There are over 80 HER offices across England, each bringing together all sorts of information about archaeology, historic buildings and landscapes within its designated area. Together, they provide national coverage - helping people access trusted local knowledge and supporting the understanding, management and conservation of historic places.

Every single HER record brings together written information and geographic data about the historic environment in a particular area. They help planners, researchers, communities and visitors understand what exists, what matters, and how places have evolved over time.

This first short introductory film explains what exactly the Historic Environment Records are in more detail: What are Historic Environment Records?

Why are Historic Environment Records important?

Most of us walk across layers of history every day without realising it. Not just famous landmarks, but ordinary places. Fields. Streets. Buildings. Coastlines. Places we pass without a second thought. What stories do these places hold? Who or what was here before us? The answer is out there, sometimes all it takes is knowing where to look.

This second short collaboration film aims to show why HERs matter: Why Historic Environment Records Matter

Behind every historic record is a person making sense of it.

HER teams work with information, maps and evidence as well as with judgement, context and care. Their role is to help translate layers of the past into something useful for the present. It’s quiet work, but it shapes real decisions about places and landscapes.

Across England, these teams are dedicated to the ongoing effort of keeping track of change, recording what matters, and helping places evolve without losing what makes them special.

Have you ever really looked at where you live? Everything around you has a story that ties the people who use it today to the people who used it in the past, be it a large site like manor house or a small site like a phone box. Explore where you live on our Nottinghamshire County Council HER website, with map and search functions, or get in touch with us at heritage@nottscc.gov.uk.

For more information on Historic Environment Records across England, visit the Historic England website here

Opening Wednesday 1st April: A new exhibition ‘We The People’ is to open at Lakeside Arts. ‘Drawing on a wide range of manuscripts and printed collections, this exhibition commemorates the 250th anniversary of the American Declaration of Independence. It explores the issues at stake in the Wars of Independence and considers some of the complex problems which faced the United States as it fought to win, and realise, its new-found freedom’. This exhibition is free and booking is not required. If you don’t have time to visit this April, don’t worry as this exhibition is open until September. For more information, visit the event page here.

Thursday 2nd April: Join buildings archaeologist James Wright for the online talk ‘The Folklore of Ancient Buildings’. ‘This talk will attempt to decipher the complex relationships between archaeology, folklore, and architecture’. Tickets are acquired through donation and booking is required. Book your place here.

Sunday 5th and Monday 6th April: Papplewick Pumping Station’s ‘ever popular Easter steaming returns’ this April. The event features something for everyone including live music, trade stalls, live entertainment by The Grand Cavalcade, a multitude of historic displays and demonstrations, and lots of refreshments. Tickets cost up to £14.50 per person (under 12’s go free) and booking is not required – booking on the door is available but tickets are 50p more expensive. Book your place here.

Wednesday 15th April: Join Nottinghamshire County Council’s wonderful planning archaeology Emily Gillott at Worksop Library to explore recent archaeological discoveries form Nottinghamshire. She will ‘present stories of recent discoveries on subjects ranging from cremation and burials to Roman villas and pottery, ritual landscapes in Skegby, charcoal burning in Sherwood Forest, and more’! Tickets cost £3.50 each and booking is required. Emily’s last presentation sold out quickly so don’t hesitate to book your place here.

Friday 17th April: In association with the National Civil War Centre, ‘Dr Samantha Tipper, Senior Lecturer at Anglia Ruskin will share her fascinating analysis of human skeletons from the Battle of Stoke Field and the stories hidden in their bones’ at the Palace Theatre, Newark. Tickets for ‘Evening Talk: Silent Witnesses: What human remains tell us about the Battle of Stoke Field’ cost up to £10 per person and booking is required. Book your place here.

Saturday 18th April: Head to Bassetlaw Museum for a presentation on the story of cinema in Worksop by projectionist Derek Taylor. Derek, the last projectionist at The Regal Cinema and Theatre before its closure in 2005, reflects on his years behind the projector and backstage. Derek not only made up and shown the films, but also worked with a whole variety of acts from school and amateur productions to world famous stars. In this engaging and nostalgic talk, he explores Worksop’s picture houses from their 19th-century beginnings through the Regal’s long history to the modern revival with the Savoy’. Tickets are free (suggested donation of £3) and booking is required. Limited tickets remain so book your place here.

Tuesday 21st April: At Mansfield Central Library, ‘Joy Wood will be talking about the history of Harlow Wood orthopaedic hospital near Mansfield, and her time there during her nurse training from 1977 – 1979’. Tickets to ‘Heritage Talk: From Bedpan to Pen!’ cost £3.50 per person and booking is required. Book your place here.

Above: May Day flagpole (By Bryan Ledgard - Flickr, CC BY 2.0)

Monday 27th April: In association with Creswell Crags, ‘join folklore expert, Icy Sedgwick, online to discover the fascinating folklore of May Day’. ‘Both one of the pagan fire festivals and a beloved fixture in the folk calendar, May Day is a popular celebration of the start of summer. It offers a host of rituals, fertility practices, good luck charms, and love divination. This talk will explore some of the customs associated with May Day in the UK’. Tickets are free (suggested donation of £4) but booking is required. Book your place here.

Tuesday 28th April: At West Bridgford Library, Sam Millard will be presenting the ‘Heritage Talk: Reason and Rhyme’. ‘The original reason for the rhymes has, by and large, been completely lost and forgotten.  'Reason and Rhyme’… looks at the original meaning of rhymes and how they have been recorded over time’. Tickets cost £3.50 per person and booking is required. Book your place here.

Thursday 30th April: At Retford Library, ‘historian Robert Mee examines the origin of almshouses in the Byzantine era, their development during the Medieval period and their continuation into modern times. He will look at the 30 or 40 almshouses closest to Retford, some of which are still in use today’. Tickets cost £3.50 per person and booking is required. Book your place here.

Thursday 30th April: ‘Located at Yew Tree Farm in Bonsall, Derbyshire, is a Grade II listed framework knitters’ workshop built in 1737 and left largely untouched since one of the last local knitters passed away in 1911. Behind the characteristic wide knitters’ windows, traces of the trade are still preserved including spare frame parts and written notes on the walls. This free lunchtime talk, delivered by the current owners, Adam Hill and Samantha Deakin Hill, outlines the history of the workshop as well as the current conservation project, funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and the Historic Houses Foundation’. This talk at the Framework Knitters Museum is free but booking is required. Book your place here.

Today, this battle is largely considered to have ended to the War of the Roses as the Tudor dynasty managed to consolidate and maintain power until Elizabeth I’s death in 1603. But at the time, the Yorkists weren’t ready to give up and were making moves to secure the English throne once again.

The Yorkist side found hope in Lambert Simnel, a 10-year-old boy pretending to be the Earl of Warwick, supposedly the son of Edward IV’s brother. The leaders of the Yorkist side used Simnel to re-group support after the devasting Battle of Bosworth.

To gather an army, the Yorkist leaders travelled to Dublin in May 1487 and managed to recruit over 4000 men. Simnel was even crowned ‘King Edward VI’ in Dublin by the Yorkist leaders and Irish nobility.

Above: 19th century illustration depicting Irish supporters carrying Simnel (By Encyclopedia Britannica, 11th Ed. Vol XXV. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1910. 124. - Encyclopedia Britannica, 11th Ed. Vol XXV. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1910. 124., Public Domain)

Returning to England at the start of June 1487, the army numbers increased to around 8,000 soldiers and the men began travelling south from Lancaster. Along the way, the rebel Yorkist army encountered Lancastrian cavalry which started three days of skirmishes at Sherwood Forest. The Lancastrian cavalry was forced back to Nottingham by the rebel Yorkists, and there the cavalry waited for Henry’s main army to come and assist.

King Henry’s army of some 15,000 men arrived in Nottingham on 14th June, including reinforcements from Wales. The poorly-equipped Yorkist army were dangerously outnumbered.

Both sides clashed in battle on 16th June 1487 in East Stoke, a battle to be known as the Battle of Stoke Field. It remains Nottinghamshire’s only registered battlefield.

Only parts of Henry’s army had formed up properly when the battle started but even so, the Yorkist army, with their fewer numbers, poorly-equipped soldiers and weaker leadership, suffered a devasting loss with heavy casualties. By the end, almost all of the Yorkist leaders had been killed and many of the soldiers tried to ‘flee towards the River Trent but were captured or killed. The River Trent is said to have “run red with blood”’.

The number of men killed in the battle is estimated to be between 4000-7000 men and unfortunately the hope of putting a Yorkist on the throne died with them.

Burial pits containing some of the fallen have been recorded near East Stoke (M1680 and M17856). A small number of 8-11 individuals recovered from this pit were analysed as recently as the mid 2010’s. The results suggested all the remains belonged to robust males aged between 17 and 46. Sharp force trauma was encountered on many bones including skulls and tibia. Some of the skulls recovered from one of the burial pits, illustrating battlefield trauma, are on display currently at the National Civil War Centre in Newark.

