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Today is the International Day for Monument and Sites. To celebrate, we would love to highlight some of the Scheduled Monuments we have across Nottinghamshire.

Scheduled Monuments are protected sites of national significance. Protected under various legislation, these monuments are usually buildings or archaeological sites.

‘Although archaeology and important historic sites are all around us, monuments are added to the Schedule if the Secretary of State considers that they are of national importance and that the protection which comes with scheduling would assist the monument's conservation’ (Historic England).

The list of Scheduled Monuments, known as the National Heritage List for England (or NHLE) is maintained by Historic England and you can find it here.

Above: Mattersey Priory

Ashfield: Fishponds 170m south of Damstead Farm. Fishponds, used from the medieval period to breed and cultivate fish, were maintained by a water management system. They were predominantly built by the wealthier echelons of medieval society, with royal estates and monastic sites often hosting large ponds. While the use of fishponds seems to have decreased after the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the first half of the 16th century, the use of these fishponds continued into the 17th century in some areas of the country. This particular monument in Annesley, may be from the 18th century but it could also be earlier in date. It was scheduled as this site provides a well-preserved example of medieval fishponds as well as being unusual in size and how the water management system worked.

Bassetlaw: Bowl barrow, 240m SSE of Woodend Farm. The round barrow at Norton, Cuckney, is of a Bronze Age date. These prehistoric monuments are usually created as earthen or rubble mounds, occasionally with a ditch inclusion, to cover one of more burials. There are roughly 10,000 bowl barrows recorded across England with regional variations in form, however many more likely having been destroyed over time. Despite the area of the barrow at Cuckney being subjected to ploughing, it still remains relatively well-preserved and retains valuable archaeological insights into Bronze Age life.

Bassetlaw: Mattersey Priory Gilbertine Monastery. Founded in the late 12th century, the ruins of this monastery are still present on the site thanks to restoration work in the 20th century. In fact, the monastery is open to the public thanks for English Heritage so if you are looking for an outdoor activity this Easter weekend, we’d definitely recommend a visit (English Heritage)! The monastery was intended for Gilbertine monks, an order which was mainly based in Lincolnshire, but some were spread further afield. As only 29 Gilbertine houses were founded, this rare type of monastery is deemed worthy of being a Scheduled Monument.

Broxtowe: Anglian high cross in the churchyard of St Helen’s Church. This pre-Norman cross in Stapleford is a significant monument for Nottinghamshire. Dated to around 1050 AD, it is a highly decorated stone piece with many references to St Luke, with parts which may have been re-carved within the Anglo-Scandinavian period. These crosses provide valuable insights into early medieval art styles and how they evolved during the period, as well as reflecting on the impact of Scandinavian settlers had on the local culture. Sadly, there are less than 50 of these amazing crosses left in England which makes protecting this one even more important.

Gedling: Bestwood Colliery engine house. This Victorian, 3 storey, winding engine house was built for the Bestwood Iron and Coal company in 1874. This monument helps to provide insight into the technical working of these 19th century winding engines which were important components for many mines at this time. The engine within the engine house is a vertical twin cylinder, non-condensing steam winding engine – an engine that is particularly rare, especially one in situ.

Mansfield: King’s Mill Viaduct. The viaduct, made of sandstone, is part of the original horse-drawn railway from Mansfield Pinsetown. Built in the first half of the 19th century, sadly the viaduct isn’t as used or cared after as it once was so protecting this piece of history is very important.

Newark and Sherwood: Crococalana Roman town. One of the most impressive and valuable sites in Nottinghamshire for the Roman period, Crococalana boasts a fantastic array of finds and building foundations. The town is assumed to have spanned 40 acres but now, no buildings or earthworks are visible in the landscape to show it exists.

