Bulwell
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Bulwell is a market town which lies approximately 4.5 miles northwest of Nottingham City Centre, England, on the Northern edge of the city boundary. The 2001 Census showed there were almost 30,000 people living in the Bulwell area, accounting for over 10% of the population of Nottingham.
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[edit] History
[edit] Early Settlers
The earliest documented settlements in Bulwell appeared circa 800 A.D, and were most likely built around the same time as a new bridge across the River Leen. The bridge created a rare direct road to Nottingham from the North-West, introducing regular traffic for the first time and opening the area up to trade. The population numbered less than fifty at the time the first dwellings were built, with the settlers making a living by providing services to travellers using the road.
Bulwell soon gained a good reputation across the region for its markets, beer and women. Trade in this still relatively small stopping post thrived and grew, with many spotting the new opportunities Bulwell had to offer. The owners of the 'official', original businesses, having gone to a lot of expense to build and maintain premises, complained bitterly about an ever-growing number of roaming salesmen taking their trade. In response to these complaints, a local law was enacted (circa 920 AD) forbidding anyone without 'fixed... and at least part-covered premises' from selling goods or services close to the original businesses.
However, the statute was badly worded; to circumnavigate the laws, the salesmen simply fixed posts into the ground, creating market stalls similar in design to their modern couterparts. The stalls were covered for use and left uncovered in situ when not in use, thus both abiding by the law and designating a permanent venue for their sales. The location of the Market Place remains unchanged to this day and still houses a bustling market on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. [1]
[edit] The Domesday Book
Bulwell was mentioned in the Domesday Book, which was compiled in 1086. [2] Recorded in the book as "Buleuuelle" and classified as a village, Bulwell had developed into an important trading post for all kinds of goods and services. It had expanded to cater both for those living and working in the surrounding area and those travelling further afield, and this in itself encouraged many others to settle in the wider area.
[edit] 1100-1600
The population grew steadily throughout the next few hundred years, but the town itself did not grow much in size: opportunities for betterment and the desire of many to live futher away from the 'unhealthy' town centres ensured a relatively even flow of traffic in and out of Bulwell.
The church on the hill overlooking Bulwell is on the site of the original Bulwell church, and dates back to the 1300's. Towering over most of North Nottingham, Bulwell Saint Mary's and All Souls can be seen from many miles away, and its bells still ring out across the area each weekend.
[edit] 1600-1900
In 1667, George Strelley "built a school for the educating and teaching (of) young children of the Inhabitants of the said Parish", a stunning building that survives to this day, along with many of the other houses built at this time. The building is now used as a private home but retains many of the original features. [3]
[edit] Bulwell Hall
Bulwell Hall (See picture here [4]) was a grand Mansion House built in 1770 by landowner John Newton. It was set in its own large grounds to the North of Bulwell town centre, and was known as Pye Wipe Hall when first built; a name which stuck with local folk until the time of its demolition. After passing through the hands of Newton's ancestors for a time, Bulwell Hall was sold at auction in 1864, along with over 1000 acres of land, to a man named Samuel Thomas Cooper. [5] Bulwell Hall was later employed variously as a sanatorium, an 'approved school for boys' and an Italian Prisoner of War camp, before its' eventual demolition in 1958.
[edit] S.T Cooper and The National School
As a result of the above sale of Bulwell Hall, Samuel Thomas Cooper became the "Lord of the Manor" of Bulwell and its larger areas. Cooper was a philanthropist, and in 1866 he paid £3000 for another school to be built for the local children.[6] Then named the National school, it provided education for up to 518 children at a time; a remarkable feat considering the size of the building. Remaining in use as the "old building" of St. Mary's C of E primary school, it is now listed, and houses many fewer pupils than at at the time of its' creation. (See picture here.[7])
After Cooper's death, his widow, Annie Cooper, donated £600 to Bulwell Saint Mary's church to provide for a better organ. Still in use (although now operating electrically powered bellows), the organ houses a plaque commemorating Mrs Coopers' donation, "in memory of (her) husband".
Some sources claim that this man was the same S.T. Cooper who later went on to enclose Bulwell Bogs as as his own private ground. (See below.) It is known that Cooper died in 1871, aged 39, and also that the protest over the Bogs took place in 1872, but this does not show conclusively whether the protest taking place after his death was not down to his actions whilst still alive. There is no other "S.T. Cooper" recorded as being Lord of the Manor of Bulwell, leading many to believe the man to be the same.
[edit] Boundary changes
The Deanery of Bulwell was created in 1888, four years after the creation of the Southwell diocese. Bulwell then remained a town in its own right until a boundary change in the 1890s made it a part of the City of Nottingham. The beautiful Old Town Hall, rendered useless by the change and built in the 1700's, is now a retail outlet.
[edit] 1900-2006
Over the past century, Bulwell has grown enormously with the creation of housing estates such as Crabtree Farm, Snape Wood, Highbury Vale and Hempshill Vale.