Dr Samantha Tipper at Anglia Ruskin University is also currently undertaking osteoarchaeological analysis on a set of skeletons recovered from the battlefield and it is hoped that from this project we can find out more about a bit about who these soldiers were, what they experienced during their lives, and where they spent most of their lives.

The Battle of Stoke Field is not only important for Nottinghamshire’s heritage but also in English history as the true end of the War of the Roses.

For fantastic videos, including some wonderful interviews with some of the main characters of the battle, and a self-guided trail on public footpaths to visit the site, visit the Nottinghamshire County Council’s web page here.

As a registered battlefield, Historic England manages the record and research of this site, you can view their list entry here.

Above: Battle of Stoke Field at ground level (By Andrew Tatlow, CC BY-SA 2.0)

Monday 2nd March: Head to Hucknall Library ‘for a free small group session to explore Inspire’s Heritage photograph collections. Discover more about the Inspire Picture Archive which holds over 40,000 images of Nottinghamshire life from the 19th century up to the present day’. You will also learn how to upload your own photographs to add to Inspire’s catalogue and how Inspire manage their physical photograph collection. Book your place for free here.

Monday 2nd March: ‘Join Professor Tom Higham online to discover the latest scientific methods and breakthroughs in Neanderthal extinction and human dispersals’. ‘In this lecture [he] will talk about the latest data, both from the field and the laboratory, and explore the disappearance of the Neanderthals and the dispersal of ‘modern humans’ into Eurasia. [He] will outline some of the new biomolecular tools we are now using to find fragmentary human bones, which can then be genetically sequenced and dated, and what these have told us about this period of human prehistory’. Book your free place here.

Saturday 14th March: Also at Hucknall library is a new event to celebrate the project: ‘Hucknall, Skegby, and Selston: Then and Now’. ‘Come along and discover how Hucknall, Skegby and Selston have changed over time’ and ‘and explore Hucknall Library’s heritage resources including the new Nottinghamshire Digital Archive platform’. The ‘project artist, Edwina Kung will also be running a fun, interactive artist workshop for families, during the celebration event’. This event is free and no booking is required, just drop in! For more information, visit the event page here.

Sunday 15th March: ‘Treat your mum to a Mothers Day experience like no other – a walk in Sherwood Forest with Robin Hood’. ‘This walk is around 90 minutes and will be packed with some of Robin’s favourite tales of the outlaws and motherly figures from history’. Tickets cost up to £11 per person and booking is required. Book your place here.

Tuesday 17th March: At Mansfield Central Library, ‘join historian David Templeman for an in-depth talk on the interaction between the three most colourful and charismatic women in Elizabethan History’ (Elizabeth I, Mary, Queen of Scots and Bess of Hardwick). ‘David’s talk will offer a new perspective on these women and a unique insight into a predominantly man’s world entered into and conquered by these three powerful icons’. Tickets cost £3 and booking is required. Book your place here.

Above: Votes For Women Poster, 1909. (By Hilda Dallas - Private collection, Public Domain)

Wednesday 18th March: Head to Beeston Library for the ‘Heritage Talk: Deeds Not Words’. ‘The Suffragette movement revolutionised how women were viewed, and what they could achieve. The Nottingham area certainly had it’s share of these courageous women. Come and find out about who these remarkable women were, as local historian Sandra Berrington uncovers the efforts and sacrifices they made to give women equality’. Tickets cost £3 and booking is required. Book your place here.

Wednesday 18th March: ‘Step back in time and join Reverend John T. Becher, founder of The Workhouse, on a tour of Southwell. Follow Becher on an historical 2.5 mile walking tour of Southwell as he highlights his connections with the town as a churchman, magistrate and social reformer during a period of great change’. This event is free but booking is recommended. Book your place here.

Friday 27th March: In association with the National Civil War Centre, join archaeologist Richard Parker to find out more about the Norton Disney Dodecahedron. ‘This fine example of a Gallo Roman dodecahedron was found in the summer of 2023 when archaeologists excavated a Roman site at Norton Disney, close to a Roman villa and the Fosse Way Roman road. Its purpose remains a mystery’. This evening event, at the Palace Theatre, costs up to £10 per person and booking is required. Book your place here.

Friday 27th and Saturday 28th March: ‘As part of its new events programme, the Framework Knitters Museum is presenting the world premiere of ‘Riot Act’, a play originally commissioned by Nottingham Playhouse, by renowned Nottingham writer Andy Barrett. ‘Riot Act’ explores the lives of the Nottinghamshire framework knitters and the rise and fall of the Luddite movement at the start of the nineteenth century’. Tickets cost £5 per person and booking is required. Book your place here.

Its invention is attributed to an Englishman named William Lee. Sadly, nothing much concrete is known about William. Most reports theorise he was a clergyman from Calverton, Nottinghamshire. There has been some argument that he lived in Sussex instead, but scholars predominantly believe he was a Nottinghamshire man. We are inclined to agree!

The stocking frame worked by imitating hand-knitting movements. It was unlike anything available at the time. Lee sought out a patent for the machine from Queen Elizabeth I. Upon demonstration of the machine, Elizabeth declined his patent request on the fear that his machine would be highly detrimental to those working in the hand-knitting industry. Elizabeth promised William that if he could improve his machine to be able to make silk stockings then his patent would be approved (Rowlett 1886).

His machine wasn’t a perfect invention from conception. The frame originally could only produce coarse fabrics as it contained eight needles in an inch. So, William worked on improving the machine, by increasing the needles per inch, until, in 1598, it was capable of knitting silk stockings.

Above: Stocking Frame at Framework Knitters Museum, Ruddington, Nottinghamshire. By John Beniston (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0).

Unfortunately for William, despite his improvements, his patent was declined again by Elizabeth’s successor James I. Upon this rejection, he decided to take the stocking frame and his workers to France under the protection of King Henry IV.

In 1610, however, Henry IV was assassinated. At a time where religion was a very divisive aspect of society, the death of the Protestant King Henry and the succession of the Catholic Louis XIII had consequences for the Protestants in France. As one of those Protestants, William’s stocking frame business badly suffered. William died in Paris a few years later (many report that he died in 1614) with his business that he had worked at for decades in disrepair.

Some of his stocking frames made their way back to England with his workers. Many workers sold their frames in London while his brother James is reported to have helped to establish the use of the stocking frame into the textile industry in England.

In the seventeenth and eighteen centuries, the stocking frame ‘was probably the most sophisticated textile machine in common use in western civilisation’ (Lewis, 1986). The frame could hold around 38 needles per inch by 1750 (Lewis, 1986), a stark difference from the number of needles on the initial conceptions of the machine. By the mid-seventeenth century , attempts were made by framework knitters to ‘regulate the exportation of machinery and skilled labour…as a reflection of the workers’ new-found estimation of his machinery and skills’ (Lewis, 1986).

Further adaptions of Lee’s machine continued even up to the 19th century as the stocking frame was adapted for different textiles and knitting styles. By the start of the 19th century, the machine had notably been adapted as a lace making machine, which also has special connections to Nottingham in the form of the lace market.

Lee most likely had no idea how much of an importance his machine would have on the textile industry centuries down the line. His influence ‘laid the foundation for an industry that now gives employment to millions. There can be but few people in the world who do not make daily use of its products’ (Pasold, 1975).

If it weren’t for the dedication and determination of Lee and his loyal workers to continually improve the stocking frame, the history of textile production would look wildly different.

If you would like to learn more about the stocking frame or about the textile industry, we suggest you visit the Framework Knitters’ Museum in Ruddington.

Bibliography:

Lewis, P. 1986. ‘William Lee’s Stocking Frame: Technical Evolution and Economic Viability 1589-1750’, Textile History, Volume 17. Pp. 129-147

Pasold, E.W. 1975. ‘In Search of William Lee’, Textile History, Volume 6. Pp.7-17

Rowlett, W.T. 1887. ‘Framework Knitting’, Journal of the Society of Arts, Volume 36. Page 445

Monday 2nd Feb: ‘Join Professor Matthew Tocheri online to discover the fascinating story of 'the hobbits of human evolution': Homo floresiensis’. The talk, in association with Creswell Crags, will explore the past, present and future research and representations of this extinct group. This event is free (donations welcome) but booking is required. Book your place here.

Tuesday 3rd Feb: At Hucknall Library, ‘join local historian Denis Hill, for an insight into the fascinating history and heritage of the townships of Ashfield district. For this – the first of two talks – he will focus on Hucknall, Annesley and Selston, each of which has much to shout about and celebrate, but which may be generally unknown’. This event is free but booking is required. Book your place here.

Wednesday 4th Feb: As part of the celebration of LGBT+ month, ‘bestselling author Gareth Russell [is presenting] a special talk centred on his new book 'Queen James’. ‘This event explores LGBTQ+ narratives woven through royal history’ in association with the National Civil War Centre. Tickets for this event at the Palace Theatre, Newark, cost up to £10 per person and booking is required. Book your place here.

Tuesday 10th Feb: ‘In the second part of Denis Hill’s celebration of Ashfield’s heritage he will focus on Kirkby, Skegby, Sutton and Teversall. Throughout the district Denis identifies numerous historical ‘firsts’ or ‘oldest’ inventions connected to our industrial heritage of which local residents may be justly proud.’ This talk at Hucknall Library is also free but booking is required. Book your place here.

