Eastwood, Nottinghamshire

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Eastwood
Nottingham Road, the town's main street.
Eastwood shown within Nottinghamshire
Population	18,612[1]
OS grid reference	SK465469
- London	116 mi (187 km) SSE
Parish	Broxtowe
District	Broxtowe
Shire county	Nottinghamshire
Region	East Midlands
Constituent country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	NOTTINGHAM
Postcode district	NG16
Dialling code	01773
Police	Nottinghamshire
Fire	Nottinghamshire
Ambulance	East Midlands
European Parliament	East Midlands
UK Parliament	Ashfield
List of places: UK • England • Nottinghamshire

Coordinates: 53°01′03″N 1°18′22″W / 53.0175, -1.306

Eastwood is a former coal mining town in the Broxtowe district of Nottinghamshire, England. With a population of over 18,000, it is 8 miles (13 km) northwest of Nottingham, and 10 miles (16 km) northeast of Derby.^[1] It is on the border between Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire.

Mentioned in Domesday Book, it expanded rapidly during the Industrial Revolution. The Midland Railway was formed here, and it is the birthplace of D. H. Lawrence.

[edit] History

It seems that "Eastwood" is a hybrid place-name, formed from Old English "Est", for "East", and Old Norse "Þveit" (pronounced /θveɪt/), for "meadow", "cleared meadow", or "clearing in a wood": this is a common element in English place-names, often found as "Thwaite".^[2] Therefore "Eastwood" might mean "eastern clearing", the place possibly beginning as a Viking Age clearing in Sherwood Forest.^[3]

Eastwood is one of the few places where the distinctive dialect of East Midlands English is extensively spoken, in which the name is pronounced /ˈeɪswʊd/.

There is some evidence to suggest that the land around Eastwood was occupied in the Middle and Late Palaeolithic periods. Stronger indications of later settlement include fragments of characteristic Bronze Age pottery, weapons, and dug-out canoes, now preserved at Nottingham Castle, and at the University of Nottingham.^[4] The location of the settlement is due primarily to the availability of rich agricultural land, the proximity of the River Erewash and – most importantly - the extensive and easily mined coal deposits.^[4] It is mentioned in Domesday Book as "Estewic", part of the fee of William Peverel:^[5]

In Estewic [Ulfketel] had 4 bovates of land [assessed] to the geld. [There is] land [...] It is waste. William [Peverel] has the custody of it. [There is] woodland pasture 3 furlongs long and 3 broad. In King Edward's time it was worth 5 shillings.

– Domesday Book

During the reign of Henry I (1100 -1135), William Peverel was confirmed in possession of his estates, but his son, William Peverel the Younger, forfeited these to the Crown in 1155.^[4] The estates were eventually divided, much of the land around Eastwood being given to the Greys of Codnor Castle. Tenant farming prevailed throughout the Middle Ages, whilst common pasture was mainly used for grazing.

From John Chapan's map of Nottinghamshire, published in 1774.

When King James VI of Scotland became King James I of England in 1603, Eastwood had a population of about 170, and it remained a small village until the 18th century when, in 1779, the Trent Navigation Company opened the Erewash Canal.^[6][7] This was one of the first man made waterways in England, with locks at Beeston linking Eastwood to the River Trent and Nottingham, and its arrival led to a rapid expansion of the local coal mining industry. Other industries soon followed, including framework knitting, corn milling, pottery, brewing, rope making and brick making.

The town expanded rapidly during the Industrial Revolution, and in the 19th century it experienced the greatest increase in population density of any parish in Nottinghamshire.^[8] By 1880 the population had increased to 4,500.^[9] Factories were built to accommodate the new industries, land becoming available for them as the rural population moved to urban areas. This industrialisation of the countryside was only restricted from the early 19th century, when, somewhat belatedly, the effect of the Enclosures began to be felt in Nottinghamshire.^[4] In a local manifestation of this period of upheaval, marchers of the Pentrich Revolution of 1817 passed through the town, and were met by soldiers at nearby Giltbrook: the residents of Eastwood boarded up their houses and hid in the woods.

