What's New

With the weather warming up, it's a perfect time to get involved in some heritage! Here's a list of just some of the historical events happening in Nottinghamshire in May:

Thursday 1st May: Nottinghamshire Archives will be hosting a ‘‘Marching in Time’ Discovering your Military Ancestors’ workshop. ‘Discover the range of records relating to military personnel in Nottinghamshire Archives from the early 17th century to the Second World War. [You will also get a chance to] discover the stories of local Crimean War veterans, find out who was on the militia roll for Norton Cuckney in 1788 and explore the military careers of Nottinghamshire soldiers.’ Tickets cost £6 per person and booking is required. Book your place here.

Saturday 10th May: ‘An event to celebrate Kimberley’s past and all it has meant to residents and their loved ones over the years. They want to bring together photographs and memorabilia of local places and people that will bring a smile to your face’. There will be many local historians/experts joining as well as Inspire’s Heritage team, Ancestry volunteers, and members of the Friends of Bennerley Viaduct. Head down to Kimberley Library – no need to book. For more information, visit the event page here.

Thursday 15th May: ‘Geoarchaeologist Tom Keyworth, York Archaeology, explores the 2020 Cromwell Quarry excavation, its landscape, Anglo-Saxon and palaeoenvironmental context’. The talk ‘Bridges, Berths and Boats’ at Lakeside Arts ‘will discuss its links with the 8th-century bridge that was discovered at the site of the Cromwell Lock, which is contemporary with a landing stage in an ancient course of the River Trent. After the talk, join Post-excavation Archaeologists Rosie Hughes and Morwenna Fox from York Archaeology to examine Anglo Saxon finds discovered in Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire, revealing everyday life in the Anglo-Saxon Trent Valley’. Tickets cost £3 (under 30’s go free) and booking is required. Book your place here.

Saturday 17th May: ‘Hands On Heritage Day returns to Mansfield Central Library this May, bringing a variety of fun and free activities for all the family’. As well as many stall holders, on offer will be augmented reality experiences, virtual reality experiences as well as interactive maps and the chance to digitise your photographs. Also, ‘to commemorate 80 years since VE Day, stallholders will be presenting a range of World War II-related activities and collections, with live 1940s era music by the Red Hot Band’. This event is free, and no booking is required. For more information, visit the event page here.

Tuesday 20th May: Lakeside Arts will be hosting ‘a lunchtime talk connected to the Country Lives: Exploring the English Countryside from 1800 exhibition. In this talk David Matless, Professor of Cultural Geography at the University of Nottingham, will explore the representation of the English countryside in the 20th century, showing how the depiction of rural landscape was also held to say something about England as a country’. Tickets are £3 per person (under 30’s go free) and booking is required. Book your place here.

Wednesday 21st May: ‘Join Benedict Jephcote at Worksop Library to discover how the Norman and Medieval period laid the groundwork for Worksop in later centuries. The talk will look at notable families, developments in the town and outlying villages, and the construction of some of Worksop's oldest buildings’. Tickets cost £3 per person and booking is required. Book your place here.

Friday 23rd May: The National Civil War Centre will be hosting the 'Evening Talk: The Siege of Leicester'. 'In a bloody eight days in May 1645, the Royalist army commanded by King Charles I brutally sacked Leicester, outraging the nation and contributing significantly to his downfall. Now, new archaeological evidence from commercial excavations in Leicester is helping us to reappraise what happened. Join archaeologist Mathew Morris to find out more'. Tickets cost £10 per person and booking is required. Book your place here.

Saturday 24th - Monday 26th May: At Sherwood Forest, ‘step back to the time of Robin Hood for a thrilling weekend of jousts, hand to hand combat and so much more. There will be archery and axe-throwing to try for yourself, craft workshops to teach techniques that Medieval men and women would have learned, and a trader village which could have been transported straight out of the Middle Ages’. This weekend event is free but a special event car parking fee of £10 per day is in effect. Booking is not required. For more information, visit the website here.

Tuesday 27th May: Head to Mansfield Library for horticulture inspired talk ‘Historic Gardens of Nottinghamshire’. ‘This talk draws on the wealth of gardening heritage remaining in the county. Philip Jones, former local studies librarian, is now a freelance garden historian, currently researching the Victorian and Edwardian gardens at Newstead Abbey and its head gardeners’. Tickets are £3 per person and booking is required. Book your place here.

Above: Renaissance era depiction of jousting (By Paulus Hector Mair - De arte athletica II, Public Domain)

Today is the International Day for Monument and Sites. To celebrate, we would love to highlight some of the Scheduled Monuments we have across Nottinghamshire.