Wednesday 11th Feb: At Lakeside Arts, join Alan Micklethwaite, ‘a sculptor, stone carver and conservator, who has worked on the conservation of historic buildings for more than 30 years’ for talk on his insights into traditional and modern ‘techniques and processes involved’ in restoring and repairing ‘sculpture[s] on historic monuments and buildings’. Tickets for his talk ‘Restoration Stone Carving’ cost up to £3.50 per person and booking is required. Book your place here.

Friday 13th Feb: ‘In 1642, when Charles I raised his standard in Nottingham, he ruled not just England, Ireland, and Scotland, but also “the dominions thereunto belonging”. These distant settlement, most small and new, were drawn into events at home, and the English Atlantic was shaped by the civil wars, regicide, and experiments in new forms of government over the next two decades. Join distinguished Professor and Joyce Appleby Endowed Chair of the America in the World, Carla Pestana, for this insightful talk’: ‘The British Civil War and the Wider World’ at the Palace Theatre, Newark in association with the National Civil War Centre. Tickets cost up to £10 per person and booking is required. Book your place here.

Tuesday 17th Feb: Head to Mansfield Central Library ‘for a talk by Roger West, author of Red Blood for Black Gold to hear the story of how this local mining history was written’. Tickets cost £3 per person and booking is required. Book your place here.

Friday 20th Feb: ‘Get acquainted with the world famous ancient oaks of Sherwood Forest with our tree expert, Rob Pedley. Sherwood has one of the highest densities of ancient oaks in the world. These impressive trees provide vital habitat for an abundance of species and play a crucial role in supporting the health of the forest. The walk leader will introduce you to a handful of these giants, giving you an insight into the life of a veteran oak’. Tickets cost up to £13 per adult. Book your place here.

Above: Sherwood Forest

Starting Saturday 17th January: Inspire will be hosting a six-session course teaching you all about how to research your family history. ‘Over six sessions, you will be introduced to the main types of records available for your research. You will discover where to locate family history documents and online information, as well as developing your research skills to help you make sense of what you find’.  ’The course is suitable for complete beginners in family history but may also be useful for those with some family history experience who would like to update their knowledge, particularly in terms of online records’. Held at Worksop library, the course runs from the 17th January to 21st February costs up to £48 (although the course can be received for free for some receiving certain benefits) and booking is required. To book your place and for more information, visit the event page here.

Saturday 17th January: Head to the D. H. Lawrence Museum for a behind-the-scenes tour during their annual deep-clean. ‘These hour long sessions will show you the importance of conservation in preserving the museum and collection and you will learn techniques to look after your own treasures at home. These select tours are a unique opportunity to gain experience with historic objects’. Tickets cost £10 per person and booking is required. Book your place here.

Wednesday 21st January: ‘Come along to [Worksop Library] to discover the history of the Worksop and Retford Brewery Company (from its nineteenth century origins to its 1959 takeover by Sheffield Brewers, Tennants) and its effects on cultural and sporting life in Bassetlaw’. ‘This illustrated talk, by local authors and researchers Dave Pickersgill and John Stocks, tells the half-forgotten story of what was once one of Worksop’s foremost industries’. Tickets cost £3 and booking is required. Book your place here.

Opening Friday 30th January: The University of Nottingham Museum will opening their new temporary exhibition ‘The Anglo-Saxon Cemetery at Broughton Lodge, Willough-on-the-Wolds’. ‘The cemetery discovered at Broughton Lodge, Willoughby-on-the-Wolds, in Nottinghamshire was a pioneering community archaeology excavation of the 1960s. Since that time the remains, held in partnership between Nottingham City Museums and the University of Nottingham Museum, have never been displayed together until now. This exhibition reinterprets the evidence from the cemetery creating a picture of a Nottinghamshire community with pan-European connections in the sixth century AD’. The exhibition is open until early July 2026 so don’t worry if you can’t see it straight away! The event is free and booking is not required. For more information, visit the event page here.

Saturday 31st January: Head to Newark’s Palace Theatre for a wonderful new evening talk: ‘For Whom The Bell Tolls’. ‘Visible for miles around, the spire of St Mary’s church was a beacon, vantage point and source of local pride. Learn more about the central role played by St Mary’s Church in local life during the British Civil Wars with renowned local historian Stuart Jennings’. Tickets cost up to £10 per person and booking is required. Book your place here.

Above: Church of St Mary Magdalene, Newark

This year the team has added over 170 new sources and reports onto the HER this year, which has added over 180 new event records and over 320 new monument records.

Check out some of our new monument records:

• World War II Tower in Wigsley
• Former Georgian Manor at the Manor Farm Recreation Ground in Toton
• Bronze Age ring ditches which held Bronze Age cremation and urned cremation burials in Sutton-in-Ashfield
• Victorian built Tuxford Primary School in Tuxford
• Former Edwardian Mineral Railway in Mansfield
• Roman to Post-Medieval activity, including a Saxon-Early Medieval cemetery, near Southwell Minster in Southwell

On top of this, over 1,100 previous monument records have been improved and over 220 event records have also been improved.

Check out some of the updated records here:

• Forge Mill in Hucknall
• Church of St Helen in West Burton
• Medieval Fishponds at Attenborough
• Brookside House in Lamley
• Forest Town Workers Village in Mansfield Woodhouse
• Burials from the Battle of East Stoke in East Stoke

Early in 2025, we received an amazing result from our routine audit which analyses how effectively our team is maintaining and improving the our HER. Across all four areas, we consistently received top marks, with very minimal suggestions for improvement. It signifies that the Nottinghamshire HER is currently amongst the highest rated in the country! This is a great achievement for us and one we are all very proud of. If you would like to read more about our results, click here.

This year the HER team has also embarked on Project K, a project hosted by Forestry England to help improve the quality of our current SHINE records. SHINE (Selected Heritage Inventory for Natural England) records are a national dataset of heritage assets, managed by local HERs, which have influence on agricultural and environmental schemes and funding. These records also help to protect the heritage assets against the damage that could potentially occur as a result of agricultural practices.

The HER team also worked alongside a small number of volunteers from Nottingham Trent University to record some significant sites in Nottinghamshire, including Laxton Castle and Old Ox, using LiDAR and photogrammetry. The results are currently in the process of being accessioned onto the HER, but you can view raw results through the 3D model of Laxton castle here and the image of Old Ox below.

Above: Iron Age multivallate hillfort at Old Ox, Oxton, taken by NTU volunteers.

The wider heritage team at NCC has been very busy as well! The Archaeological Planning team have been occupied with a large quantity of development applications and subsequent site visits. There has been a lot of amazing archaeology uncovered in Nottinghamshire this year which we are excited to soon accession onto the HER. Watch this space!

The team have amazingly still had time to conduct a few public talks along the way as well. Our planning archaeologist Emily has presented talks focusing on the archaeological works at Rufford Abbey and another on the recent archaeological discoveries in Nottinghamshire. Did you manage to catch one?

Our Historic Buildings team have also had a jam-packed year!

Following the publishing of her two books last year, 'Country House Stables of Nottinghamshire' and 'Colliery Stables and the Nottinghamshire Pit Pony'  (in association with the project Major2Miner), our historic environment officer Janine has continued presenting her talk on ‘Colliery Stables and the Nottinghamshire Pit Pony’ across the county.

The Historic Buildings team has also had a lot of interaction with volunteers, work experience students, and interns, all of which did a great job! Some of these wonderful volunteers have joined in on one of the many training schemes run by our Senior Practitioner for Historic Buildings, Jason, around Nottinghamshire.

Here are some of the training schemes the Historic Buildings team has helped conduct:

• Gedling Station received National Lottery Heritage Funding for their restoration project phase 1. The team helped to deliver some of the ‘hands-on-training’ as part of this. The funding will go towards a new Welsh slate roof, Notts ogee cast iron gutters, and timber sash window restoration.
• Tuxford Walks of Life Museum are undertaking the restoration of 33 Lincoln Road (a timber frame and later brick farmhouse), where the Historic Buildings team are helping to host task and training days. Hemp lime render and plaster ‘retrofit’ has been a focus for this year, along with some Bassetlaw DC funded Yorkshire sash window restoration which was also carried out. A traditional craft skills boot-camp is planned to help restore the rear elevation in the new year.
• The team also helped to undertake this season’s work with Kirkby and District Archaeology Group at Kirkby Hardwick Medieval manor site which focused on higher level masonry repairs and repointing, and some further ivy removal and capping of the east gate range (which was the focus in 2024).
• At Saint Mary & All Saints Church in Bingham, the team was involved in running ‘task and training’ events focussed on historic C18th brick wall repairs. They worked with the Town Council to repair and reinstated the saddle-back copings along the western wall and repairing the footpath wall around the London Plain Tree root damage.
• At Saint Giles Church in Balderton, working with the parish council, the team oversaw groups of church volunteers and work experience students to clear ivy and prepare a section of collapsed wall for repairs.
• Working with IHBC East Midlands, the team delivered two lime training events for homeowners as part of the Mansfield Townscape Heritage Initiative at the St Peter’s Centre and a CPD ‘hot lime’ event for estate managers and architects at Leicester City.
• At Bramcote's Old Church Tower our council ecologist, nature conservation intern, and historic building conservation officers worked with the charity’s volunteers to successfully renew the bird mesh on the bell tower louvres, being extremely careful not to disturb the Brow long-eared bats!