The Sun Inn public house

In 1832, a historic meeting took place at the Sun Inn (built 1750), which resulted in the creation of the Midland Counties Railway, and the construction of a line from Pinxton to Leicester. Industrialisation continued with the opening in 1868 of Moorgreen Colliery, and in 1875 the demand for coal resulted in a railway station in Eastwood, with services to Nottingham on the Great Northern Railway.^[10]

D.H. Lawrence was born in 1885, and the local area is mentioned in many of his novels, especially The White Peacock, against a backdrop of industrialisation. There were ten coal mines, or "pits", within easy walking distance of his home, and an overwhelming majority of the local male population were colliers.^[11] As Lawrence was growing up, the coal boom was ending. Eastwood continued to expand, Nottingham Road and its feeder streets became established as a shopping area, and in 1908 the local Urban District Council opened its offices. However, few jobs remained outside the coal industry. Most women were housewives, and boys were desperate to reach the age of fourteen, when they could start working in the mines. In the early 20th century, trams provided a new means of transport between Nottingham, Ripley and Heanor. Lawrence lived next to the line, and described it as the most dangerous tram service in England. During the two world wars, Eastwood coal, metal castings, rope, wire and agricultural products made valuable contributions. In the Second World War, Eastwood supplied soldiers to the Sherwood Foresters Regiment. A memorial on Nottingham Road commemorates Eastwood residents who gave their lives in both world wars.^[9]

In 1946 the coal industry was nationalised, and the new National Coal Board acquired Eastwood Hall as their Area Office. This later became their National Office, and was the location for several crisis meetings during the national Miners' Strike of the 1980s. At its height of production in 1963, Moorgreen Colliery alone produced one million tons of coal, but the last coal mine in the area closed in 1985.^[10]

In recent years, tourism has become increasingly important. Lawrence's birthplace is now a museum, and a painted line on the pavement, called the ‘Blue Line Trail’, guides visitors around eleven sites of local interest including three of Lawrence's homes. The trail was the first of its kind in England, the concept being based on the Freedom Trail in Boston, USA.^[12]

[edit] Governance

Coat of arms of the former Eastwood urban District Council. The black diamonds represent coal mining, the annulet is from the heraldry of the Plumtree family and the red roundels are from the arms of the Grey family of Codnor.

The Urban District Council for Eastwood became part of Broxtowe District Council in 1974. In 1977 the Council was granted "borough" status, becoming the Borough of Broxtowe. The current mayor is Brian Wombwell.

Eastwood now consists of 3 wards within the borough:

• Eastwood South
• Eastwood North and Greasley (Beauvale)
• Greasley (Giltbrook and Newthorpe)

All of these lie within the Borough of Broxtowe for local government. For national elections, however, the first two wards are in the Ashfield constituency – not the Broxtowe constituency.

[edit] Local government

Two-tier local authority services in Broxtowe are provided by the Borough Council and Nottinghamshire County Council.

Broxtowe Borough Council currently has 44 councillors, representing 21 wards, each returning one, two, or three councillors, according to population size. During the most recent local elections, held in 2007, councillors were elected as follows:

• Eastwood South ward: 3 Labour councillors - Milan Radulovic, Doug Wilcockson, and Jim Kenny.

• Eastwood North and Greasley (Beauvale) ward: 2 Liberal Democrat councillors - Bob Charlesworth and Charles Edward Robb.

• Greasley (Giltbrook and Newthorpe) ward: 3 Conservative councillors - Mick Brown, Martin Wright, and Margaret Handley.

[edit] Parliamentary constituencies

The wards of Eastwood South, and Eastwood and Greasley (Beauvale), are in the Ashfield constituency. The current MP is Geoff Hoon, elected in 1992, 1997, 2001, and 2005. He is currently Chief Whip and Secretary to the Treasury.

The ward of Greasley (Giltbrook and Newthorpe) is in the Broxtowe constituency. The current MP is Nick Palmer, elected in 1997, 2001, and 2005.

[edit] Parish councils

Parish councils include Eastwood Town Council (North), Eastwood Town Council (South), Greasley (Beauvale), Greasley (Newthorpe), and Greasley (Watnall).

[edit] European Parliament

The Borough of Broxtowe is in the European Parliament East Midlands constituency. MEPs are selected by proportional representation and so all East Midlands MEPs share responsibility for Broxtowe's residents.

[edit] Geography

Surrounded by gently rolling countryside, Eastwood is 8 miles to the Northwest of the City of Nottingham in Nottinghamshire and close to the county boundary with Derbyshire.