Scheduled Monuments are protected sites of national significance. Protected under various legislation, these monuments are usually buildings or archaeological sites.

‘Although archaeology and important historic sites are all around us, monuments are added to the Schedule if the Secretary of State considers that they are of national importance and that the protection which comes with scheduling would assist the monument's conservation’ (Historic England).

The list of Scheduled Monuments, known as the National Heritage List for England (or NHLE) is maintained by Historic England and you can find it here.

Above: Mattersey Priory

Ashfield: Fishponds 170m south of Damstead Farm. Fishponds, used from the medieval period to breed and cultivate fish, were maintained by a water management system. They were predominantly built by the wealthier echelons of medieval society, with royal estates and monastic sites often hosting large ponds. While the use of fishponds seems to have decreased after the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the first half of the 16th century, the use of these fishponds continued into the 17th century in some areas of the country. This particular monument in Annesley, may be from the 18th century but it could also be earlier in date. It was scheduled as this site provides a well-preserved example of medieval fishponds as well as being unusual in size and how the water management system worked.

Bassetlaw: Bowl barrow, 240m SSE of Woodend Farm. The round barrow at Norton, Cuckney, is of a Bronze Age date. These prehistoric monuments are usually created as earthen or rubble mounds, occasionally with a ditch inclusion, to cover one of more burials. There are roughly 10,000 bowl barrows recorded across England with regional variations in form, however many more likely having been destroyed over time. Despite the area of the barrow at Cuckney being subjected to ploughing, it still remains relatively well-preserved and retains valuable archaeological insights into Bronze Age life.

Bassetlaw: Mattersey Priory Gilbertine Monastery. Founded in the late 12th century, the ruins of this monastery are still present on the site thanks to restoration work in the 20th century. In fact, the monastery is open to the public thanks for English Heritage so if you are looking for an outdoor activity this Easter weekend, we’d definitely recommend a visit (English Heritage)! The monastery was intended for Gilbertine monks, an order which was mainly based in Lincolnshire, but some were spread further afield. As only 29 Gilbertine houses were founded, this rare type of monastery is deemed worthy of being a Scheduled Monument.

Broxtowe: Anglian high cross in the churchyard of St Helen’s Church. This pre-Norman cross in Stapleford is a significant monument for Nottinghamshire. Dated to around 1050 AD, it is a highly decorated stone piece with many references to St Luke, with parts which may have been re-carved within the Anglo-Scandinavian period. These crosses provide valuable insights into early medieval art styles and how they evolved during the period, as well as reflecting on the impact of Scandinavian settlers had on the local culture. Sadly, there are less than 50 of these amazing crosses left in England which makes protecting this one even more important.

Gedling: Bestwood Colliery engine house. This Victorian, 3 storey, winding engine house was built for the Bestwood Iron and Coal company in 1874. This monument helps to provide insight into the technical working of these 19th century winding engines which were important components for many mines at this time. The engine within the engine house is a vertical twin cylinder, non-condensing steam winding engine – an engine that is particularly rare, especially one in situ.

Mansfield: King’s Mill Viaduct. The viaduct, made of sandstone, is part of the original horse-drawn railway from Mansfield Pinsetown. Built in the first half of the 19th century, sadly the viaduct isn’t as used or cared after as it once was so protecting this piece of history is very important.

Newark and Sherwood: Crococalana Roman town. One of the most impressive and valuable sites in Nottinghamshire for the Roman period, Crococalana boasts a fantastic array of finds and building foundations. The town is assumed to have spanned 40 acres but now, no buildings or earthworks are visible in the landscape to show it exists.

Newark and Sherwood: Queen’s Sconce. During the English Civil War (1642-52), earthworks were built up to provide temporary protection for soldiers during military campaigns, or to act as gun emplacements. The series of substantial earthworks known as the Queen’s Sconce are still well-preserved and represents ‘England’s finest remaining example of Civil War military engineering’ (Historic England). It is also believed that this monument contains unusual defensive features like pitfalls which may have been extremely rare according to contemporary sources.

Rushcliffe: St Wilfrid’s Church and churchyard. It is not known when this church in Kinoulton was built but it is recorded that this church was demolished in 1793. A source from the 12th century notes the church of St Wilfrid in Kinoulton so it was certainly existing by the 1100s. The church ruins now lie as earthworks, and buried and standing remains – the area of the church top capped with a series of gravestones. Like most Scheduled Monuments, the remaining ruins of the church are still well-preserved under the ground and can still provide valuable insight into ecclesiastical architecture, nature and use of the church. As well as that, the site allows us to gain a better understanding of economic and religious aspects of local life during the early medieval and medieval periods.