We’re all proud of the work the NCC heritage team has undertaken this year to protect and restore our local heritage, and to improve the knowledge and understanding of our local environment. We will continue to do the same in 2026 and can't wait to see what we will get up to in the new year!

If you have any questions for us or would like to get involved, we’d love to hear from you! Email us at heritage@nottscc.gov.uk.

Sunday 7th (and 14th and 20th) December: ‘Join the Creswell Crags Stone Age guides this Christmas and venture into their deepest, darkest cave to hear tales of winters long ago [before Santa!]. Take part in an interactive cave experience and meet their mysterious (but friendly!) Abominable Snowman - he may even have a magical gift for each child!’ Tickets cost £10 per adult and £8 per child (not suitable for children under 5), and booking is required. This event is set to occur on multiple occasions so if you can't make one date, don't worry! Book your place here.

Sunday 7th December: Head to the National Holocaust Museum ‘for a virtual tour available both in person and online, of our newly re-created exhibition ‘The Journey’. Through a series of immersive period rooms, you’ll step into the world of a German-Jewish family in 1930s Berlin, witness the aftermath of Kristallnacht, and follow young Leo’s escape to Britain. You will then meet Kindertransport survivor John Fieldsend, who will share his memories of making this journey, and whose testimony has shaped "The Journey" exhibition. You will also hear from Dr Amy Williams about her spectacular re-discovery of archival documents, which have cast new light on individual stories of the Kindertransport.’ Ticket prices vary but booking is required. Book your place here.

Wednesday 10th December: A talk at Beeston Library will delve into the history of the Christmas Radio Times. ‘In this talk, local historian Robert Mee will look at the changing nature of the magazine, from the first edition in 1923 until 1999. He will also look at the programmes offered by the BBC on Christmas Day - there will no doubt be an element of nostalgia for days-past, but broadcasting trends and improvements in technology will also be covered’. Tickets cost £3 per person and booking is required. Book your place here.

Above: Christmas Radio Times,18th December 1931, Southern Edition (By Rex Whistler, Public Domain)

Thursday 11th December: 'Join David Marsh and Nottinghamshire Gardens Trust for a Christmassy journey through plant history and imagery' in this online talk. 'Once you start exploring the history of mistletoe it becomes more and more complex and lost in a web of legends. But how did it became to be associated with Druids? This talk tells the story of the plant and the man who almost singlehandedly invented most of what we think we know about the Druids…and that includes mistletoe too!' This talk event costs £5 per person and booking is required. Book your place here.

Thursday 11th December: 'Zig Zag’s Christmas City Quiz Crawl to save The People’s Hall!' 'Join Zig Zag Tours for a classic Zig Zag pub crawl with the added twist of quizzing your way around several historic pubs...You’ll be guided to various pubs, where you’ll meet a Zig Zag quizmaster who will test your knowledge while you wet your whistle. The evening will conclude with the winners being announced, trophies awarded, and possibly the best raffle ever to take place on the banks of the canal.' 'All profits will be going towards the new roof at the Peoples Hall'. Tickets cost £13 (this includes 5 raffle tickets and a chip cob), you may come solo or as a team, and booking is required. Book your place here.

Friday 12th December: ‘Back by popular demand, A Merry Noyse will be regaling us with a feast of music from Christmas past [at the Palace Theatre, Newark]. A joyful mix of history, poetry and musical performance, the perfect cosy historical start to your Christmas season!’ Tickets cost up to £10 per person and booking is required. Book your place here.

Saturday 13th December: Head to the Framework Knitters Museum in Ruddington for a magical step back in time at their Victorian Christmas — a festive day packed with music, traditional crafts, food heritage, and family-friendly activities in their beautiful historic setting’. ‘Try your hand at their historic circular knitting machines’, ‘discover how the Victorians made mince pies and what festive food looked like in times gone by’, browse ‘unique gifts and local goodies’ and much more! This event is free and booking is not required. For more information, visit the event page here.

Monday 15th December: In association with Creswell Crags, join Dr Helen Fewlass online to discover how new fieldwork & science are developing understanding of Homo sapiens and Neanderthal encounters’. This event is free but booking is required. Book your place here.

Saturday 20th December - Sunday 4th January: ‘Step into the heart of Sherwood Forest this Christmas and join Robin Hood and his Merry Band for a seasonal adventure! Follow the trail through the winter woods, completing merry tasks and solving clever Christmas dingbats along the way. Collect hidden letters from the Yule Log Challenge to crack the final festive code for a Christmas surprise!’ It’s £4.50 to enter but booking is not required. For more information, visit the event page here.

The first record we have of the word ‘highwayman’ came from 1617 but evidence for highwaymen can be found earlier in the medieval period. The peak of highwayman activity spanned from roughly 1660 to 1714, but the threat of highwaymen continued into the 19th century to a lesser extent, with the last recorded mounted robbery was in 1831.

A large cause for this peak in robbery was the English Civil War. With the beheading of King Charles I in 1649, the civil war ended which left some of Charles’ Royalist soldiers, that had no other skills or trades, without means to support themselves and their families. In most cases, they had little choice but to rob to stay alive.

Some highwaymen chose to attack travellers and coaches to take their money and expensive items. In other circumstances, highwaymen forced travellers to pay a fee to go free and unscathed. It was not only rich travellers who got held up by highwaymen, postboys who carried the mail were often targeted.

The hot spots for highwaymen encounters in the East Midlands included the Peak District and the old Great North Road, which ran between Newark, East Retford and Tuxford.

At this time, parish policing was rather ineffective and making arrests was difficult. This did not mean that being a highwayman was an easy vocation. With an average life expectancy of a highwayman estimated to be only 28 years old, it was a very risky trade. Being caught, more often than not, lead to death by hanging, following which their bodies would be placed in gibbets near roads to warn other highwaymen and criminals.

Above: Asalto al coche (Attack on a Coach), by Francisco Goya (1786-1787), Public Domain

The most famous highwayman based in the East Midlands was John Nevison, sometimes nicknamed ‘Swift Nick’.

Born in 1639 in South Yorkshire, Nevison became a highwayman after death of his father. Before that, he was serving under the Duke of York in an English regiment, reportedly taking part in the Battle of Dunkirk in 1658 before leaving. Even during his time serving under the Duke of York in Flanders, he was reportedly arrested for stealing!

As a highwayman, Nevison based himself in Newark. He worked with a gang of, potentially, up to 20 other highwaymen who he met at safe houses in Tuxford and Newark to divide up their spoils. It is reported that the gang kept rooms at the Talbot Inn (possibly the now demolished Clinton Arms Hotel) in Newark all year round for this reason. They tallied up over £1,500 in one year which would have been around £150,000-£170,000 in today’s money, according to retellings of the housekeeper’s reports. Nevison and his gang focused their efforts on the old Great North Road and would travel as far York and Huntingdon on occasion for opportunities.

Nevison found some fame during his lifetime, with his actions being acknowledged, and perhaps even praised by King Charles II. Charles supposedly named him ‘Swift Nick’ and granted him free pardon upon hearing of his dastardly famous ride. This famous ride involved Nevison travelling from Kent to York in 1676 after robbing a traveller in Rochester. To escape capture, he rode all the way up to York (which is over 200 miles north!) and met with the Lord Mayor of York to create an alibi. When he was arrested for the Rochester robbing, the Lord Mayor provided him with this alibi and Nevison was amazingly acquitted.

He also had a reputation for being a gentlemanly highwayman. According to written sources, Nevison chose not to use violence against his victims and only robbed those who were rich. He was even reportedly polite to those he robbed! Unfortunately, this version of Nevison comes mainly from 18th and 19th century literary works and therefore may be more fiction than reality. This romanticised portrayal of his character during this period is similar to how the legend of Robin Hood has evolved over time to be more noble, and in some situations, Nevison is compared to Robin Hood.

Nevison was tried for theft multiple times between 1674 and 1681 but managed to avoid the hangman’s noose. After which, he restarted his robbing ways. In 1684, however, he was finally caught, tried, and later hung at York for the murder of a constable who was attempting to arrest him. He was buried in an unmarked grave in a church in York.

Cut to the modern day, ‘Swift Nick’ Nevison is the feature of multiple songs and even a novel. The 1913 novel ‘Swift Nick of the York Road’ by George Edgar portrays Nevison as a gentleman who can hold himself in many a dual.

A blue plaque is even placed on the Three Houses Inn public house where John Nevison was thought to have been arrested for the final time.