Newark and Sherwood: Queen’s Sconce. During the English Civil War (1642-52), earthworks were built up to provide temporary protection for soldiers during military campaigns, or to act as gun emplacements. The series of substantial earthworks known as the Queen’s Sconce are still well-preserved and represents ‘England’s finest remaining example of Civil War military engineering’ (Historic England). It is also believed that this monument contains unusual defensive features like pitfalls which may have been extremely rare according to contemporary sources.

Rushcliffe: St Wilfrid’s Church and churchyard. It is not known when this church in Kinoulton was built but it is recorded that this church was demolished in 1793. A source from the 12th century notes the church of St Wilfrid in Kinoulton so it was certainly existing by the 1100s. The church ruins now lie as earthworks, and buried and standing remains – the area of the church top capped with a series of gravestones. Like most Scheduled Monuments, the remaining ruins of the church are still well-preserved under the ground and can still provide valuable insight into ecclesiastical architecture, nature and use of the church. As well as that, the site allows us to gain a better understanding of economic and religious aspects of local life during the early medieval and medieval periods.

NHLE records for the monuments above:

Fishponds 170m south of Damstead Farm, Annesley - 1018119 | Historic England

Bowl barrow, 240m SSE of Woodend Farm, Norton, Cuckney, Holbeck and Welbeck - 1006388 | Historic England

Mattersey Priory Gilbertine monastery: monastic precinct., Mattersey - 1012495 | Historic England

Anglian high cross in the churchyard of St Helen's Church, Stapleford - 1012870 | Historic England

Bestwood Colliery engine house, Bestwood Village - 1017653 | Historic England

King's Mill viaduct, Non Civil Parish - 1006374 | Historic England

Crococalana Roman town, Collingham - 1003479 | Historic England

Queen's Sconce, Newark - 1016150 | Historic England

St Wilfrid's Church and churchyard, Kinoulton - 1019493 | Historic England

This interesting piece comes form our Summer 1999 Heritage newsletter:

The year 1649 saw the trial and execution of Charles I, a monarch who had strong connections with Nottinghamshire during the English Civil War, especially Newark and Southwell. Centuries later, the start of the 21st century saw the climax of the anniversary celebration of events across the whole of the country, for groups involved in Civil War re-enactment – people who in their thousands recreate the life and battles of the 17th century. Events began in 1992, with the raising of the King’s Standard at Nottingham Castle, and the people of Nottingham continued to participate in events just as they did in the actual conflict, following in their ancestors’ footsteps!

Many people may have heard of Lucy Hutchinson, who wrote a famous set of memoirs describing the life of her husband John. John Hutchinson was the governor of Nottingham Castle, which was held by the Parliamentarians during the war. But as his portrait shows, he looked a long way from the stereotypical Roundhead! John Hutchinson, who lived in Owthorpe before the war, took control of the city at the start of the war and became Governor in the summer of 1643. He was also given charge of a regiment of foot soldiers. 3 companies of ‘Nottingham’ infantry took part in the Second siege of Newark, and these were probably soldiers from Hutchinson’s own regiment, based at Nottingham Castle.

Hutchinson was also present in 1646, when Newark – the last major Royalist garrison in the region – surrendered to the Scots in May. The Royalist governor at the time was Sir John Belasyse. His own personal regiment, again of foot, also took part in the summer of 1642, again from Nottinghamshire men, and also by soldiers from Yorkshire. It was part of the ‘Oxford Army’, the main Royalist field army, and fought in many of the major engagements of the First civil war, up to Naseby, in Northamptonshire, in 1645.

In various major re-enactment societies today, both these regiments still exist, Hutchinson’s being in the historically correct ‘Northern Association’ – echoing a group of counties that were brigaded together in Parliamentarian organisation over 375 years ago. Belasyse’s also exist, wearing all-blue uniforms that we know were worn by the ‘Oxford Army’, and carrying the colours that research has shown as being most likely those carried by their forbearers.

Maybe today, within these recreated regiments, there exists people who are the descendants of the soldiers of Nottinghamshire, who fought for different reasons beneath different flags, over 375 years ago!

