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Nottinghamshire

County of central England, which has contained the unitary authority Nottingham City since April 1998.

Area

2,160 sq km/834 sq mi

Towns and cities

West Bridgford (administrative headquarters), Mansfield, Newark, Worksop

Physical

rivers: Erewash Idle, Soar, Trent

Features

the remaining areas of Sherwood Forest (home of Robin Hood) are included in the Dukeries, an area of estates; originally 32 km/20 mi long and 12 km/7 mi wide, the forest was formerly a royal hunting ground; Cresswell Crags (remains of prehistoric humans); D H Lawrence commemorative walk from Eastwood (where he lived) to Old Brinsley Colliery

Agriculture

cereals (barley, wheat), market gardening (potatoes), sugar beet; cattle, sheep; there are many orchards

Industries

cigarettes, engineering, footwear, furniture, gravel, gypsum, ironstone, light engineering, limestone, oil, pharmaceuticals, sandstone, textiles

Population

(2001) 748,500

Famous people

Robin Hood, D H Lawrence, William Booth

Topography Nottinghamshire is bounded on the west by Derbyshire, Rotherham, and Doncaster; on the north by North Lincolnshire; on the east by Lincolnshire; and on the south by Leicestershire. The county forms part of the extensive lowland to the east of the southern Pennines, the greater part being between 30 and 120 m (98 and 427 ft) above sea-level. Only in the west, around Mansfield, is there hilly country, which reaches a height of 180 m (591 ft).

History In Saxon times Nottinghamshire was part of the kingdom of Mercia, and after the Danish invasions it formed part of the Danelaw. At the time of the dissolution of the monasteries there were 16 religious houses in Nottinghamshire, but the only important remains are those of Newstead Abbey. There are some fine churches, including Southwell Minster, of Norman construction.

During World War II Nottinghamshire produced the only oil out of U-boat reach, and drilling was revived in the 1980s.

Beeston and Stapleford Kirkby-in-Ashfield

Sherwood Forest Spencer, George Alfred