Above: Blue Plaque commemorating John Nevison, 2009 (by Mike Kirby, CC BY-SA 2.0)

Monday 3rd November: In association with Creswell Crags, ‘join folklore expert, Icy Sedgwick, online to discover the fascinating legends of Bonfire Night. From penny-for-the-guy to parades and public bonfires, this talk will explore some of the customs surrounding the 5th of November. You'll also dig into a couple of the legends about the events of 5th November 1605 to see why it became such an important date in the British calendar’. This event is free, but booking is required. Book your place here.

Friday 7th November: At the Palace Theatre, Newark, ‘the creators of ‘The 17th Century Show’ bring you, ‘The Amazing Exploding Girlfriend and Other Tales of Mad Science: A Professor Edvard von Goosechaser Comedy History Lecture’. The year is 1669, and it’s time for the annual Professor Edvard von Goosechaser lecture. This time the subject is mad scientists, fool hardy inventors and heroic herbalists. Find out which Royalist super soldier liked to dabble in science and how a hole in his head lead to a spectacular innovation in fashion. Discover which inventor built the first ever lighthouse on a rock, in the middle of a war with France and during the worst storm in England history. And hear about how an amateur herbalist challenged the might of the medical establishment and almost got himself arrested for witchcraft. But which one of them had and amazing girlfriend, and why on earth did she explode? Join the Professor to find out’. Ticket prices vary up to £10 per person and booking is required. Book your place here.

Friday 7th November: ‘Enjoy a taste of Victorian decadence, with an evening viewing of the gas-lit D.H. Lawrence Birthplace Museum followed by a sampling of gins’. In this Gin and Gaslight event, ‘the D.H. Lawrence Birthplace Museum is lit with original gaslight, making an evening visit charming and atmospheric. Guests will have time to engage with the hosts and learn more about D.H. Lawrence and his literary legacy. Then, guests will be offered several gins to sample and learn about their history and flavour profiles’. Tickets cost £17.50 per person and booking is required. Book your place here.

Thursday 13th November: Also at the Palace Theatre, Newark, a ‘talk by Michael Rayner, chair of the Battlefields Trust's Battlefield Panel, will look at how landscape is crucial to understanding why and how battles were fought. This will include looking at how terrain influenced commanders, as well as how landscape studies are used to interpret what happened. Examples will be drawn from a range of periods and across the country’. Tickets cost £10 per person, and booking is required. Book your place here.

Thursday 13th November: Lakeside Art currently have a free exhibition in their Weston Gallery titled ‘The Leen – Nottingham’s River’. A public event on the 13th invites you ‘help preserve the history of the River Leen for the future, by sharing your own memories, all while exploring historical archival photos! Examine images drawn from the archives of local businesses such as Gerard’s/Cussons and institutions such as the QMC. Reminiscences collected at the event will be mapped to the course of the River Leen to examine how its meaning for local residents has shifted over time’. This is a free drop-in event throughout the day (10am-4pm) and booking is not required. For more information, visit the event page here.

Tuesday 18th November: Mansfield Central Library is hosting the heritage talk: ‘Sherwood Boys, Biography of a Battalion’. ‘Hear the story of how the 2/5th Sherwood Foresters, a Territorial battalion, developed during the Second World War from a group of untrained young men from Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire into a hardened unit of veterans from every corner of Britain, capable of facing, and beating, the might of the Wehrmacht’. Tickets are £3 per person and booking is required. Book your place here.

Wednesday 19th November: The heritage talk ‘Worksop’s WW1 VC: William Henry Johnson’ will be held at Worksop Library. ‘William Henry Johnson was a miner at Manton Colliery and a bell ringer at Worksop Priory before enlisting for service in the First World War. In this fascinating talk, learn more about the man, his life, and his remarkable act of bravery in the field which earned him Britain’s highest military award, the Victoria Cross. Following his talk, which will last approximately 45 minutes, there will be chance to explore historical records relating to WW1 servicemen from the local area, including newspaper reports, photographs and more’. Tickets cost £3 per person and booking is required. Book your place here.

Wednesday 19th November: Beeston Library will be hosting the talk: ‘Women of the British Civil Wars 1642-1659’. ‘Women played a significant role in the conflicts known as the British civil wars, and Nottinghamshire women certainly played their part. As local historian Sandra Berrington demonstrates, they helped defend castles, wrote pamphlets and propaganda, raised funds, spied, nursed, preached and even contributed on the battlefields. From highborn ladies to ordinary housekeepers, these remarkable women showed, as was said at the time, “A courage beyond their sex”’. Tickets cost £3 per person, and booking is required. Book your place here.

Monday 24th November: At Newark Library, you have a chance to explore local parish registers with the Inspire team. ‘Join one of their librarians for a small group session to talk about the history of Nottinghamshire's parish registers and look at some of the fascinating stories they contain. Parish registers of baptisms, marriages and burials are a major resource for anyone beginning their family history’. This event is free, but booking is recommended. Book your place here.

Stories of ghosts and hauntings have been around in different forms for centuries. They were perhaps as popular in contemporary times as they are now. These stories provide a valuable, and often tangible, link between the living and dead. In some cultures, these spirits are evil, intending to cause harm to the living, and in others, spirits are kind and protect the living. As we see in our media today, sometimes spirits can have both good and bad intentions as well.

Tales of ghosts and spirits are useful to us as they offer us a window into contemporary societies, usually taking the form of a moral messages or warnings. The nature of the spirits, and the messages they are meant to be the manifestation of, evolves as societies do, creating a snapshot of their social and religious beliefs, their ideas of social justice, and even their shared fears. They can also allow us a glance into contemporary views on gender, class, and identity. They are a valuable piece of history that can often be overlooked.

Ancient civilizations across the world such as ancient Mesopotamia, ancient Greece, and ancient Egypt all have tales of restless spirits weaved into their folklore, mythologies, and oral stories. Spirits in ancient Mesopotamia, for example, were often believed to be capable of causing genuine injury to the living and many attempted to keep them at bay with routine offerings and rituals. The responsibility to appease the spirits fell upon their direct descendants, and any family members that neglected to provide offerings of food and drink to their dead relatives were at risk of being cursed with disease or bad fortune. This shows what their society placed value in and well as what they feared.

Later in Medieval England, tales often reflected Christian religious values, with both Catholicism and Protestantism using spirits in their teachings. The threat of your soul wandering through purgatory was a real threat for some in Medieval society while others believed that ghosts were apparitions to trick the living into evil temptation. Staying away or atoning from sin was a predominant and pivotal message. We also see this message in literary hauntings, in works such as Shakespeare’s Macbeth and Hamlet. These stories were often meant as warnings for deviating from religious or societal values, showing us the consequences of this deviation.

Above: The Last of the Spirits, from Charles Dickens: A Christmas Carol, 1834. Illustration by John Leech, Public Domain

The Victorian era, however, was the catalyst for our love of horror stories. Their fascination with death, ghosts, and all things macabre still resonates into our modern society. Haunted houses and horror theatre, known as Phantasmagoria, began to be popular during this period. This was also the time of popular gothic literature such as the poems by Edgar Allen Poe, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and Bram Stoker’s Dracula. With mortality rates rather high during this period, it seems that embracing death, and the idea of ghosts, was a way of helping society cope with the common occurrence of death. We also continue to see the theme of ghosts appearing in stories preaching moral values during this era, both in stories of ‘real’ ghosts and of literary ghosts, such as in Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.

Modern media has allowed us to create, engage with, and disseminate ghost stories on a larger scale than ever before, be it horror movies and tv shows, social media videos, ghost tours and attractions, or almost anything else under the umbrella of popular culture. What do you think our 21st century ghost stories will tell the historians of the future about us? Do we use horror stories as a way of coping with the current state of our world? Do we see them as warnings? Do we just enjoy them as pieces of art or media, meant to shock and scare us?

Many sites in Nottinghamshire such as Annesley Hall, Wollaton Hall, and Rufford Abbey, are often quoted as having spirits roaming their halls. Many of these historic buildings said to be haunted in Nottinghamshire are open to the public, so if you fancy some spooky heritage this Halloween we would recommend a visit!

Wollaton Hall, for example, is said to be haunted by ‘The White Lady’, also known as Lady Jane Middleton. Her ghost story states that she was accidentally paralysed and kept confined to her room in Wollaton Hall until she died, subsequently haunting the hallways of the house. Strange lights can be seen from her bedroom and visitors are said to have heard, seen, and felt her presence. The portrayal of 'White Lady' spirits in folklore can be traced back to the Medieval period, with these lady ghosts often being attached to manor houses or noble families, especially within a rural setting. Their stories often depict tragedies, such as accidents, unrequited love or harrowing deaths, and they are said to sometimes be bad omens. There is a little truth wrapped in the 'White Lady' tale of Wollaton Hall. Wollaton Hall was owned by the Willoughby family since it was built in the 1580’s up until 1925, with the title of Baron Middleton being passed on by the Hall’s owners since 1688. The 6th Baron Middleton, Henry Willoughby, did marry a Jane Lawley who died around 1852. Unfortunately, not much is written about her, but her ghost story is likely rather dramatized and embellished. That does not stop many ghost investigations taking place at the house in search of ‘The White Lady’.