NHLE records for the monuments above:

Fishponds 170m south of Damstead Farm, Annesley - 1018119 | Historic England

Bowl barrow, 240m SSE of Woodend Farm, Norton, Cuckney, Holbeck and Welbeck - 1006388 | Historic England

Mattersey Priory Gilbertine monastery: monastic precinct., Mattersey - 1012495 | Historic England

Anglian high cross in the churchyard of St Helen's Church, Stapleford - 1012870 | Historic England

Bestwood Colliery engine house, Bestwood Village - 1017653 | Historic England

King's Mill viaduct, Non Civil Parish - 1006374 | Historic England

Crococalana Roman town, Collingham - 1003479 | Historic England

Queen's Sconce, Newark - 1016150 | Historic England

St Wilfrid's Church and churchyard, Kinoulton - 1019493 | Historic England

April is full of exciting events, talks and workshops. Here are just a few of them!

Tuesday 1st April: At Lakeside Arts, ‘Meghan King, Finds Liaison Officer for Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, will provide an introduction to the Portable Antiquities Scheme and the Treasure process and give an overview of interesting finds from around the counties. Meghan will also bring a handling collection so that attendees can handle typical objects recorded by the scheme afterwards in the Museum’. Tickets cost up to £3 per person and booking is required. Book your place here.

Thursday 3rd April: ‘An introduction to the Nottinghamshire Archives with a tour of the searchroom and storage areas. This is your chance to view some unique and incredible highlights from the collections. You will be able to interact in new ways with history through Augmented Reality on your own tablet or smartphone device. Try the new interactive wall to explore Nottingham's past. Enjoy a display and tour of the conservation studio and learn what conservation is, the different types of materials treated and the techniques used’. Tickets cost £6 per person and booking is required. Book your place here.

Friday 4th April: ‘The Friends of Bassetlaw Museum are delighted to announce the return of guided tours. They will focus on the Museum building, its history from its construction in the 1780s through to the present day, and the stories of the families that owned it.’ The event is free (although donations are appreciated), and booking is not required. For more information visit the event page here.

Saturday 5th April: The National Civil War Centre will be hosting ‘Family Saturday: The King in a car park’. ‘Join archaeologists from the University of Leicester for a day of discovery with the chance to see a 3D printed replica of King Richard III’s skeleton; ‘Ask an Archaeologist’ with excavation director Mathew Morris; and have a go at digging up bones! You can meet a medieval knight and create a Tudor flag too!' For more information, visit the event page here.

Saturday 5th April: The National Civil War Centre will also be hosting a talk on King Richard III: 'Bloody Be Thine End - The Discovery of Richard III'. ‘Join archaeologists Mathew Morris and Andrew Hyam from University of Leicester Archaeological Services and find out how modern archaeological and forensic investigation, and historical reenactment allows us to reassess historic sources and tell new stories’. Tickets cost £5 per person (under 25’s go free), and booking is required. Book your place here.

Opening Thursday 10th April: Lakeside Arts will be opening their new exhibition ‘Country Lives’ which will run until September 2025. ‘From idyllic and picturesque scenes to the realities of rural lives and communities, this exhibition explores varied themes including work, leisure, health and access to the countryside. Items from the University of Nottingham collections including photographs, sketches, books, letters, maps and board games are brought together to illuminate these topics’. For more information, visit their website here.

Above: Ivel Tractor demonstration, 1905 (Public Domain)

Monday 14th April: Creswell Crags curator Dr Angharad Jones is hosting an online talk via Zoom celebrating 150 years of research at the site. ‘The first official excavations of Creswell Crags' caves began in April 1875, uncovering rich deposits of Ice Age animals, as well as tools left behind by Neanderthals and Homo sapiens. This sparked 150 years of excavations and other fascinating research at this important site. This talk will explore the excavators, the excavations, and subsequent research on the uncovered archaeological and palaeontological material’. The event is free, but booking is required. Book your place here. There are also further talks celebrating 150 years of Creswell Crags which you can explore here.

Wednesday 16th April: Local historian Sam Millard will be presenting the talk ‘Heritage Talk: Rogues, Vagabonds or Heroes?’ at Worksop Library. ‘This talk tells of a violent clash between poachers and gamekeepers on the Rufford Abbey estate during the Victorian period, an incident that was reported in newspapers throughout the land. What happened to those involved? Were they the rogues and vagabonds described by the courts, or the heroes portrayed in a folk song written at the time?’. Tickets are £3 per person and booking is required. Book your place here.