This great article comes from our Spring 2000 Heritage newsletter:

Many of you will remember the days when going to the cinema meant a trip to the local ‘fleapit’. These were often large, impressive looking buildings that could accommodate a large section of the local community in one go. Some have been converted into bingo halls or warehouses and a few still retain their original interior decoration. The most fabulous and complete examples have been protected as listed buildings for some time now.

The cinema industry began in the 1890’s when the first shows were put on in small music halls and travelling fairs. The early films were made from highly combustible material and fires were a regular hazard. It wasn’t until the 1909 Cinematograph Act that the first ‘safe’ purpose-built buildings were constructed. By 1914, there were already some 3,500 cinemas across Britain. The ‘showman’s booth’ design was most common, with elaborate frontages behind which there would be a hall with a barrel-vaulted ceiling, panelled walls and, in more elaborate cases, a rear balcony. Names like ‘Electric’, ‘Picture Palace’, and ‘Imperial’ were typical, while the name ‘Coronation’ indicated a 1911 opening date. The Picture Palace, Long Row in Nottingham is a good example, dating to 1912, with its ornate front, decorated with marble and tile.

Following the First World War, a second generation of new larger venues were built. The Elite on Upper Parliament Street in Nottingham had an auditorium which could seat 1,500 people when it opened in 1921. Meanwhile in America, cinemas were even larger, incorporating the ‘splayed’ auditorium layout, and in 1927 the era of the ‘talkies’ was ushered in by the film ‘The Jazz Singer’. This was a time of rapid technological development and big business deals that produced the international chains like the ‘Empires’, and the British ‘Gaumonts’ and ‘Odeons’. Other Nottinghamshire cinemas from the 1920’s include the Majestic in Retford.

By the middle of the 1930’s and following the Second World War, the ‘Modern’ style came to be the one favoured by British cinema architects. Although essentially ‘international’ in style, regional variations are still visible, the Capitol in Radford is said to have Germanic influences, while the Regent in Kirkby has a softer ‘arts and crafts’ feel to it.

English Heritage have previously looked at cinemas that might be worthy of listing. They focused on pre-WWII cinemas or ones built before 1960 that have remained unaltered. Only the best examples of the nation’s cinemas were listed; for the rest, acknowledgement of their local important was more appropriate.

We already know about many of the old cinemas of the county. Here are some examples:

The Byron, Hucknall

The Regent, Kirkby

The Majestic, Retford

The Capitol, Elite and Picture Palace, Nottingham

Stanford Hall Cinema

The Strand, Market Warsop

This lovely article comes from our Winter 1999 Heritage Newsletter:

Quoting from Celia Fiennes, the trouble with Mansfield is that ‘there is nothing remarkable here’, an opinion echoed by a later commentator, Roy Christian who remarked that it is a ‘pity that this quite pleasant town that has had a market since 1277…should have so few distinguished buildings, though its locally quarried white and red sandstone has added distinction to such buildings elsewhere as the Houses of Parliament and St. Pancras Station’. There is, however, evidence to counter such views not only in the buildings that unfortunately have gone but also in those that are still standing. We shall look at one building in Mansfield and see what made it remarkable.

The Mansfield Public Baths were erected in 1853 near the corner site of Bath Street and Littleworth. Even though they have been demolished, it is fitting that they have been replaced by the Water Meadows Swimming Centre, thereby continuing the watery theme! They were built by the architect C.J. Neale and builder C. Lindley, when the population of England was steadily increasing, with a major growth in the population of England and Wales from around 8 million at the beginning of the century to over 32 million towards the end. The building was constructed from a local material, the grey Mansfield stone which was used in the building of the Houses of Parliament, as Roy Christian pointed out.