Beyond their historical significance, ghost stories challenge us to look at our own beliefs. As it did throughout history, the ability to engage and share in these stories helps bind communities and groups together. They can also create a link between us in the modern day and historical individuals, families or societies. In some cases, they can create a link between us and our own ancestors. So, whether you believe in ghosts or not, their impact and influence cannot be denied.

Monday 6th October: In association with Creswell Crags, ‘join Dr Ceren Kabukcu (University of Liverpool) online to discover Palaeolithic plant diets in Southwest Asia and the Eastern Mediterranean’. This online evening talk is free, but booking is required. Book your place here.

Opening Thursday 9th October: Opening this October, an exciting exhibition explores the connection the River Leen has with Nottinghamshire's history at the Lakeside Arts. ‘From its source in the Robin Hood Hills above Newstead Abbey to the River Trent at the Meadows, the River Leen connects places and communities. This exhibition puts the Leen at the centre of the story of modern Nottingham’. If you can't catch this exhibition this month, no worries as it will be open until March 2026! This exhibition is free, and booking is not required. For more information, visit the event page here.

Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th October: Southwell Workhouse and Infirmary is hosting four sessions of a ‘Workhouse Stories’ puppet show. ‘Based on the lives of people who lived and worked in Leeds Union Workhouse, Workhouse Stories is a puppet show suitable for all and aimed at 8+ years. Come and discover the stories of blind boat builder Thomas Bateman, the ghost of Asenath Batley and the perils of paperwork with John King, former Clerk to the Board of Guardians’. This event is free, and booking is not required, however places may be limited. For more information, visit the event page here.

Tuesday 14th October: Friends of the Framework Knitters Museum ‘are pleased to welcome Steve LeMotte, curator at the Trent Bridge Cricket Club Museum, for a fascinating talk titled; “Trent Bridge – It’s Not Just Cricket!” Discover the surprising and lesser-known stories behind one of the UK’s most iconic sporting venues — from historic events to the people and moments that shaped its legacy beyond the boundary ropes’. Tickets cost £6 and are available at the Museum front desk. For more information, visit the event page here.

Tuesday 14th October: Lakeside Arts will also be hosting an Archaeology NOW Talk titled ‘Malindi: An Old Town with Rich and Diverse History’. ‘Join Doris Kamuye, Curator at the Malindi Museum, for this live-streamed talk from Kenya. Discover Malindi, at the Coast of Kenya, founded around the 7th century, with a rich history influenced by the Indian Ocean. Malindi is home to popular UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the Gedi Historic Town and Archaeological Site, the “Mijikenda Kaya” forests, and the oldest European monuments in East Africa – the Vasco da Gama Pillar and the Portuguese Chapel’. This event is free, but booking is required. Book your place here.

Wednesday 15th October: Head down to the Nottinghamshire Archives for their ‘Collections Care for Photographs’ event. ‘There will be examples of photographic conservation projects carried out at Nottinghamshire Archives. There will also be an introduction to the Inspire Picture Archive, including highlights of the collection and how to upload new images’. Tickets cost £6 and booking is required. Book your place here.

Wednesday 15th October: At Worksop Library, the ‘Heritage Talk: Historic Gardens of Nottinghamshire’ will ‘draw on the wealth of gardening heritage remaining in the county'. Join 'Philip Jones, a former local studies librarian, is now a freelance garden historian, currently researching the Victorian and Edwardian gardens at Newstead Abbey and its head gardeners’. This event costs £3 and booking is required. Book your place here.

Above: Harold Godwinson arriving in his longship depicted on the Bayeux Tapestry. (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Saturday 18th October: Lakeside Arts’ Museum Explorers drop-in event for kids will explore 'the Viking Age by looking at the longboats that they built and travelled across the sea in, on their many voyages. Have a go at making your own model longboat to take home! Suitable for child aged 7+'. This event is free and booking is not required. For more information, visit the event page here.

Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th October: The annual 1940s Steam event returns for its seventeenth year at Papplewick Pumping Station. Activities include: ‘An array of military and civilian re-enactors, Displays and encampments, Period vehicles, Trade stalls, Live entertainment, and Live Action skirmishes’. Ticket prices and it is cheaper to pre-book online than on the door. Book your tickets here.

Starting Saturday 18th October: ‘Explore Sherwood Forest this spooky season with their Halloween family trail’. ‘Pick up your trail sheet from the Visitor Centre and follow the Major Oak trail. Immerse yourself in our Halloween adventure, complete with spooky scarecrows and a code to crack’! Prizes available upon completion. This spooky trail is available until Sunday 2nd November. Sheets cost £4.50 and booking is not required. For more information, visit the event page here.

Tuesday 21st October: At Mansfield Central Library, ‘local historian Denis Hill looks at the dozen or so water mills that once operated along the River Maun’ in the Heritage Talk ‘Water Mills of Mansfield’. Tickets cost £3 and booking is required. Book your place here.

Saturday 25th October: Southwell’s beloved ‘food and drink fair returns for its annual autumn slot at Southwell Minster with dozens of stallholders offering all manner of food and drink including pies, chocolates, jams, chutneys, pickles, sausages and much more’. The festival celebrates one of Nottinghamshire’s heritage treasures: the Bramley Apple! There is a suggested entry donation of £3, and booking is not required. For more information, visit the event page here.

Saturday 25th October: Also celebrating our Bramley Apple history, the Workhouse and Infirmary is hosting a ‘Bramley Apple Day’. There will be many apple-themed activities including the ‘longest Apple peel challenge’, children’s yoga sessions, building tours and the return of the Pauper Choir. This event is free, and booking is not required. For more information, visit the event page here.

Monday 27th October: Join Dr Angharad Jones online to discover the evidence of mammal migrations during the Ice Age in association with Creswell Crags. ‘During the Ice Age, climates changed, ice sheets expanded and contracted, and sea levels rose and fell. Mammals responded to the changes in many ways, including migration. This talk will highlight examples of mammal migration and resulting species range shifts during the Ice Age. As well as species range shifts, this talk will explore the evidence for seasonal migrations of mammals. The talk will finish with a discussion of how mammal migrations are being impacted by human activity today’. This online talk is free but booking is required. Book your place here.

It was the builders, early in the eighteenth century who started the charming practice of placing semi-circular fanlights over their front doors. At first these were of wrought iron, lead, or wood; Robert Adam used wrought iron with delicate enrichments in copper or brass for splendid country houses. But soon he, and his brothers James and John, were all devising fanlights intended for mass production, so that it was not long before cast iron captured this market; some of the designs were very light and dreary.

Wood was used for the glazing bars of fanlights in the early eighteenth century, but by the 1740’s the call for elaborate shapes, difficult to make in timber, gave rise to the use of leaded metal fanlights. During the 1770’s the decorative ideas of Robert Adam had spread to even quite modest houses and the use of leaded fanlights with delicate radiating tracery enabled multitudes to make a show of keeping in fashion. The years 1780 to 1810 were the high point in fanlight making, both for popularity and for elaboration in design. It was in this period that the specialist trade of Fanlight Maker started, including Underwood, Bottomley, and Hamble of High Holborn; in 1793 a partner of this firm, Joseph Bottomley published his influential book of designs.

The trade of Fanlight Maker (and repairer) has been revived in recent times by one man, John Sambrook of Northiam, East Sussex. His fanlights are careful copies of authentic designs made in the traditional way with leadwork soldered to a metal armature and glass fixed in putty. The whole essence of an elegant Regency fanlight with its ‘spider web’ pattern is delicacy, and the most frequent modern mistake in painting them is to carry the white paint over on to the glass far too much, making the fine bars look heavy and clumsy.

The festival, which has been running for over 25 years in the UK, provides individuals with the chance to get involved in heritage through exclusive local events. This festival contributes to the European Heritage Days in which 50 signatory states celebrate diversity, culture, and heritage every September.

Heritage Open Days aims to celebrate heritage and community by organising talks, workshops, and tours of historical sites. All the events in this festival are free. This includes rare visits to selected sites that normally ask for an entry fee. Sites included in this festival are Trent Bridge Cricket Ground, Newstead Abbey, the Adams Building, and the Workhouse and Infirmary. Visit the Heritage Open Days website for the full list.

Running from Friday 12th until Sunday 21th September, there are over 80 exciting events happening in the Nottinghamshire area.

Above: St Mary Magdalene, Newark

Some of our wonderful heritage team will be hosting events; our Senior Practitioner of Historic Buildings, Jason, will be hosting a talk in Newark about the timber-framed buildings of Nottinghamshire on 17th September (book here). Our Historic Environment Officer, Janine, will also be hosting a talk, celebrating the pre-eminence of the horse on Nottinghamshire’s country estates at Worksop Library on 12th September (book here).

