Did you know that Edlington can trace its history way back to the Paleolithic period?

During the final stages of the last Ice Age, the area around Edlington became a place of settlement for groups of early nomadic humans. It seems these groups had followed the improving climate northwards as the Ice Sheets covering Europe retreated.

During an archeological examination carried out by the South Yorkshire Archaeological Survey in 2003 compelling evidence was found that these early groups of humans had been using caves and natural outcrops in Edlington wood as shelters and bases for hunting. Also, quantities of flint tools from the same period were unearthed near to a rock shelter in the wood.

The landscape of the area at the time of the settlements would have been a vast treeless tundra as forestation didn't occur until much later, probably around 7500 BC.

Edlington (along with Rossington, Bawtry and Hatfield) are the only areas within the Borough of Doncaster that show these early signs of human occupation.

The name Edlington, which pre-dates the Norman conquest of England, was probably known in Saxon times as Atheling from which Edlington seems to be derived; the Atheling being an Old English term (æþeling) used in Anglo-Saxon England to designate Princes of the Royal Dynasty who were eligible for the Kingship. Variations such as Ætheling, Atheling or Etheling appear in many English place names, attributing land ownership to the Atheling.

Local legend has it that Athlane the Dane was the landowner of an ancient residence in the town; this was presumably following the Viking raids towards the end of the Saxon period and prior to the Norman conquest of Britain.

Edlington is recorded in the Domesday Book but was known in those times variously as Eilintone and Ellintone.