West Bridgford (Bridgeford)
"Bridgeford West, so called from its situation by the bridge over the Trent. It is a pleasant and well built village and parish on the south side of the Trent, one and a half miles south by east of Nottingham. The lordship contains 258 inhabitants and 1,190 acres of land, all belonging to John C. Musters Esq. (a minor), except one estate of 57 acres which is the property of Mr Clifford C. Caunt.
The church is dedicated to St Giles, and is a fine, ancient structure with tower and pinnacles, which appears to great advantage, peeping above the trees which surround it. The chancel was repaired at considerable expense in 1833. The tithes were commuted in 1840 for £262. The benefice is a rectory valued in the King's books at £16 4s 2d, now at £388. J. Musters Esq. is the patron, and the Rev. Wm. Musters of Colwick is the rector, for whom the Rev. John Peatfield officiates.
The school here was built in 1802 by the Rev. Wm. Thompson, who endowed it with £902 stock for the education of ten poor children, seven from Bridgford and three from Gamston. The master received £15 a year. Bridgford also partakes of Dame Frances Pierrepont's charity."
[White's "Directory of Nottinghamshire," 1853]
- The parish was in the Carlton sub-district of the Basford Registration District.
- The table below gives census piece numbers, where known:
Census
Year |
Piece No. |
| 1861 |
R.G. 9 / 2445 |
- The Anglican parish church is dedicated to Saint Giles.
- The church was built in the 14th century.
- The church was restored in 1872.
- The Anglican parish register dates from 1559 and is in fair condition.
- The church was in the rural deanery of West Bingham.
- The parish was in the Carlton sub-district of the Basford Registration District.
- Civil Registration began in July, 1837.
West Bridgford is a village, a township and a parish on the south bank of the River Trent at the juntion of the Grantham Canal, 2 miles south-east of Nottingham city. The parish covers 3,046 acres. In 1851, the parish covered 1,720 acres and contained the township of Gamston.
The village has become part of the conurbation that is Nottingham city. If you are planning a visit:
- By automobile, the A52 trunk road south out of Nottingham city surrounds the parish.
- As this is written, no railway service comes to West Bridgford, but light rail service from Nottingham is planned.
- Nottingham City Transport and several other bus services run to West Bridgford.
- Bridgford was a Roman settlement.
- The Saxons built an extensive fortification here to obstruct the Danes in their efforts to cross the Trent River. The Danes at that time held Nottingham.
- In October, 1875, a great flood inundated much of the village under several feet of water.
- The national grid reference is SK 5836.
- You'll want an Ordnance Survey Explorer map, which has 2.5 inches to the mile scale.
- See our Maps page for additional resources.
- This place was an ancient parish in Nottingham county and became a moern Civil Parish in December, 1866.
- The township of Gamston became its own Civil Parish when West Bridgford was formed as a Civil Parish.
- The parish was in the southern division of the ancient Bingham Hundred (Wapentake) in the southern division of the county.
- In March, 1889, this parish was reduced in size to enlarge Edwalton Civil Parish.
- In April, 1935, this parish was enlarged by 831 acres when Edwalton Civil Parish was abolished.
- In April, 1935, this parish was enlarged by 1,548 acres when South Wilford Civil Parish was abolished.
- The village is now part of the Rushcliffe borough of Nottinghamshire.
| Year |
West Bridgford |
Gamston |
| 1801 |
235 |
97 |
| 1851 |
258 |
124 |
| 1861 |
280 |
110 |
| 1881 |
293 |
99 |
| 1901 |
7,018 |
96 |
- The parish had a Free School, latter called a Church of England School. This school was rebuilt in 1865.
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[Last updated: 13-July-2011 - Louis R. Mills]