Other events across the county include:

• 13th September: Guided tour of the old section of Mansfield Cemetery. 'A Guided tour around the old section of Mansfield Cemetery. Notable monuments will be pointed out and discussed, together with the history of the cemetery and its buildings. A leaflet guide to the Cemetery will be provided'. Booking is not required. Click here for more information.
• 13th September & 20th September: George Martyn's Barn. In Keyworth, visit the 17th century threshing barn which has opened for the Heritage Open Days festival for the past six years. 'This year CAAG is exploring the theme of 'Architecture' with an exhibition in the 374 year old Barn. Visitors can step inside and appreciate the original features and the skills and materials used in producing such a structure all those years ago. Also, learn about the Parish Church (grade 1 listed) and the historic buildings in the village centre related to farming and framework knitting. View works by local artists on the 'Architecture' theme'.
• 14th September: Walk with an Expert: Blue Plaques – Chilwell + Beyond. 'A guided walk around some of [Chilwell's] old and new blue plaques - led by local experts Dr Peter Robinson, and Alan Dance'. Booking is not required. Click here for more information.
• 18th September: Inspire Nottinghamshire Archives - Behind-the-Scenes Tours. 'Come and see behind the scenes and discover the hidden world of archives! An introduction to the Archives with a tour of the search room and storage areas. A chance to view some unique and incredible highlights from the collections, including architectural plans and building records. You will be able to interact in new ways with our collections via your own tablet or smartphone device. View pop-up versions of archival documents, explore 360 degree images of historic streets and listen to audio descriptions of the archives. Enjoy a display and tour of the conservation studio as an introduction to what conservation is, and learn the different types of materials treated, and the techniques used'. Pre-booking is preferred. Book your place here.
• 19th September: The Reawakening of St Mary Magdalene: A Sustainable Regeneration Project. 'Find out more about the major conservation project at St Mary Magdalene Parish Church in Newark. St Mary Magdalene in Newark is a Grade I listed church with a rich history dating back to the 12th century. The church is currently on the Heritage at Risk Register, and 'The Reawakening of St Mary Magdalene' is a project which aims to make vital repairs to the church to secure its future, while also opening up the building to the community for a variety of events and activities'. Booking is required. Book your place here.
• 20th September: The Original Bramley Apple Tree. In Southwell, 'Nottingham Trent University are offering visitors an opportunity to view the original Bramley apple tree and to learn about the history of the Bramley apple and why the tree is so special'. Pre-booking is not required. Click here for more information.
• 21st September: Echoes of the Erewash Canal - Sandiacre Lock Cottages. Head down 'for a free, family-friendly day of fun, stories, and discovery along the Erewash Canal! Explore hands-on activities, canal heritage, and beautiful waterside spaces. There’s something for all ages'. Pre-booking is not required. Click here for more information.

To find out about all the events being offered in Nottinghamshire, including dates and booking information, please visit the Heritage Open Days website.

Please be aware that free entry to some heritage sites is only on specific set days and some events may require booking.

The audit looks at four key areas in particular: Content and Coverage, Data Standards and Security, Access and Engagement, and Infrastructure (Service Delivery). It looks at the quality of our records, how often we engage in public outreach, how maintain and protect our written and online records, as well as many other aspects.

We are delighted with the results of our recent audit. Across all four areas, we consistently received top marks, with very minimal suggestions for improvement. It signifies that the Nottinghamshire HER is currently amongst the highest rated in the country! This is a great achievement for us and one we are all very proud of.

The HER is a valuable tool for local planning and development, but also for the Nottinghamshire community. It helps to provide protection for heritage sites/features and helps to connect the local community to their local environment and landscapes. So we are over the moon that our hard work and dedication to improving the Nottinghamshire HER and engaging with the local community is being recognised.

We look forward to working on further enhancing the record and improving access to our resources to ensure we maintain a dynamic high-quality service.

If you would like to explore the results of all audited English HERs, you can interact with the map published on the Historic Environment website here (scroll down the page a little if you’re struggling to find it). Alternatively, you can read our audit summary for yourself here.

Above: A summary of our audit results

Throughout August: Join National Trust volunteers in the Master's Office of the Workhouse and Infirmary ‘to learn all about the conservation threats they face, the specialised tools and techniques they use to manage them, and how they record their work to ensure high standards’. Sessions include ‘Completing Record of Monitoring & Plan of Care paperwork’, ‘Conservation window cleaning’, ‘Object marking project’, and ‘Conservation cleaning: vaccuming’. These are free drop-in sessions and booking is not required. For more information, visit the event page here.

Saturday 2nd and Sunday 3rd August: The Robin Hood Festival is back again this year at Sherwood Forest to celebrate our beloved legendary figure. Come to 'enjoy spectacular jousting displays, hand-to-hand combat demonstrations, historical re-enactment and much, much more'. Although this wonderful festival spans multiple weekends, this is the only weekend that you will be able to watch the jousting. Booking is not required, but a parking fee of £15 is in place. For more information, visit the event page here.

Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th August: ‘Step back in time and experience the Ice Age’ at Creswell Crags. ‘Can you hunt for bison, light a fire or feed your tribe? Find out as you bring the Ice Age to life’ in their ‘Step into the Ice Age: Hands on Prehistory’ event. There are lots of fun activity to have a go at, including archaeological dig boxes, shelter building, cave art drawings, mammoth poo flinging and rhino horn Hoopla! There are Early Bird booking discounts if you book before 1st August (£7 per adult, £6 per child). Book your place here.

Monday 11th to Friday 15th August: Also at Creswell Crags, ‘learn how creatures that lived millions of years ago became fossils, and make your own salt dough “rocks” with real fossil imprints. Perfect for those fascinated by life on Earth long before the last Ice Age!’ Tickets cost £5, adults/carers accompany for free, and booking is required. For more information and to book your place, click here.

Saturday 16th August: Head to Sherwood Forest to ‘join William De Tankerville, The Sheriff of Nottingham’s Master at Arms, as he takes you on a tour of the majestic Greenwood, sharing stories of medieval life and the villainous Robin Hood’. ‘This walk will take you on a journey through the forest, hearing the tales of its most legendary inhabitant and medieval life’. Tickets cost £9 per non-member adult and £5 per non-member adult (member discounts apply) and booking is required. Book your place here. And if you can't make the 16th, there same event will be ran on the 30th August.

Above: Hyena skull found at Creswell Crags. By Enchufla Con Clave (Own work), CC BY-SA 4.0

Monday 18th to 22nd Friday August: Another event at Creswell Crags this August will allow you to explore ‘Stylish Stone Age Fashion’! ‘Join a Stone Age guide to learn all about the clothes, jewellery and decorations that people may have worn at Creswell Crags during the last Ice Age. Have a go at making your own Stone Age leather wristband, and even have your face painted, Stone Age style!’ Tickets cost £5 per child, accompanying adults/carers go free, booking is required. Book your place here.

Saturday 23rd to Monday 25th August: The Grand Finale of the Robin Hood Festival at Sherwood Forest commences. Combat displays, falconry, medieval stories and activities like archery await you. Booking is not required but a parking fee of £15 is in place. For more information, visit the event page here.

Monday 25th August: ‘Join archaeologist, historian and broadcaster, Dr Simon Elliott online, as he recounts his archaeological adventures around the world.’ ‘Dr Simon Elliott FSA is an award winning and best-selling archaeologist, historian and broadcaster. He has written 21 books on classical world and archaeological themes, frequently appears on broadcast and social media as a presenter and expert, and is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries…He is currently engaged in three major archaeological research programmes. One of these is focused on the local region’. This online talk, in association with Creswell Crags, is free (donations welcome) but booking is required. Book your free place here.

Monday 25th to Thursday 28th August: A final August archaeology workshop at Creswell Crags, ‘Archaeology Adventure’, gives you the chance to ‘become an archaeologist and excavate a mystery time period. Use your detective skills to work out when the artefacts in your trench are from, and design your own mini museum to show them in!’ Tickets cost £5 per person, accompanying adults/carers go free and booking is required. Book your place here.

Saturday 30th August: ‘Found a mysterious object?’ Head to Mansfield Museum to meet the Finds Liaison Officer for Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, and ‘get professional insight into your discovery and help piece together the puzzle of our local past’. ‘Whether you're a metal detectorist, dog walker, gardener, or history enthusiast, if you've stumbled upon an intriguing find—bring it along to Mansfield Museum for expert identification’. This event is free but booking is required. For more information and to book your place, visit the event website here.

Bond brickwork was popular in Georgian architecture, but the use of these brick patterns is not restricted to this era. It often involves alternating the laying of header and stretcher bricks to form a pattern on the building’s façade. In more simple terms, some bricks are laid out lengthwise, so the long side of the brick is visible (stretchers), and others are laid out with their shorter ends exposed (headers) to produce a visible pattern in the building’s brickwork.

Sometimes treated bricks, ones that have been glazed or burnt to change the appearance/colour, are used to emphasise the pattern.

Above: Faces of a brick. By Mtpanchal - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0.

There are many different styles of bond brickwork but  you may notice that some styles are more common than others in the area. Sadly some buildings sporting these beautiful brickwork patterns will have been demolished or altered over time. 

Here are some of the bonds you might be able to spot on some Nottinghamshire buildings:

1. Flemish Bonds: This style uses alternating header and stretcher bricks within the same courses (rows). Despite the name, this style is not Flemish in origin and examples can be found in England from around the 17th century. This bond is difficult pattern to lay and often requires a high skill to lay it well as all the joints must be aligned perfectly.