...I was born nearly forty-four year ago, in Eastwood, a mining village of some three thousand souls about eight miles from Nottingham, and one mile from the small stream, the Erewash, which divides Nottinghamshire from Derbyshire. It is hilly country, looking west to Crich and towards Matlock, sixteen miles away and east and northeast towards Mansfield and the Sherwood Forest district. To me it seemed, and still seems an extremely beautiful countryside, just between the red sandstone and oak trees of Nottingham and the cold limestone, the ash trees, the stone fences of Derbyshire

– D.H. Lawrence, 1929 Nottingham & the Mining Country^[19]

The area contains coal measures, with shale, mudstone, and sandstone, overlain by yellow clay. Alluvial deposits from the River Erewash run roughly north-south.^[20]

The town is centred on Nottingham Road, which runs along a north west-south east ridge. This road contains many shops, including a large Co-op store, and, uphill to the east, it leads to the A610 to Nottingham, the M1 motorway, and Giltbrook Retail Park, which is home to a large Ikea store, and various projected developments (see Future plans). At the western end of Eastwood is a gyratory system, consisting of an ancient crossroads converted into a traffic island, around the Sun Inn public house. A large Morrisons supermarket is here, and roads lead from the gyratory system north to Brinsley, west to Heanor, and south through Church Street, the location of several listed buildings, into New Eastwood.

The town is still surrounded by farmed land, woods and fields, and just half a mile (1km) to the west, the River Erewash forms the boundary between Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. Alongside the river, the Erewash Canal leads to the River Trent.

A large hill, visible when looking north from the town, is known locally as “Dot ‘ill”, or “dirt hill”. This is land reclaimed from a former slag heap.

[edit] Demography

As of the 2001 UK census, the town of Eastwood had a total population of 18,732.^[1]

Population change can be tracked accurately from the 1911 census until the 1971 census, as Eastwood Urban District was a Local Government District from 1896 until 1974.

In the 1951 census, around 11.5% of the total population listed their occupation as Mining & Quarrying.^[21] By the 2001 survey, this had fallen to 0.15%.^[22]

In the 2001 census, Over 98% of the population selected the ethnicity White: British. The national average for England was 87%.^[23]

[edit] Landmarks

The Buildings is a housing estate, consisting of some 300 terraced miners' cottages, built in the 1860s. They were saved from demolition by a council scheme, which won an EEC habitat award in 1977. It was also used to illustrate the European Community's Urban Renaissance competition in 1980.^[24]

Mute Swan

Colliers wood is a 14 hectare community woodland, part of the Greenwood Community Forest, ^[24] created in 1996/97 to reclaim some of the woodland and fields destroyed by the mining developments. Over 17,500 trees and hedgerows were planted, and two ponds created. The footpath is made from reclaimed shale.^[25] Habitats cater to a wide variety of birds, including mute swans, goldfinches, lesser redpoll, skylarks, and willow warblers.^[26]

Eastwood War Memorial

inscription

A war memorial was unveiled in 1921, inscribed "to the men of Eastwood, who fell in the Great War 1914-1918". Later, World War II dedications were added, and it was moved to its present location at Plumptre Way. It is in the shape of an obelisk, made of Italian marble with a base of Whatstandwell stone.^[27]

The Library, opened in 1975, includes an extensive collection of books by and about D H Lawrence. Also on view is Lawrence's desk and the headstone from his grave in Vence, France.^[24]

Greasley Castle (c.1341) was founded by Nicholas de Cantilupe. The remains are now covered by Greasley Castle Farmhouse (c. 1800), which incorporates fragments of medieval masonry.^[28]

The Blue Line Trail - painted along the pavement - guides visitors around the local area, including the birthplace of D. H. Lawrence (now a museum), three other houses that Lawrence lived in, and other sites related to his life and work. It is based on the Freedom Trail in Boston.^[29]

Eastwood Hall was the headquarters of British Coal. It is now a conference centre.

The Man In Space public house was built in the 1960s. It appeared briefly in the film Carry On at Your Convenience.

[edit] Transport

The M1 motorway runs close to Eastwood (junctions 26 and 27).

Eastwood is served by Trent Barton buses, one of the few independent bus operators in the UK. Buses from Nottingham's Victoria bus station take 40 minutes.^[30]

The nearest railway station is at Langley Mill, which has connections to Nottingham, Sheffield, Chesterfield and Manchester.

