Bilsthorpe is a village and civil parish in the Newark and Sherwood district of Nottinghamshire, England.[1] According to the 2001 census it had a population of 3,076, increasing to 3,375 at the 2011 census,[2] and dropping slightly to 3,365 at the 2021 census.[3] It is located near the junction of the A614 and A617, around 5 miles south of Ollerton, 9 miles east of Mansfield and 6 miles north-west of Southwell.

Bilsthorpe
Village and civil parish
Road lined either side with housing and fuel station
Mickledale Lane leading into village from A614 road
Map
Parish map
Bilsthorpe is located in Nottinghamshire
Bilsthorpe
Bilsthorpe
Location within Nottinghamshire
Area2.46 sq mi (6.4 km2)
Population3,365 (2021)
• Density1,368/sq mi (528/km2)
OS grid referenceSK 644607
• London115 mi (185 km) SSE
District
Shire county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Settlements
Post townNewark
Postcode districtNG22
Dialling code01623
PoliceNottinghamshire
FireNottinghamshire
AmbulanceEast Midlands
UK Parliament
Websitewww.hugofox.com/community/bilsthorpe-parish-council-13751/home
List of places
UK
England
Nottinghamshire
53°08′N 1°02′W / 53.133°N 1.033°W / 53.133; -1.033

Facilities edit

The village has 2 children's play-parks as well as a small-sized duck pond. It is the northern terminus of the Southwell Trail. It has also a members-only fishing lake created from the remains of the old colliery slag heap.

The village is known locally as being two areas, the 'old' and 'new'. The village has two public houses (Copper Beech and Stanton Arms) and a miners' welfare club. The village used to have a village hall with squash and sauna facilities with some gym equipment. However, the district council of Newark decided to close these due mainly to the low usage of both the squash and sauna facilities. The old squash centre site has now been turned into a Miners Museum. The village hall's main part has been condemned and plans are in place to demolish the building.

Bilsthorpe parish church is the Grade I listed St Margaret's Church. [1]

Bilsthorpe Moor is to the south of the village. There was a supported-living home for adults with learning disabilities and autism called LifeWays which closed in 2019.[4][5]

Bilsthorpe Flying High Academy is the local education facility for children with access to nursery and primary learning. Part of The Flying High Trust, a multi-school organisation based in Cotgrave, Nottinghamshire, it opened for Autumn term 2015 and was previously known as Crompton View Primary School.[6][7][8]

There are 3 local comprehensive schools for Bilsthorpe children to attend, The Joseph Whitaker School in Rainworth, The Dukeries Academy in Ollerton and The Minster School, Southwell.

Former colliery and memorials edit

The village's colliery closed in 1997 after 70 years in use.[9] The colliery was the centre of national media and public attention on 18 August 1993 when a roof collapsed in the colliery, killing 31-year-old under-manager David Shelton and miners Bill McCulloch (aged 26) and Peter Alcock (aged 50).[10] David Shelton was posthumously awarded the George Medal for bravery on 11 October 1995 for aiding the rescue of other miners;[11] survivor Ray Thompson also received the George Medal.

A memorial in the form of an 8 ft (2.4 m) miners lamp carved from sandstone having the names of 77 deceased workers dating back to 1927 was established in 2011.[12]

A memorial to dead miners was also erected outside of the colliery site.[13]

Sport edit

Bilsthorpe Welfare Youth Football Club won the Mansfield Youth Under 16s Division 2 football championship. BWYFC Bilsthorpe is also the home of non-league football club Nottingham United, one of the biggest semi-professional clubs in the county, currently playing at Step 7 of the National League System and based at Bilsthorpe Sports Ground on Eakring Road. NUFC

English footballer Mark Monington was born in Bilsthorpe.

Transport edit

Stagecoach in Mansfield operate one bus route

  • Sherwood Arrow which links Bilsthorpe with Nottingham and Ollerton and Worksop/Retford operated by Stagecoach Bassetlaw
  • 28B which links the village with Mansfield and Eakring

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ OS Explorer Map 270: Sherwood Forest: (1:25 000):ISBN 0 319 24040 1
  2. ^ "Civil Parish population 2011". Neighbourhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 5 April 2016.
  3. ^ UK Census (2021). "2021 Census Area Profile – Bilsthorpe parish (E04007883)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  4. ^ "Over 200 jobs at risk as care home operator enters administration | TheBusinessDesk.com". East Midlands. 22 July 2016. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  5. ^ "Care home near Mansfield set to close". www.chad.co.uk. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  6. ^ Lessons start at new Academy Chad, 16 September 2015, p.46. Accessed 15 February 2021
  7. ^ Crompton View Primary School Design & Access Statement Nottinghamshire County Council, 7 August 2014. Retrieved 15 February 2021
  8. ^ Crompton View Primary School (closed) Ofsted, Retrieved 15 February 2021
  9. ^ "Last man out of Bilsthorpe".
  10. ^ "Row over mine roof bolts after three die: 'Forum' on safety in wake of". Independent.co.uk. 19 August 1993.
  11. ^ "Ceremony marks mining tragedy 25 years on". BBC News. 18 August 2018.
  12. ^ Village's tribute to pit casualties. Chad, 12 October 2011, p.22. Accessed 17 January 2021
  13. ^ "Getty Images". Archived from the original on 14 March 2012.

External links edit

53°08′N 1°02′W / 53.133°N 1.033°W / 53.133; -1.033