Examples of Flemish bonds: Cotton Mill Cottage in Farnsfield, Farm Buildings at Lilac Farmhouse in Laxton, and Moors Farm in Askham.

Above: Flemish bond wall (headers are dark brown). By Jonathan Riley - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0

2. English Bonds: This style has alternating courses of headers and stretchers. This is one of the strongest types of bond, but to achieve this pattern, more bricks are required than for some other bond patterns.

Examples of English bonds: Bridge over the Nottingham Canal in Awsworth, Bunny School House in Bunny, and the Manor House in Walkeringham.

Above: English bond wall. By Jonathan Riley - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0.

3. English Garden Wall Bond: This style is similar to the English bond pattern, but instead of one course of headers and one course of stretchers, the English Garden Wall bond style features multiple courses of stretcher bricks (commonly three courses) and one course of header bricks in a sequence.

Examples of English Garden Wall bond: Farm Buildings at Home Farm in Beckingham, 5-7 Main Street in Linby, and Threshing Barn at Yew Tree Farm in North Leverton.

Above: A raking English Garden Wall bond wall. By Jonathan Riley - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0.

4. Header Bond: One of the simpler types of brickwork, this style consists entirely of headers across all courses. Due to its simple structure, it’s an easy pattern to lay that doesn’t always require a skilled brick layer.

Example of Header bond: Farndon Mill in Farndon.

Above: Header wall. By Jonathan Riley - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0.

5. Stretcher bond: Similarly, stretcher bonds are courses made up of entirely stretcher side bricks. This style is generally considered relatively weak and often requires structural support to retain the integrity of the wall.

Example of Stretcher bond: Rose Cottage in Farnsfield and Beech Cottage in Barnby in the Willow. 

Above: Stretcher wall. By Jonathan Riley - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0.

Throughout July: The D.H. Lawrence Museum is hosting their new exhibition ‘Broxtowe: A Journey Through History and Custom’. This exhibition ‘explores the rich and evolving story of this vibrant borough from 1945 to the present day’ through a ‘curated collection of photographs’. ‘From the rebuilding efforts following World War II to the rise of modern urban development, [they aim to] trace the borough’s journey, not only through the physical changes in the landscape but also the stories of its people – how their customs, lifestyles, and sense of community have adapted and thrived’. Booking is not required. For more information, visit the event page here.

Thursday 3rd July: At the Lakeside Arts, join Dr Sophia Adams, Curator at the British Museum, as they examine the significance of ponies in Iron Age Britain. The talk ‘Vibrant Vestiges of Vehicles’ will explore the role of vehicles and the skills of Iron Age craftsworkers through archaeological evidence. Tickets cost up to £3 per person and booking is required. Book your place here.

Friday 11th July: Celebrate Mining Heritage Day at Eastwood Library to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the closure of Moorgreen Colliery. You will be able to view mining photographs and memorabilia from wonderful local historians and heritage groups such as Inspire’s heritage team, the D.H. Lawrence Museum, The Hidden Valley Poets and much more. Booking is not required. For more information, view the event page here.

Tuesday 15th July: Nottinghamshire Archives will be hosting the talk ‘WW2: Hone Front in Nottinghamshire’. ‘In the workplace, women took the jobs of absent men, and the county played host to evacuees from more vulnerable centres. Communities showed an increase in neighbourliness and comradeship. Almost everyone was encouraged to become involved in the war effort, no matter how small their input. Attendees to this talk will have the chance to view and handle local records, to show how family life was transformed through rationing, air raids and the daily blackout. While crucial battles were being fought in Egypt or Normandy, ordinary people were concerned with changes to everyday life, such as worn-out clothes, digging for victory and preparing for possible invasion’. Tickets cost £6 and booking is required. Book your place here.

Wednesday 16th July: At Beeston Library, join local historian Sam Millard as they explore the story of ‘a violent clash between poachers and gamekeepers on the Rufford Abbey estate’. This talk will explore what happened and whether those involved were rogues, vagabonds or heroes. Tickets cost £3 per person and booking is required. Book your place here.

Saturday 19th July – Thursday 7th August: ‘This year, Nottinghamshire celebrates the 80th Anniversary of the ending of the Second World War with Victory Nottinghamshire, an exhibition showcasing the war effort made by those on the home front and frontlines. From the darkest days of the Nottingham Blitz to playing its part in training the aviators of Bomber Command, Victory Nottinghamshire tells the story of the people and county of Nottinghamshire and how they helped the Allies achieve victory. Included is the story of the unique Home Guards Patrol Boats to the bravery of the Boots George Cross medal winners, as well as American Paratroopers and Bevin Boys; this exhibition will give visitors an insight into how all came together and played a vital role in the allied victory’. This exhibition at Worksop Library is free and booking is not required. For more information, visit the event page here.

Saturday 19th July - Tuesday 2nd September: ‘Step into the past with Rufford’s Time Travel Trail’ at Rufford Abbey! ‘Travel through the centuries as you explore the park, meeting characters from different eras along the way. You might bump into a Victorian lady out for a stroll, a daring pirate guarding hidden treasure, a noble knight, or even a figure from ancient times’. Trail sheets cost £3 per person and can be picked up from the Courtyard Gift Shop. For more information, visit the event page here.

Sunday 20th July: Join Alison Milbank, Professor Emeritus of Theology and Literature at the University of Nottingham, at Southwell Minster for the talk ‘Maid Marian: From Religious Icon to Maid Marian and her Merry Men’. Booking is not required. For more information, visit the event page here.

Above: Roman dodecahedron in bronze. By Gallo Romeins Museum, Public Domain.

Opening Friday 25th July: Open until January 2026, the University of Nottingham Museum is hosting the exhibition ‘The Norton Disney Dodecahedron’, ‘looking at the last two years of excavations at Norton Disney and the current understanding of dodecahedra’. Learn about the two year excavation of the Roman villa and the rare Gallo Roman dodecahedron. This event is free, and booking is not required. For more information, visit the event page here.

Saturday 26th July: Head to the Lakeside Arts to join them for their Roman themed Festival Archaeology to celebrate the opening of their new ‘Norton Disney Dodecahedron’ exhibition (see event above). ‘The Norton Disney History and Archaeology Group will join us to discuss their excavations and bring some finds from the site. The Finds Liaison Officer for Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire will also join us on the day showing a variety of Roman finds from the region. There will also be the opportunity to see the Museums Roman Samian pottery collection and find out more about it. Young visitors can also take part in Roman themed craft activities to take away’. This event is free, and booking is not required. For more information, visit the event page here.

Sunday 27th July: Join presenter, author and archaeologist John-Henry Phillips at the National Holocaust Museum to explore the ‘Archaeology of Romany Gypsies’. ‘This talk covers the history of Romany Gypsies in the UK, the forgotten Romany heritage we can still see all around us, and the fascinating discoveries made as part of a truly unique excavation of an untold corner of history’. Tickets cost up to £10 per person (concessions apply) and booking is required. Book your place here.

Tuesday 29th July: Head to Southwell Minster for a Robin Hood Family Fun Day! ‘Meet the legendary Robin Hood, take part in exciting games, crafts, and activities. There’s a fantastic mix of free and paid activities plus refreshments’. This event is free, but donations are welcome. Booking is not required. For more information, visit the event page here.

Tuesday 29th July – Friday 29th August: ‘This summer, join Robin Hood and Lady Marian for an archery adventure in the heart of Sherwood Forest. This exciting family activity is an opportunity to learn all about Medieval archery and receive private tuition from this legendary couple’. Private 1-hour sessions cost £50 per family (2 adults, 2 children – additional children may be added). Booking is required. Book your place here.

The summer months are an appropriate time to catalogue the air photograph collection held in the HER. Cropmarks appearing in the fields of the county at this time of year can add greatly to our knowledge of Nottinghamshire’s past. Often these cropmarks reveal sites and features that cannot be discovered through other types of investigation. Cropmarks show as variations in colour which highlight areas where the crop has grown or ripened at different rates. So how have peoples’ activities created these cropmarks?

There are two types of cropmark that can form (see illustration above). In the first case, a buried feature, such as the remains of a wall or foundations of a building, can affect the make up of the soil in that area and cause it to be better drained. This means that the crops in this area are receiving less water than those in the rest of the field. Therefore, they grow slower and ripen quicker. These buried features show as yellow lines of ripe crop in an otherwise unripe green field.

Secondly, features cut into the ground, such as ditches and pits, usually retain more moisture than the rest of the surrounding crop due to the nature of the material that has filled the features over time. The material washed into the holes tend to contain more organic material than the surrounding soil and so holds more moisture. This means that the crops will grow quicker in the spring and show as darker green lines in a green field. Then, as the crop ripens in the summer, the plants over the ditches have more water and are later to ripen, showing as green lines in ripe cereals.

Cropmarks can give us a wealth of information about archaeology of many different periods. Aerial photographs of cropmarks in the Muskham area, for example, show vast areas of land marked out with complex field system and possible settlement sites that may date from the Iron Age and Roman periods. We would know a great deal less about the county’s past if it were not for this perspective from the air.