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Wollaton

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"Wollaton is a parish and village in North Notts, hundred of Broxtowe, Radford union, County Court district and rural deanery of Nottingham. It is about three miles west from Nottingham Market Place. St Leonard's Church is an ancient stone building, chiefly of the Perpendicular period, containing chancel, nave, north aisle, south porch, with handsome spire, clock and six bells. It is about to be thoroughly restored. The register dates from 1576. The rectory, with that of Cossall annexed, is of the value of £721, with residence and seven acres of glebe, in the gift of Lord Middleton. A school was established here in 1841, at the expense of the late Lord Middleton, and is still maintained by the family. The Hall is situated on an eminence, in the midst of a well wooded park of 750 acres. It was finished by Sir F. Willoughby in 1583 having been eight years in building. It is square, constructed of Ancaster stone, with large towers and pinnacles at the angles. The approach to the hall is through a long winding avenue of lofty limes. There are two handsome stone lodges. The hall was threatened by an advance of the Reform rioters in 1831, but they were repulsed by the Wollaton troop of the South Notts Yeomanry Cavalry. The pits of the Wollaton Colliery Company are at the west end of the village, and the Midland Railway branch from Radford to Trowell intersects the parish. The feast is on the Sunday nearest November 6. Area: 2069a 0r 1p; rateable value £6,884 19s."
[WHITE's "Directory of Nottinghamshire," 1853]

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Archives & Libraries

Wollaton Library is a branch of the Nottingham City Library system.  It is located on Bramcote Lane  across from St. Leonard's Community Centre.  It is normally open 6 days per week.  The Library has a Local History collection to assist you with your research.

The Library at Nottingham is always a good resource as well.

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Cemeteries

  • Wollaton Cemetery is an acre of land set aside by Lord Middleton in Noggy Lane. It was consecrated in May, 1879 and was under the Parish Council's Burial Board's control until transferred to Nottingham Borough circa 1933.
     
  • There is a photograph of the Cemetery on Bramcote Lane on Geo-graph, taken in August, 2008.
     
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Census

  • The parish was in the Beeston sub-district of the Basford Registration District.
     
  • In an 1891 re-organization, this parish was assigned to the Bulwell sub-district of the Basford Registration District.
     
  • The table below gives census piece numbers, where known:
     
Census
Year
Piece No.
1851H.O. 107 / 2127
1861R.G. 9 / 2440
1871R.G. 10 / 3489
1881R.G. 11 / 3331
1891R.G. 12 / 2670
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Church History

  • The Anglican parish church was dedicated to Saint Leonard.
     
  • The church stood here before 1236.
     
  • The church is on the north-east side of Wollaton Road.
     
  • The church was restored in 1885-86.
     
  • The church seats 250.
     
  • The churchyard was closed for burials before 1881.
     
  • The church was in the rural deanery of Bulwell.
     
  • The church has its own Website complete with a short history and photographs.
     
  • There is a photograph of St Leonard's tower on Geo-graph, taken in October, 2008.
     
  • The church is a Grade II structure in English Heritage.
     
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Church Records

  • The Anglican parish register exists from 1576 and is in good condition. The early years are on parchment but are very legible.
     
  • See our list of Baptisms at Wollaton, St Leonards, 1732-1800
     
  • The church was in the No. 1 deanery of Nottingham.
     
  • The local Roman Catholic Church is dedicated to St. Thomas MORE.
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Civil Registration

  • Civil Registration began in July, 1837.
     
  • The parish was in the Beeston sub-district of the Basford Registration District.
     
  • In an 1891 re-organization, this parish was assigned to the Bulwell sub-district of the Basford Registration District.
     
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Description & Travel

Wollaton is a village, a township and was a parish only 3 miles west of Nottingham city. It has since become part of the conurbation of Nottingham city. The parish covered about 2,069 acres and the Nottingham Canal passes through it.

If you are planning a visit to the village:

  • Take the A609 about three miles west from the heart of Nottingham.
     
  • Local bus service is available out of Nottingham.
     
  • Garth NEWTON has a photograph of Wollaton Village centre on Geo-graph, taken in January, 2003.
     