Snape Wood and Sellers Wood were originally part of a swaythe of woodland that bordered the landfill site to the North-West of Bulwell, stretching down to the farmland that became Hempshill Vale estate to the South-West. Both woods were protected under Royal Warrants stretching back to the 1300's, but drastic shortage of housing in Bulwell in the 1960's and 1970's, as in Nottingham as a whole, led to the protection being removed and new housing estates being built.
A token remnant of Snape Wood was left behind in the middle of the new estate, amounting to little more than a small fenced-in copse with a path leading through it. Although rubbish-strewn and neglected, this small wood supports a lot of life of all kinds, from rare wildflowers to squirrels and urban foxes.
A larger proportion of Sellers Wood remains, with the land designated as a Local Nature Reserve. Sellers Wood was declared a 'Site of Special Interest' by English Nature in 1981, being cited as “a fine example of broad-leaved semi-natural woodland...of regional importance”. [8]
[edit] Geography
Bordering Ashfield and Broxtowe districts, 'Greater' Bulwell stretches across an area of around 3.5 square miles (though many would argue that Bulwell's 'catchment' should still include the Bestwood, Bestwood Park, Heathfield and Leen Valley estates, as it did in the past, increasing the size to around 5 square miles.)
The Greater Bulwell area, as designated by the City Council, includes Top Valley, Heron Ridge, Crabtree Farm, Bulwell Hall, Snape Wood, Sellers Wood, Highbury Vale, Hempshill Vale, Bulwell Forest, Bulwell Central, Moorbridge and the area adopting the title 'Bulwell Village', and also includes a significant amount of Rise Park. Although the addresses for the Bestwood estates were also originally suffixed 'Bulwell', ward and local area boundaries have been changed to instead link the entire 'Greater Bestwood' area with Basford and Sherwood. The old "seven fields" between Bulwell and Bestwood have now been largely developed, but the historic links between the areas remains constant. The newer estates now covering the fields have just added to the list of 'Satellites' affiliated with Bulwell.
[edit] Bulwell Bogs
The centre of Bulwell is located in a valley next to the banks of the River Leen. The area beside the Leen, known for over 900 years as "Bulwell Bogs", has long been set aside as a place where children can play, paddle and fish. After an attempt by the Lord of the Manor to enclose the land around the Bogs, in 1872, the people of Bulwell staged a peaceful protest, massing in their hundreds to protect the 'common' land. Described as "...impeccably well behaved and peaceable to a man; indeed rather joyous of spirit!" in the offical records, the people of Bulwell marched a short distance before enjoying lunch by the river. After this, the crowd is said to have "...dispersed quietly and as directed with no further disturbance", later winning the fight to designate the land for the "pleasure and leisure of the people of Bulwell". [9]
The whole Bogs area was set to be demolished in 2002, to make way for a large road-bridge and a transport interchange, from where buses, trams, taxi's and trains could all be caught. Fierce public opposition from local people resulted in a campaign being launched to prevent the work; the City Council eventually scrapped the plans. [10] With help from local community groups and residents, the facilities at Bulwell Bogs were instead upgraded in 2003 to produce a bigger play-park, a safer paddling pool and a cleaner feel, and won a Green Flag award in 2004 for the work done to regenerate the area. [11]
As well as the Bogs, there is an area about a mile upstream, near the present-day Moorbridge, which historically attracted children from miles around to play. This led to the nickname "Bulwell-on-Sea" being applied by other Nottingham residents. The building of the outdoor Lido pool nearby further strengthened the connection, with families historically travelling from across the city to spend a day by the water in Bulwell.
[edit] Transport
Bulwell is a transportation hub for the North Nottingham area. There are three stations serving Bulwell on the Nottingham Express Transit tram system: Bulwell, Bulwell Forest and Moor Bridge. These provide access to Nottingham and Hucknall. [12] Next to Bulwell tram Station is the railway station, where trains on the Robin Hood Line link Nottingham to Worksop. [13] There is also a large bus station, a taxi rank, and two taxi firms based in Bulwell.
[edit] Life in Bulwell
In Bulwell, there are no nightclubs, high class eateries or indeed any of the more metropolitan outlets or establishments, but there is a library [14], a swimming pool, [15] many churches, and several fast food restaurants. There are also many chip shops, two golf courses, a youth club, a police station and an area built in the style of a Tudor shopping arcade hidden off the Market Place.
Bulwell has a strong sense of community. Many families are descended from generations of Bulwellians, and there is still a distinct and unique family feel to the place that belies its size and proximity to the larger Nottingham conurbation. Bulwell is a friendly place with a lot of community-based initiatives focusing on improving the area, with volunteers playing a key role in their survival. The Bulwell Credit Union, Bulwell Vision and the active Brownie, Guide, Rainbows and Cubs packs are just a few of the projects thriving thanks to the help of the local people.
There is a site for travellers of Irish heritage in Bulwell that exists as one of only a few 'permanent' sites in the country catering for both roaming and static populations. A lot of work has been done by the nearby schools to ensure the integration of traveller children, work which has won praise from Police, community leaders, and travellers' rights groups nationwide.