Barbara Gallon has given us a fascinating insight into how the original baths served the public before replacement by the modern version. Their purpose was arguably more important in that they provided facilities which the majority of the patrons would not have possessed. Baths and showers could be had at varying costs depending on the class of ‘cleaning’ required, as well as whether towels were hired out or not (with the charge of 3d for the pleasure) and the time of day one went for one’s toilet. For example, first class warm bath and use of warm towels cost 6d, whereas second class use cost 4d, whilst cheapest of all was a third class bath with only one towel provided for 2d. for using the swimming pool, 1d or 2d was charged depending on the time of day. The entrance hall was reputedly quite spacious, with the ladies’ area running off to the right and divided into first and second class bathing area. The gentlemen’s section was to the left of the entrance hall, again offering different classes of bathing.

The photograph shows how the building looked in August 1969, markedly changed – four decorative chimney stacks had been removed and modern windows replaced the stone mullioned originals. Ornate iron railings used to flank the building, only the wall gate piers remain as evidence of their former glory.

This year has been an exciting and successful year for the HER and the Historic Environment team at Nottinghamshire County Council. 

Throughout 2024 we have added over 350 new sources to the HER. This has resulted in around 380 archaeological events and over 500 new archaeological features being recorded. Some of the new records added this year were the mid-19th century Whiteley Silk Mill in Stapleford, an Anglo-Saxon burial in Bingham, a Late Iron Age – Early Romano British settlement at Radcliffe-on-Trent, and prehistoric to Post-Medieval mixed finds from King John’s Palace in Clipstone.

On top of this, over 720 previously recorded features have been modified to be more accurate and more detailed. Edited records included: former Coffee Tavern and Institute in Hucknall, Forest Town in Mansfield Woodhouse, a series of Late Iron-Age to Roman enclosures at Aslockton, and Newark Castle.

Within the wider heritage team, we sadly saw the retirement of our Senior Archaeological Practitioner Ursilla in the first half of 2024. With that, our new Senior Practitioner Matt started with us in July. Matt joined us from Lincolnshire County Council and brings a wonderful wealth of experience to the heritage team. We are very lucky to have Matt as part of our team!

This year also saw the end of a large-scale project called Miner2Major, with which we had a strong involvement. ‘Miner2Major was a five-year Landscape Partnership Scheme supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund. It focussed on the heart of the Sherwood Forest area from Bestwood to Ollerton, and Mansfield to Rufford Abbey, an area that has a distinctive landscape character which is recognised and valued by local people as well as visitors from around the world’ (Miner2Major website, 2024).

Across the years of the Miner2Major scheme, our team helped to oversee archaeological projects at Sherwood Pines, Strawberry Hill, and Moor Pond Woods, and also ‘commissioned a 0.16m resolution LiDAR map’ of the Sherwood landscape (available through the 'Map' section of our website). To find out more, you can visit ‘The Veiled Landscape Project’ website pages on the Miner2Major website, as well as our own website.

(Above: Excavations at Sherwood Pines)

Under the bracket of the M2M project, our Historic Environment Officer Janine published two equestrian themed books: ‘Country House Stables of Nottinghamshire’ and ‘Colliery Stables & the Nottinghamshire Pit Pony’. Based on these books, Janine has hosted many public outreach events this year at Rufford Abbey and several Nottinghamshire libraries. These books are available free of charge in larger Nottinghamshire libraries, and The Book Case bookshop in Lowdham and Five Leaves bookshop in Nottingham (while stocks last). They are also available to download as e-books. You can read 'Country House Stables of Notitnghamshire' here and the 'Colliery Stables & the Nottinghamshire Pit Pony' here.

The results of Miner2Major projects provided us with over 50 archaeological features and events to add to our records and the results of historic buildings research and surveying also provided information to either add or improve over 50 historic building records. In 2024, we set about adding the information gleaned from Miner2Major project into the HER.

Our team is hoping to host many more public events and continue to maintain the HER to a high standard. Keep an eye out on our website in 2025 for event news, interesting blog posts, and new historical records!