Sutton-in-Ashfield

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Sutton-in-Ashfield
Coordinates: 53.1233° N 1.2669° W
Population	41,951
OS grid reference	SK490587
District	Ashfield
Shire county	Nottinghamshire
Region	East Midlands
Constituent country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	Sutton-in-Ashfield
Postcode district	NG17
Dial code	01623
Police	Nottinghamshire
Fire	Nottinghamshire
Ambulance	East Midlands
UK Parliament	Ashfield
European Parliament	East Midlands
List of places: UK • England • Nottinghamshire

Sutton-in-Ashfield is a town in the Ashfield district of Nottinghamshire, a little to the east of the valley of Erewash. It lies on the most elevated portion of the county, about 600 feet above sea level. It is situated 3 ½ miles southwest of Mansfield, 14 miles from Nottingham and 140 miles from London. The population according to the 2001 census is 41,951.

The main tourist attraction in Sutton-in-Ashfield, is the largest sundial 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.

Contents 1 History 2 Transport Links 3 Schools 4 Sport and Leisure 5 Famous People 6 External links

[edit] History

There has been a settlement at Sutton-in-Ashfield since Saxon times; the Saxon suffix 'ton' meaning 'an enclosure or fenced in clearing'. The 'Ashfield' part originates from when the area formed part of Sherwood Forest, where a great number of ash trees grew.

Sutton-in-Ashfield appears as 'Sutone' in the Domesday Book and is noted as being a Hamlet near to Mansfield. In 1189 the church at Sutton was passed to Thurgarton Priory and shortly after this the Manor came into the possession of the Duke of Portland. A list of Tenants in Sutton dating from c1295 suggests that the population of the town at the time was around 400 people.

In 1530, Cardinal Wolsey passed through Sutton when, after his disgrace, he was called back to London by Henry VIII. He was a sick man when he stopped for the night at the Manor House at Kirkby Hardwick before moving on southwards. He died at Leicester Abbey several days later.

In 1651, following Charles II defeat at the Battle of Worcester, a party of his soldiers passed through Sutton on their way home to Scotland. A Cromwellian Captain and several Troopers, who were staying at the home of local farmer, John Clarke, ambushed them in Church Street and twelve of the Royalist Soldiers were killed. In 1774, when a vault at the rear of the church was being made for the funeral of William Unwin of Sutton Hall, twelve skeletons were found, and it is assumed that these were the remains of the unfortunate soldiers.

In 1700, there were ninety-five families living in Sutton-in-Ashfield, while in 1801 the population of the town was 2801. The increase in population around the turn of the 19th century was largely due to the Unwin family, who built a factory at Eastfield Side at a cost of £6,000. It has been recorded that the first hand-frames for making Stockings were brought into the area around 1770. This was the beginning of a long standing connection between Sutton-in-Ashfield and the hosiery industry. The first Cotton Mill was built in Sutton by the Unwin Family c1770. It originally worked using Oxen and Horses to turn the machines, but was later water powered, and then steam powered. It changed hands in 1851, and became a Silk Mill, before being heavily damaged by fire in 1875. After some years of standing empty, the factory re-opened and continued in use until the early 1970s, when it was again ravaged by fire.

It appears that there was a Workhouse at Sutton before 1777, although little record remains relating to it. A meeting was held in 1791 to discuss replacing it with a new one. This new Workhouse, located on or near Hardwick Street, was in use until 1846 when the building was sold. The Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834 had meant Sutton parish came under the Mansfield Poor Law Union, and Sutton's poor was sent to the more central Workhouse at Mansfield. Sutton's old workhouse was demolished in 1938.

Around 1870, a recreation ground of about four acres was given by the Duke of Portland for the use of the parishioners. It was located next to the church, and is still in use by the local community. Travelling fairs and Circus entertainers still set up on the Lammas ground when they visit the town.

1874 saw mining arrive to the town with the sinking of Sutton Colliery (originally called New Skegby Colliery). The colliery consisted of two shafts which extended to 467 yards below surface. The opening of the mine resulted in high population growth, mostly due to miners coming from the Brierley Hill area of Staffordshire. As a result of this the pit became known locally as 'Brierley' colliery. The nearby village of Stanton Hill was purpose built to house this influx of miners, the cost of which was mainly met by the local colliery companies.

On the 21st of February 1957 5 miners died in the Sutton Colliery Accident, the youngest being only 16 years of age. The accident occurred when a stone fell from a cavity smashing into a motor thus causing a electrical short circuit and a flash. This ignited firedamp from the cavity and caused an explosion inside the mine. Apart from this no other noticeable accidents occurred at the pit.

The colliery eventually closed in 1989 and work began on turning the site into a country park. In May 1994 Brierley Forest Country Park was officially opened, the event being marked by the installation of the pit wheels from the colliery. Also in the park a sculpture was made in memorial of the miners who died in the accident of 1957.

[edit] Transport Links

Sutton-in-Ashfield has its own bus station which is served by regular bus services to and from Nottingham, Mansfield and Derby.

2 miles south of the town centre is Sutton Parkway railway station which is a station on the Robin Hood line. Trains run to Worksop in the north and Nottingham in the south.

The town is by-passed by the A38 which provides a close link to Junction 28 of the M1 motorway. Recently the Mansfield, Ashfield Regeneration Route (MARR) has seen the A617 re-routed to the east of the town.

[edit] Schools

Secondary Schools with Sixth Forms

Quarrydale Comprehensive School - ages 11-18
Sutton Centre Community College - ages 11-18, with courses for adults

Primary Schools

Carsic Infant School - ages 5-7
Carsic Junior School - ages 7-11
Croft Primary School - ages 5-11
Dalestorth Primary and Nursery School - ages 3-11
Forest Glade Primary School - ages 5-11
Hillocks Primary and Nursery School - ages 3-11
Leamington Primary and Nursery School - ages 3-11
Mapplewells Primary and Nursery School - ages 3-11
Priestsic Primary and Nursery School - ages 3-11
St. Mary Magdalene C of E Primary School - ages 5-11

Independent Schools

Lammas School - ages 4-16

[edit] Sport and Leisure

The nearest league football team is Mansfield Town F.C., however Sutton does have its own non-league football team, Sutton Town F.C., who compete in the Northern Counties East Football League Premier Division. The team plays at The Fieldings, Huthwaite Road.

Other sport in the town includes a leisure centre and an ice rink at Sutton Centre Community College. There is also a Swimming Baths comprising of 2 pools and a flume. There are plans to build a new leisure centre in the town.

Sutton has a large recreation area called Sutton Lawn. Here there are tennis courts, football pitches and childrens play areas. Brierley Forest Country Park is situated to the north side of the town. This is a redevelopment of the old Sutton Colliery site and provides an excellent place for walking, cycling and other pursuits. In 2006 both parks received the coverted national Green Flag award for excellence in public parks.

[edit] Famous People

William Barnes
George Bean
Johnny Briggs
Kris Commons
Andrew Lewis (composer)
Andy Marriott
Fred Morley
Steve Ogrizovic
James Walker (footballer)
Thomas Wass
Chris Gascoyne

[edit] External links

• Map of Sutton-in-Ashfield
• Online Guide to Sutton-in-Ashfield
• Sutton-in-Ashfield Information Online
• Ashfield District Council
• Full details of Ashfield parliamentary constituency, including 2005 election results
• Ashfield FOCUS