You can see pictures of Wollaton which are provided by:

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Gazetteers

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History

  • The remains of Roman kilns, crematory urns and coins have been found in Wollaton.
     
  • A large colliery here employed a large number of men in the parish.
     
  • Alan MURRAY-RUST has a photograph of the Admiral RODNEY Pub. on Geo-graph, taken in August, 2021.
     
  • Frederick TAYLOR was the Proprietor of the Admiral Rodney in 1904.
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Manors

  • Wollaton Hall  was owned by the MIDDLETON family, the records for which are held at the Archives in the Hallward Library at the University of Nottingham.
     
  • Construction on the Hall was started in 1580 by Sir Francis WILLOUGHBY and finished in 1588. It was built in the Elizabethan style in a park of about 750 acres.
     
  • The Hall was attacked in 1831 by the Reform rioters (not Luddites). They were repulsed at the gates by the Wollaton troop of Yeomanry.
     
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Maps

  • See our Maps page for additional resources.
     

You can see maps centred on OS grid reference SK519392 (Lat/Lon: 52.947682, -1.229044), Wollaton which are provided by:

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Military History

  • In 1891 E Troop of the Southern Nottinghamshire Yeomanry Cavalry were stationed here. Captain G. FELLOWS, commanding; Sergt.-major Levi CHANDLER, drill instructor.
     
  • In 1912 this was D Squadron of the South Nottinghamshire Hussars. Major H. L. LEY, commanding; Capt. H. L. BIRKIN, second in command; Sergt.-Major T. A. PEARMAN, drill instructor. Captain BIRKIN would be promoted to Major and serve at Gallipoli.
     
  • There is a photograph of the Great War Memorial Tablet in St. Leonard's Church on Geo-graph, taken in October, 2008.
     
  • During World War II German Prisoners of War were housed in barracks built in Wollaton Park.
     
  • During World War II the American 508th Parachute Regiment were billeted in tented accommodation in Wollaton Park. They were deployed both on D Day and in Operation Market Garden.
     
  • A bed of coal was dedicated to the men of WWI by the Wollaton and Radford Colliery. There was a plaque attached to the coal bed, but that now lies beneath the Nottingham General Hospital.
     
  • In Wollaton Park, trees were planted to commemorate "the soldiers, airmen, and prisoners of war" kept here during WWII.
     
  • In 2010, the BBC noted: "Memorial unveiled to American paratroopers at Wollaton".
     
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Military Records

From the Roll of Honour inside St. Leonard's Church. It is a marble tablet with the inscription, 'In proud memory of (names) who gave their lives for their country, 1914-1919. The memorial was unveiled and dedicated on 6 March 1920. The names are:

  1. John Barker
  2. Basil Claude Bland
  3. Harry Augustus Bland
  4. Arthur George Flint
  5. Harold Edward Harriman
  6. James Mather
  7. James Cosmo Russell
  8. Sidney Smith
  9. John Thorley
  10. Leonard Upton
  11. Arthur Wall

There is another WWI memorial in the church near the entrance which lists all who served.

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Names, Geographical

  • The name "Wollaton" is pronounced as "Woolaton". It is often incorrectly spelled that way too.
     
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Politics & Government

  • This place was an ancient parish in Nottingham county and it became a modern Civil Parish when those were established.
     
  • This parish was in south division of the Broxtowe Hundred or Wapentake in the southern division of the county.
     
  • On 1 April, 1933, this Civil Parish was abolished and amalgamated with Nottingham Civil Parish. It was formed as two wards of Nottingham City: Wollaton East with Lenton Abbey and Wollaton West.
     
  • Only a portion of Wollaton is governed by the Broxtowe Borough Council. Search for a Ward Map if you are interesed.
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Poor Houses, Poor Law

  • Bastardy cases would be heard in the Basford petty session hearings.
     
  • After the Poor Law Amendment Act reforms of 1834, this parish became a part of the Basford Poor Law Union.
     
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Population

 YearInhabitants
1801838
1841574
1861555
1871658
1881712
1891654
1901541
1911550
1921551
19311,796
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Schools

  • A Parish School for both sexes was built in 1841 by Lord Middleton. This school was rebuilt in 1865 and enlarged in 1894 to hold 150 students.
     
  • The school above became a National School in the early 1900s.