Thursday 17th April: Mansfield Museum is hosting an exciting ‘Dig’ workshop. ‘Perfect for kids under 12, this hands-on activity lets young explorers uncover hidden treasures buried in soft sand. With digging tools in hand, they'll search for fascinating finds and sketch their discoveries, sparking their creativity and imagination’. Tickets are £2 per person and booking is required. Book your place here. 

Saturday 19th April: Head down to Sherwood Forest for ‘A Knight’s Trail’. ‘Find knights along the way and note the heraldic design upon each shield. Once you have completed this challenge, you must make haste and return to camp for to claim your prize from the ever-gallant Sir Tificate’. Entries are £4, booking is not required. For more information, visit the event page here. 

Thursday 24th April: During an evening talk, ‘discover the story behind the National Civil War Centre’s most striking artefact, Fairfax’s wheelchair. Learn about the dramatic and action-packed life of the general who won the Civil War. Hear the grisly details of his wounds and be prepared to question your perception of the politics of the past!’. Tickets are £10 per person and booking is required. Book your place here. 

Thursday 24th April: Head down to Mansfield Museum for a 'chance to get up close and personal with real historic money—from the gleaming silver of ancient Rome to the everyday coins in your pocket today. Handle genuine artefacts and explore the surprising stories they carry. Discover how coins were made, what they tell us about life in different eras, and how money has changed over thousands of years. Whether you're interested in history, curious about currency, or just love finding out how people used to live, there's something here for everyone.' This is a free event and no booking is required. For more information, check out the event page here.

Friday 25th April: Join the volunteers at the Workhouse and Infirmary in Southwell for a 'Conservation in Action session'. 'Learn all about the conservation threats we face, the specialised tools and techniques we use to manage them, and how we record our work to ensure high standards.' This drop-in session is free and no booking is required. Entry to the Workhouse still applies. For more information, check out the event page here.

Saturday 26th April: Nottinghamshire Archives will be hosting the event ‘Murder at the Archives’. ‘Visit Nottinghamshire Archives where you will find clues and question suspects to discover the culprit of a historical crime. A unique opportunity to explore the heritage of Nottingham and Nottinghamshire. There will be a time limit to complete the challenge that will test your deductive skills, powers of reasoning and teamwork’. Tickets cost £6 per person and booking is required. Book your place here - 10am, 11:30am, and 1pm.

Saturday 26th April: ‘Curious to learn more about your family's history? Join one of the Inspire librarians for a small group session at Bingham Library, where they will demonstrate some of the key features of Ancestry, a valuable online research tool’. This event is free, but booking is required. Book your place here.

This interesting piece comes form our Summer 1999 Heritage newsletter:

The year 1649 saw the trial and execution of Charles I, a monarch who had strong connections with Nottinghamshire during the English Civil War, especially Newark and Southwell. Centuries later, the start of the 21st century saw the climax of the anniversary celebration of events across the whole of the country, for groups involved in Civil War re-enactment – people who in their thousands recreate the life and battles of the 17th century. Events began in 1992, with the raising of the King’s Standard at Nottingham Castle, and the people of Nottingham continued to participate in events just as they did in the actual conflict, following in their ancestors’ footsteps!

Many people may have heard of Lucy Hutchinson, who wrote a famous set of memoirs describing the life of her husband John. John Hutchinson was the governor of Nottingham Castle, which was held by the Parliamentarians during the war. But as his portrait shows, he looked a long way from the stereotypical Roundhead! John Hutchinson, who lived in Owthorpe before the war, took control of the city at the start of the war and became Governor in the summer of 1643. He was also given charge of a regiment of foot soldiers. 3 companies of ‘Nottingham’ infantry took part in the Second siege of Newark, and these were probably soldiers from Hutchinson’s own regiment, based at Nottingham Castle.

Hutchinson was also present in 1646, when Newark – the last major Royalist garrison in the region – surrendered to the Scots in May. The Royalist governor at the time was Sir John Belasyse. His own personal regiment, again of foot, also took part in the summer of 1642, again from Nottinghamshire men, and also by soldiers from Yorkshire. It was part of the ‘Oxford Army’, the main Royalist field army, and fought in many of the major engagements of the First civil war, up to Naseby, in Northamptonshire, in 1645.

In various major re-enactment societies today, both these regiments still exist, Hutchinson’s being in the historically correct ‘Northern Association’ – echoing a group of counties that were brigaded together in Parliamentarian organisation over 375 years ago. Belasyse’s also exist, wearing all-blue uniforms that we know were worn by the ‘Oxford Army’, and carrying the colours that research has shown as being most likely those carried by their forbearers.

