Normanton, Derby City

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Normanton is a southern suburb of the city of Derby in Derbyshire, England, situated approximately two miles south of the city centre. Neighbouring suburbs include Littleover and Pear Tree.

The modern suburb grew from an ancient village, originally named Normanton-by-Derby. The area is thought to have been the site of one of the major Viking settlements in the Derby area, hence the name, which means Norseman's settlement.

The location of the original village lies just south of the modern ring road, its main thoroughfare commemorated by the present day Village Street. St. Giles Parish Church stands on Village Street, atop a slight hill, and its spire can be seen across most of the district.

The portion of the district to the north of the ring road is properly called New Normanton, although in popular usage the name is rarely heard. The area began to rapidly urbanise in the mid 19th century and Normanton was eventually absorbed by the expansion of Derby's boundaries up to the 1930s. Much of the housing stock in the area is typical Victorian brick terracing.

Modern Normanton has a high ethnic minority population, with the largest concentration of Derby's Asian community. Areas such as Normanton Road (the main thoroughfare leading to the centre of Derby) have numerous Asian shops, businesses, fast food outlets and in particular is well known for its range of Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi restaurants.

A prominent local landmark was once the Normanton Barracks, headquarters of the Sherwood Foresters regiment. Demolished in 1981, the site is now the Foresters Leisure Park, including the Showcase cinema. Nearby is the Oast House pub, a notable modern building which is, as the name suggests, in the style of a traditional English oast house (a type of structure totally alien to this part of the country). Reflecting Normanton's religious diversity are a wide number of places of worship, with the Guru Arjan Dev Gurdwara in Stanhope Street being a particularly striking example.

The area's main public recreational facility is Normanton Park, opened in 1909; this date is proudly recorded on the clock-tower over the small building used, until the late 50s, as a tearooms. The Derbyshire Tennis Centre is adjacent to the park.

[edit] External link

• Normanton at The Derby Guide