Sutton-in-Ashfield

Sutton-in-Ashfield

The Sutton-in-Ashfield sundial
Sutton-in-Ashfield
 Sutton-in-Ashfield shown within Nottinghamshire
Population 45,848 
OS grid referenceSK490587
DistrictAshfield
Shire countyNottinghamshire
RegionEast Midlands
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post town Sutton-in-Ashfield
Postcode district NG17
Dialling code 01623
Police Nottinghamshire
Fire Nottinghamshire
Ambulance East Midlands
EU Parliament East Midlands
UK ParliamentAshfield
List of places
UK
England
Nottinghamshire

Coordinates: 53°07′24″N 1°16′01″W / 53.1233°N 1.2669°W / 53.1233; -1.2669

Sutton-in-Ashfield is a market town in the Ashfield district of Nottinghamshire, England, with a population of around 45,800.[1] It is situated four miles west of Mansfield, close to the Derbyshire border.

Geography

For demographic purposes it is part of Mansfield Urban Area, although in the separate council district of Ashfield, (based in Kirkby-in-Ashfield). To the north is Skegby and Stanton Hill.

The main road to Mansfield used to go through the town, but this is now the B6023 road. The A619 Mansfield Bypass meets the A38 at Kings Mill and passes through much of the town's parish, to the east. It opened in 2005.

Landmarks

The main tourist attraction in Sutton-in-Ashfield, is the largest sundial[2] in Europe. It is located in the middle of Portland Square, adjacent to the Idlewells Shopping Centre and Sutton Centre Community College.

Another tourist attraction in Sutton-in-Ashfield is The Ashfield Show, held in August on Sutton Lawn, and includes everything from fairground rides, local businesses and services showing their presence, live music, classic cars and steam engines and much more.

A further local attraction stands on the former site of Silverhill Colliery close to the scenic village of Teversal on the north-west edge of Ashfield. The area has been transformed from the colliery to a woodland, which features several walks for all abilities and also features the highest point in Nottinghamshire.[3] At the highest point stands a monument to all the miners who have worked in the area's coalfields.

King's Mill Hospital is the main landmark, situated between the town and Mansfield, next to the A38. The town also has a large Asda to the north. In April 1999, the Asda supermarket had the United Kingdom's first blessing and reception in a supermarket. It had been unable to get a ceremony licence for the supermarket.

Out on the B6139 to the south is the Sherwood Observatory, which is inside the parish, not Mansfield, being run by the Mansfield and Sutton Astronomical Society.

History

Saxons

The area was first settled in the Saxon times and the Saxon suffix "ton" means "an enclosure or fenced in clearing".[4] The town appears in the Domesday Book as "Sutone". There are also documents from 1189 showing that Gerard, son of Walter de Sutton, gave two bovates of land and the church at Sutton to Thurgarton Priory.

Churches

Church of St Mary Magdalene
Church of St Joseph the Worker
Church of St John
United Reformed Church
New Cross Community Church

The Sutton-in-Ashfield area was first settled in Saxon times and the first records of a place of worship in the area date from Norman times (1170). As the population of the settlement grew so the variety of religious denominations represented increased. This was particularly true during the industrial expansion of the nineteenth century. The following is a list of the churches that still have a presence in Sutton, together with brief historical details.

Church of St Mary Magdalene

This Anglican church, situated off Lammas Road and built in local stone, contains a few parts that date back to 1170. The tower and spire date from 1395. However, much of the rest of the church was subject to re-building in the second half of the nineteenth century. The church is a Grade II* listed building.[5][6]

Church of St Michael and All Angels

This was another Anglican church in Sutton, situated at the junction of Outram Street with St Michael's Street. The church was built in two stages. The first stage was designed by John Folwler of Louth and opened in 1887. The second stage was designed by Louis Ambler and completed in 1909. The church building is still standing but is no longer in use for worship.[7] [8]

Church of St Joseph the Worker

In the early part of the twentieth century, Catholics worshipped in one another's homes or in a room above a garage off of Outram Street. In 1961, a full-size church was opened in Forest Street. This was designed in a Romanesque style with a 70 feet tall bell tower.[9]

Church of St John

In 2015, Methodism in Sutton-in-Ashfield is represented by St John's Methodist Church in Titchfield Avenue. This church was built (and later extended) in the twentieth century. Over the years, there have been Methodist churches in several locations around the town:

United Reformed Church

This church on High Pavement was opened in 1906. The architects of the building were G. Baines & Son of London and the builders were J. Greenwood's of Mansfield. Mainly because of the unusual nature of the pews inside, it is a Grade II Listed Building.[12][13]

New Cross Community Church

This was built in 1895 as a Primitive Methodist Church. It is now run by the New Cross Community Church Anglican/Methodist Local Ecumenical Partnership.[14][15]

Zion Baptist Church

This was built in 1866 as a Primitive Methodist Chapel. It is now a Zion Baptist Church and is closely associated with the adjoining Eastside Community Centre.[16]

Coal mining

Sutton Colliery was actually outside of the town in Stanton Hill. It closed in 1989.