Maybe today, within these recreated regiments, there exists people who are the descendants of the soldiers of Nottinghamshire, who fought for different reasons beneath different flags, over 375 years ago!

There are a lot of exciting heritage events happening this March! Have a look at some of them below:

Thursday 6th March: ‘The Friends of Bassetlaw Museum are delighted to announce the return of guided tours. They will focus on the Museum building, its history from its construction in the 1780s through to the present day, and the stories of the families that owned it.’ The event is free (although donations are appreciated), and booking is not required. For more information visit the event page here.

Thursday 6th March: Head to the Nottinghamshire Archives ‘for an evening of discovery where you will experience their collections like never before with Augmented Reality features, taking you on a trip into the county's rich past’. During this tour you will be able to take a tour around the archives, view historic manuscripts, and explore interactive maps. The event is free but booking is required. Book your place here.

Friday 7th March: Mansfield Museum will be hosting an exclusive ‘Cocktails with the Curator’ event. ‘Begin your night with a cocktail as their curator shares fascinating insights into the history of the building and the incredible work they do. Take a behind-the-scenes tour with their Collections Officer, who will guide you through our vast stores and reveal hidden treasures from our extensive collection. You'll also have the rare opportunity to handle select objects from their archives. Explore their current exhibitions at your leisure, and cap off the evening with a fun and engaging mystery object quiz’. Tickets cost £5 per person and booking is required. Book your place here.

Friday 7th March: The National Civil War Centre will be hosting the evening talk ‘The Poet and the Regicide’. You will be introduced to ‘Lucy Hutchinson, translator, poet and biographer and wife of Newark’s arch enemy, John Hutchinson, Governor of Nottingham during the British Civil Wars and regicide. This International Women’s Day talk reveals the fascinating story of a seventeenth-century power couple and challenges our beliefs about women in this period’. Tickets are £10 per person and booking is required. Book your place here.

Saturday 8th March: ‘Family Saturday at the National Civil War Centre is moving to the second Saturday just for March to coincide with International Women’s Day. Meet a very special lady and her friendly horse, find out how women played a special role in the Civil War as secret spies and learn the best way to hide a message during the Civil War using invisible ink and secret codes’. Entry is free for Newark and Sherwood residents. For more information, visit the event page here.

Tuesday 11th March: Head to Mansfield Central Library to ‘take a journey through a thousand years of history at Rufford Abbey - from humble monastic origins to a grand country estate. Learn how the place has changed over the years and about some of the fascinating characters who lived there. NCC’s Planning Archaeologist Emily Gillott will also look at what has been revealed by archaeological work since the 1960’s’. Tickets cost £3 per person and booking is required. Book your place here.

Above: Rufford Abbey

Wednesday 19th March: At Beeston Library, ‘join Peter Godley from the Nottingham Historical and Archaeological Society for a talk about the extensive network of caves that lie beneath the streets of Nottingham’. Tickets cost £3 per person and booking is required. Book your place here.

Wednesday 19th March: At Worksop Library, ‘join NCC’s Planning Archaeologist Emily Gillott for a fascinating look at the history of the gallows and capital crimes with a focus on Nottinghamshire. Emily will present some of the known gallows and gibbet sites in the county and what remains of them, from Thieves Dale to Gallows Nooking. She will explore medicine and the hanged corpse, from an age when science and magic were intertwined’. Tickets cost £3 per person and booking is required. Book your place here.

Thursday 20th March: At Bassetlaw Museum, Benedict Jephcote will be exploring ‘A gleaming medieval seal that was found at Gringley-on-the-Hill’. They will be looking into ‘how the seal-bearer’s identity was found and why Constance was an important figure in medieval England’s history’. The event is free but booking is required. Book your place here.

Monday 24th March: At Hucknall Library, ‘join one of the Heritage Librarians for a small group session where they will demonstrate the range and variety of local newspapers available in Inspire libraries on microfilm and online’. The event is free, but booking is required. Book your place here.

Monday 24th March: Hosted by the team at Creswell Crags, an online talk by Matilde Gliubich Tomat from Bangor University will be diving into here palaeophenomenological research. ‘Blending archaeology, anthropology, phenomenology, alchemy and analysis, this approach reaches beyond the confines of traditional research, tapping into the lived experiences and consciousness of ancient peoples. In this 45-minute lecture, Matilde will not only explain paleophenomenology as a theoretical framework but also share the story of how this unique methodology was developed — part vision, part discovery, part adventure. From her own encounters with both personal reflection and archaeological sites to the insights drawn from analysis and mythology, this talk will offer a glimpse into the process of connecting past and present, mind and matter’. Tickets are free, but booking is required. Book your place here.