Morton is a long-established settlement with a rich history. It is listed in the 1086 Domesday Book as "Mortune" (Farmstead on the moor or marsh), with four households. It was a township of Gainsborough parish until 1846, when the first church, dedicated to Saint Paul, opened in the village and the church then became a chapelry, until 1866, when Morton was created a civil parish.
Despite Morton only being separated from the urban spread of Gainsborough by the width of a road (Front Street) it was not always the case. Throughout history the village forged its own sense of purpose in the local area, in the main because of the local industrial activity in Gainsborough and farming in the surrounding countryside. Whether it was from the goods traffic that flowed along the River Trent and through the wharf at Morton Front or by the transportation of produce from the surrounding fields to the mills and onwards to the Humber, Morton developed a specific identity which over time has supported a small number shops, pubs, school, a village hall and three residential care homes.
At the last census in 2011 the population of Morton amounted to 1,325 persons. It's population increased significantly in the latter part of the 20th Century as newer developments either side of Walkerith Road were built and despite much of the local large industries closing and farming becoming more automated Morton has retained the appearance of a village. It has also managed to keep several of its heritage assets which include some fine old houses that date back to the late 1700 and early 1800's and which have remained relatively untouched from when they were originally built. There are eight listed buildings of which seven are Grade 2 listed and one Grade 2-star listed property. In addition, a significant number of the houses in the old part of the village located in the area between Front Street, North Street and Crooked Billet also date back to the late 1800’s.
Morton continues to develop its own sense of community through the activities at the Village Hall, the various annual village events, the Ship Pub, Morton Trentside School and at St Pauls Church. The residents and visitors to the village have access to pathways that cross the open countryside to the north and to the paths along the River Trent enabling them to enjoy the sense of an open rural environment. A survey of residents in 2018 resulted in a majority of those that took part in it expressing a desire to keep Morton as a village with its close connection to the rural area it borders onto.