Hosiery

The Pretty Polly brand of hosiery originated in the town in around 1927, and was manufactured there on Unwin Road until April 2005. Samuel Eden Socks closed in July 2005.

Transport

Road

Sutton-in-Ashfield is served by regular bus services from Nottingham, Mansfield and Derby. The town is located near Junction 28 of the M1 motorway and accessed via the A38, which bypasses the town centre as a wide single-carriageway.

Rail

Since 1995, the town is served by the Robin Hood Line which provides regular rail service between Nottingham and Worksop. The Sutton Parkway railway station is two miles south of the town centre at the junction of Low Moor Road (B6021) towards Kirkby-in-Ashfield and Penny Emma Way. The railway was formerly mostly used by the area's pits, which closed in the early 1990s.

Recreation

Sport

Lammas Leisure Centre

Sutton-in-Ashfield has had a public swimming pool since 1926. The first one was built on Brook Street and was paid for by the local Miners Welfare fund. Initially, the pool was only open during the summer months, with the pool being covered and used as a dancehall in the winter. In 1969, a new 25m-long pool (with high diving board and 4m deep end) was opened next door to the original pool (which was from then on used as a teaching pool).[17] In the 1970s, as part of the construction of the Sutton Centre School, a public ice rink was provided.[18] In 2008, the Brook Street swimming pools and the Sutton Centre ice rink were closed and the Lammas Leisure Centre on Lammas Road opened. The formal opening was performed by Dame Kelly Holmes. The Lammas Leisure Centre has 2 swimming pools (main and teaching), an ice rink (home to Sutton Sting Ice Hockey Academy), a gym, a multi-purpose sports hall and an indoor bowling green.[19]

There is a local athletics club and swimming club associated with both local schools and the Lammas Leisure Centre itself. There is also the multi-faceted Coxmoor Golf Club on Coxmoor Road (B6139), next to the A611. As a result of local council grant applications for sport development, Sebastian Coe opened a new athletics track for the town at the nearby Ashfield School in February 2007.

Kings Mill Reservoir

Contrary to popular and widespread belief among townsfolk, the reservoir lies within Sutton In Ashfield itself, and not in the neighbouring parish of Mansfield. Alongside the water reservoir is the Mill Adventure Base with sailing activities. This is one of three Nottinghamshire adventure bases, with the other two at Holme Pierrepont (Lakeside) and Worksop (Sandhill), all of which are available for people aged 11–19. The sailing club has used the reservoir since 1959. Kings Mill received its name from a mill on the north-east of the reservoir, once owned by John Cockle and his wife, who gave Henry II of England a night's lodgings and breakfast during his reign.

Nature

To the west is the 250 acres (100 ha) Brierley Forest Park,[20] built on the site of Sutton Colliery, also known as Brierley Colliery, which was named due to many of the miners coming from Brierley Hill. It is a nature reserve and opened in 1999, it hold the Green Flag Award.[21] Kings Mill Reservoir is also a nature reserve.

Schools

Ashfield School is also very near the town, on the other side of the A38 (Kings Mill Road East East).-

Sutton-in-Ashfield open air market (Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays)

Notable people

References

  1. ↑ Ashfield district council website
  2. ↑ Nottinghamshire facts and figures; fact 9
  3. ↑ Silverhill, Nottinghamshire
  4. ↑ Sutton-in-Ashfield Tourist Information at tourUK.co.uk — the holiday and travel guide to the UK
  5. ↑ "St Mary History". Southwell & Nottingham Church History Project. Retrieved 2015-03-02.
  6. ↑ "St Mary Listing". English Heritage. Retrieved 2015-03-02.
  7. ↑ "St Michael History". Southwell & Nottingham Church History Project. Retrieved 2015-03-02.
  8. ↑ "St Michael History". Nottinghamshire History. Retrieved 2015-03-02.
  9. ↑ "St Joseph History". St Joseph's Church. Retrieved 2015-03-03.
  10. ↑ "Primitive Methodist History". Nottinghamshire History. Retrieved 2015-03-04.
  11. ↑ "Wesleyan Methodist History". Nottinghamshire History. Retrieved 2015-03-04.
  12. ↑ "United Reformed Church History". Nottinghamshire History. Retrieved 2015-03-04.
  13. ↑ "United Reformed Church Listing". English Heritage. Retrieved 2015-03-02.
  14. ↑ "New Cross Church History". Nottinghamshire History. Retrieved 2015-03-04.
  15. ↑ "New Cross Community Church Partnership". New Cross Community Church Partnership. Retrieved 2015-03-04.
  16. ↑ "Zion Baptist Church". Eastside Centre. Retrieved 2015-03-04.
  17. ↑ "Brook Street Swimming Pools". Our Nottinghamshire. Retrieved 2015-08-13.
  18. ↑ "Sutton Centre Ice Rink". Lammas Ice Skating Club. Retrieved 2015-08-13.
  19. ↑ "Lammas Leisure Centre Opening". Ashfield CHAD. Retrieved 2015-08-13.
  20. ↑ Description of Brierley Forest Park
  21. ↑ List of Green Flag Award holders

External links

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