more than one MP to resign simultaneously, although more commonly, single resignations are effected by alternating appointments to the Northstead and Chiltern Hundreds offices.
[[Sinn Féin]] MP [[Gerry Adams]] was appointed to the post after announcing his intention to resign from the UK Parliament to stand in the [[2011 Irish general election]].<ref name="Gerry Adams">{{cite web|title=Manor of Northstead|publisher=[[HM Treasury]]|access-date=26 January 2011|url=http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/press_08_11.htm|date=26 January 2011}}</ref><ref name="Instrument of Appointment">{{cite web|title=Manor of Northstead|publisher=[[HM Treasury]]|date=26 January 2011 |access-date=9 July 2011|url=https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B3X2VVMCALlzZDBiNmMxMmYtMmNlMi00MGExLTgwYWMtZWEwN2RhNzc5OGRh&hl=en_GB}}</ref> Adams denied that he had accepted the appointment, which would conflict with Sinn Féin's [[Abstentionism|longstanding policy of refusing to pledge allegiance]] to the British Crown.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sinnfein.ie/contents/19972|title=Adams comments on Cameron claims|date=26 January 2011|publisher=[[Sinn Féin]]|access-date=26 January 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110130045315/https://www.sinnfein.ie/contents/19972|archive-date=30 January 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> It was later clarified in Parliament that Adams had not "accepted" the post, but had been appointed to it on announcing his desire to resign as an MP.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/northernireland/8285373/Gerry-Adams-appointed-to-Crown-Office-against-his-will.html|title=Gerry Adams appointed to Crown Office 'against his will'|work=The Daily Telegraph|date=26 January 2011 |access-date=11 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110130045939/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/northernireland/8285373/Gerry-Adams-appointed-to-Crown-Office-against-his-will.html|archive-date=30 January 2011|url-status=live}}</ref>
One of the MPs to be appointed to the Northstead office was former [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister]] [[David Cameron]], who announced his decision to resign from his parliamentary seat of [[Witney (UK Parliament constituency)|Witney]] on 12 September 2016.<ref>{{cite web|title=Manor of Northstead: David Cameron |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/manor-of-northstead-david-cameron |website=gov.uk|access-date=12 September 2016}}</ref>
==See also== *''[[The Manor of Northstead]]'', a play
==References== {{reflist}}
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[[Category:Geography of North Yorkshire]] [[Category:Buildings and structures in Scarborough, North Yorkshire]] [[Category:Manor houses in England|Northstead]]