Nottinghamshire

Lore & Background

Nottinghamshire lies on the Roman Fosse Way and contains Roman settlements and forts. It was settled by Angles around the 5th century and became part of the Kingdom of Mercia. The name first occurs in 1016, and until 1568 the county was administratively united with Derbyshire under a single Sheriff. In Norman times, malting and woollen industries developed. William the Conqueror made Sherwood Forest a Royal Forest for hunting in 1066. King John's Palace near Kings Clipstone was a royal residence, and King John died at Newark Castle in 1216.

During the Industrial Revolution, the county held coal and iron ore, and constructed some of the first experimental waggonways in the world, such as the Wollaton wagonway of 1603–1616. This led to canals and railways, and the lace and cotton industries grew. In the 18th and 19th centuries, mechanised deeper collieries opened, though no working mines remain. The county is famous for its involvement with the legend of Robin Hood, which drives tourism to Sherwood Forest, Nottingham, and surrounding villages.

Nottinghamshire was first mapped by Christopher Saxton in 1576, and the first fully surveyed map was Chapman's Map of Nottinghamshire in 1774. The county saw a slight boundary change in 1974 when three villages were merged into Doncaster in South Yorkshire.

Reader's Guide

Nottinghamshire's significance lies in its layered history from Roman times through the Industrial Revolution to modern local government. The county's geography, defined by the River Trent and Sherwood Forest, shaped its settlement and economy. Its coal and iron ore deposits fueled early industrial innovation, including the Wollaton wagonway, a precursor to modern railways. The Robin Hood legend, centered on Sherwood Forest, has made the county a lasting tourist destination. Politically, Nottinghamshire has seen shifts in control, with the county council historically Labour, then Conservative, and most recently won by Reform UK in 2025. The county's green belt, first drawn up in the 1950s, encircles the Nottingham conurbation. Future local government reorganisation, announced in July 2026, will create two unitary authorities by April 2028. The county's highest natural point is 205 metres near Newtonwood Lane, while Silverhill, a human-made spoil heap, reaches 204 metres. The lowest point is Peat Carr at sea level. The county receives relatively low rainfall and has an average temperature of 8.8–10.1°C.

Did You Know?

• Nottinghamshire was administratively united with Derbyshire under a single Sheriff until 1568.
• The Wollaton wagonway of 1603–1616 was one of the first experimental waggonways in the world.
• King John died at Newark Castle in 1216.
• The county's highest natural point is 205 metres near Newtonwood Lane, while Silverhill, a spoil heap, reaches 204 metres.