The East Midlands Airport is 13 miles away.

[edit] Education

There are several junior schools in the area, including Eastwood Junior School, Brookhill Leys Primary and Nursery School, Greasley Beauvale Junior School, Lynncroft Primary and Nursery School, Priory Catholic Primary School, and Greasley Beauvale D. H. Lawrence Infant School (which Lawrence attended).^[31]

Most older local students attend Eastwood Comprehensive School, which also has a small sixth-form. The OFSTED report of 2007 notes that The social and economic backgrounds of students are below average and fewer than average come from homes with a tradition of higher education.^[32]

Castle College, Nottingham, has a centre in Eastwood, with community courses in Arts & Crafts, First Aid, Cake Decorating and Languages.

Eastwood Skills Shop offers courses including IT, Arts & Crafts, Spanish and Interior Design.^[33]

Eastwood Library, in the centre of the town, provides traditional book loans, but also has free internet access, CDRoms and a range of information services.^[34]

Eastwood Community Sports Centre has a four-court sports hall, and 2 junior and 2 full sized football pitches.^[35]

[edit] Religious sites

St Mary's Parish Church has an open evangelical style of worship. There has been a church on the site since 1250, and there are some remains of the original structure. It was enlarged in 1826, largely replaced in 1858, and almost destroyed by fire in 1963. Only the tower remained; the rest of the present building was added in 1967, and consecrated on 25th September.^{[36] [24]}

The remains of Beauvale Priory in 2007.

Beauvale Priory was founded in 1343. One of nine English houses which owed allegiance to the Grand Prior of Chartreuse, the monks rules were similar to those of Benedictines.^[37] It was referred to as "The Abbey" in D. H. Lawrence's "The White Peacock".^[38]

Other churches in the area include;

• Assemblies of God Church, Nottingham Rd
• Our Lady Of Good Counsel RC Church, Nottingham Rd
• Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Derby Rd
• Eastwood Baptist Church, Percy St

[edit] Sports

Eastwood Town Football Club, known as the Badgers, play in the Northern Premier League (known as the Unibond league).^[39] Their home ground is Coronation Park.

Eastwood Town Cricket Club plays in the Gunn & Moore South Notts League.^[40]

[edit] Notable people

Jeffrey (Jeff) Astle (13 May 1942 – 19 January 2002), born in Eastwood, was an English footballer. He played for West Bromwich Albion and England.

Tony Woodcock was born in Eastwood in 1955. He received 42 caps and scored 16 goals for England.

Several cricket players were born in the area, including Thomas Limb and William Rigley.

D. H. Lawrence (11 September 1885 – 2 March 1930), author, was born in Eastwood. His birthplace and residences now attract visitors from all over the world. Many of his best-known novels describe Eastwood and its culture. Among his works are poems written in the local dialect.^[41]

Actor Roy Spencer grew up in Eastwood. He wrote several books about D. H. Lawrence.

Benjamin Drawater (1748-1816) was the surgeon's second mate on the ship Resolution, during James Cook's second voyage. His birthplace is uncertain, but he did live in Eastwood from 1783 to 1801. He is buried in St. Mary's churchyard.^[42]

William A. Pickering (1840-1907), the first Protector of the Chinese Straits settlement, also began life in Eastwood.

Barber, Walker and Company played a large role in shaping Eastwood, owning the majority of the local pits. Thomas Barber was born at Greasley Castle Farm, and Thomas Walker at Bilborough. The company was formed in 1787, and remained active until the 1947 nationalization.^[43][24]

[edit] Future plans

The Giltbrook retail park, 1.5 miles (2.5 km) South-west of Eastwood, is currently undergoing a £60 million expansion. The 8.5 hectacre site will have 2,350 car parking spaces. British Home Stores, Laura Ashley, Mamas & Papas, Argos, Comet, Starbucks, Subway and Frankie & Benny's have all expressed interest. The whole park is expected to be open by Christmas 2008.^[44]

[edit] Culture and community

Eastwood Collieries' Male Voice Choir formed in 1919. They appeared on BBC television in 1963, and are one of the oldest surviving colliery choirs in the UK.^[45]

Eastwood Arcadians are a local marching band.

The local newspaper is the Eastwood and Kimberley Advertiser.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• D.H. Lawrence Heritage Museum Retrieved on May 13 2008.