There are a number of pubs in Bulwell, one of which (The Scots' Grey) was featured in a television programme entitled "The Ten Hardest Pubs in Britain". Housing a successful boxing club, it has provided many champion boxers, taught many hundreds of boys and trained amateurs at all levels for generations. However, the pub's reputation for toughness comes as much from fights held outside the ring as in it, and stretches back many years. Fights were regularly held in the nearby Market Place after closing time on Saturday night, with scores being settled as well as money made or lost on the outcomes. Spectators formed a ring around the pugilists, who would fight to the knockout. Betting, challenging (i.e. money offered to any man who can knock down the "hero"), and "purses" offered by crowds were regular sidelines to the fights, which continued until as recently as the 1990's. Ironically, the pub was closed down recently because it was seen to be too "rough" to control adequately! Despite the closure, the pub's football team (The Scots' Grey FC) continue to play, enjoying a great deal of success in the Sunday League. Winning all three senior trophies in Nottinghamshire for two years running, after being the first team ever to accomplish this feat, the club are hoping to make history by becoming the first team ever to do the 'treble treble': winning all three trophies for three years running.
Younger players from Bulwell have also made a huge mark on the game in the city, with the Bulwell Rangers being one of many teams run by local volunteers to excel in recent times.
[edit] Education
Schools in and around Bulwell have historically been among the worst-performing in the UK. The entire Bulwell area was designated an "Education Action Zone" in 1999, as part of a high-profile scheme aimed at addressing the problems. Standards have risen slightly since then, but certain major deficiencies persist.[16] The North Nottingham region has the lowest level of students progressing to higher education in the UK (Nottm Eve. Post, 8/9/2006), and the most recent league tables for secondary education show Nottingham's schools to be second-worst achieving in the country.[17]
[edit] Crime
Crime levels are very high in the area, compared to both the Nottingham and national averages. [18] In 2003 Bulwell gained the nation's attention after a Nottingham PC, Ged Walker, was killed here in the line of duty. PC Walker was dragged to his death as he attempted to arrest the driver of a stolen taxi; local resident David Parfitt was later sentenced to 13 years for his manslaughter [19]. A memorial stone marking the spot where PC Walker died [20] was badly vandalised in January 2006, with a hammer being used to deface and damage the engravings. [21]
Another officer was badly injured in a remarkably similar incident on 10th October 2006. The special constable required extensive reconstructive surgery after being dragged along the road by a car when attempting to arrest a man on the Bulwell Hall estate. [22] Four people were arrested.
The fatal shooting of local lad Marvin Bradshaw outside a Bulwell pub, in 2003, led to "gangland-style" reprisal attacks on a large scale, and attracted international interest.[23] The parents of Michael O'Brien, the man convicted of Mr Bradshaw's murder, were targeted, and despite moving into a "Safe House" on the Lincolnshire coast were both also murdered soon afterward.
A passenger in the car Mr Bradshaw had been driving on the night of his murder, whilst unhurt in the attack, himself died within months of the event, leading friends and family members to seek revenge on his behalf.[24] O'Brien had already been sentenced to 24 years in prison for Mr Bradshaw's murder. 3 of the 8 men arrested on charges of conspiracy to murder Mr and Mrs Stirland (O'Brien's parents) were found guilty, in a case still being investigated by the Independent Police Complaints Commission.[25] "Extremely serious matters" are said to have been found in connection with the way the police handled the case.[26]
On 1st July 2006, The day after the 3 were sentenced for the Stirland's murders, a large riot broke out on the Bestwood estate, home to one of the accused. Lasting several hours and causing an estimated £10,000 worth of damage, the riots were said to have been triggered by the outcome of the murder trial. 9 people have been convicted in connection with the disturbances. [27]
On 7 August 2006, a local teenager died after he was attacked outside the Moon and Stars pub. 18-year-old Aaron Smith suffered severe head injuries in the attack, which took place on 3 August. Jordan Liam Law Carter, 24, pleaded guilty to Mr Smith's manslaughter, and awaits sentencing.[28]
Another local man was shot in the neck and back outside Bulwell's Lord Nelson pub in November 2006, before being abducted, tied up, driven to a country road and left for dead. Three people were arrested and bailed in connection with the crime, which left the 27 year old victim, from Aspley, with serious injuries. [29]
Shootings and gang problems have become almost a part of the daily lives of Bulwell citizens [30], [31], although the large number of arrests for crimes such as those above do provide a little reassurance.
[edit] Pronunciation
Bulwell is locally pronounced 'Bull-wool', changing the 'well' for 'wool' in local slang terms. The town was named after a bull allegedly struck a sandstone rock causing it to seep water - a well. The name Bulwell came from this.
[edit] External links
Ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire  |
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| Unitary authorities: | Nottingham | |
| Boroughs/Districts: | Ashfield • Bassetlaw • Broxtowe • Gedling • Mansfield • Newark and Sherwood • Rushcliffe | |
| Cities/Towns: | Arnold • Beeston • Blidworth • Carlton • Cotgrave • Eastwood • Hucknall • Kimberley • Kirkby-in-Ashfield • Mansfield • Mansfield Woodhouse • Newark • Nottingham • Rainworth • Retford • Ruddington • Stapleford • Southwell • Sutton-in-Ashfield • West Bridgford • Worksop See also: List of civil parishes in Nottinghamshire |
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