Attenborough, Nottinghamshire
Coordinates: 52°54′18″N 1°13′48″W / 52.905°N 1.23°W
Attenborough is a village and a suburb in the Broxtowe borough of Nottinghamshire. It forms part of Greater Nottingham, and is to the southwest of the city of Nottingham, between Long Eaton (to the southwest) and Beeston (to the northeast). It adjoins the suburbs of Toton to the west and Chilwell to the north.
The village is the location of Attenborough railway station and of Attenborough Nature Reserve.[1]
Further information
Attenborough Nature Reserve is a series of gravel pits, which were flooded after gravel extraction and are now a haven for birds and other wildlife.
The main commercial centre of Attenborough is around the junction of Nottingham Road (the A6005) and Attenborough Lane.
Further towards the Nature Reserve is a tennis club, a private day nursery,[2] Attenborough Cricket Club, which doubles as the village green, and St. Mary's Church, a Church of England parish church.[3] This south-eastern part of Attenborough is bounded to the northwest by the railway line, and to the other three sides by the wetlands of the Nature Reserve. It is the historic part of the village, with two listed buildings as well as the listed church itself.[4]
Some time ago a hoard of Roman coins was found on the footpath that runs over the railway and onto Barrett Lane, some time ago.
Flood defences
The village was flooded in November 2000. In 2006, plans were drawn up for substantial flood defences for the village. However the scheme proved controversial due to the impact of a proposed high flood wall along The Strand. After a series of negotiations, planning permission was granted in August 2010, with the defences being moved to behind the village green. The work was completed in Summer 2012.
Local government and politics
Attenborough is an unparished area and has no parish council. For local government/electoral purposes Attenborough is one of the wards within Broxtowe and returns one councillor to the Borough Council. In the 2007 local elections the Conservatives won the seat.[5] For elections to Nottinghamshire County Council the village is covered by the electoral division of Beeston South & Attenborough (consisting of the Beeston Central, Beeston Rylands and Attenborough wards). In 2009 the Conservative candidate won the division.[6]
For elections to Parliament the village is part of the Broxtowe constituency, for which the present Member for Parliament is Anna Soubry (Conservative). She won the seat from the Labour Party at the 2010 general election.
History
Attenborough was known in Saxon times as Addensburgh. It was the home village of Henry Ireton (1611 – 26 November 1651), an English general in the army of Parliament during the English Civil War.[7]
During the First World War, the railway station had its platforms extended as it was used as an interchange for soldiers heading for Chetwynd Barracks. During the Second World War, the platforms were said to be the longest in Europe due to their proximity to the base.
In the graveyard of St Mary's Church there is a memorial to the 134 people killed on 1 July 1918 in an explosion in the shell factory in nearby Chilwell. This death toll remains the largest number of deaths caused by a single explosion in mainland Britain.
A ferry (Barton Ferry) used to cross the River Trent from the mouth of the River Erewash (near Attenborough) to Barton in Fabis. A crossing existed at this point since before 1774.[8]
Transport
Road transport is the primary method of transport in and out of the area which is connected to Nottingham by the A6005. East Midlands Airport is approximately 16 kilometres away; the airport serves domestic and international routes, focused mainly on EU, EEA and Swiss routes.
Bus
Bus services operate to Nottingham, Derby, Beeston, Stapleford, Long Eaton and other local towns.
- Trent Barton
- Indigo: Nottingham – QMC – University Boulevard – Beeston – Chilwell – Attenborough – Toton – Long Eaton / Derby / Sawley / Loughborough (Via East Midlands Airport).
Rail
Attenborough
Main article: Attenborough railway station
An hourly service is provided throughout the day by East Midlands Trains Matlock to Nottingham service. Additional services run at peak times, including some operated by CrossCountry.
Beeston
Beeston railway station is approximately 3 km away. It provides regular and direct connections to various locations across the United Kingdom.
References
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Attenborough, Nottinghamshire. |
- ↑ Attenborough Nature Centre
- ↑ Attenborough Day Nursery
- ↑ St. Mary's Church, Attenborough
- ↑ Beeston and District Civic Society Listed buildings
- ↑ Broxtowe Borough Council Election results 2007–10 by ward
- ↑ Nottinghamshire County Council Beeston South & Attenborough election result 2009
- ↑ Notts. History – Ireton's House
- ↑ Chapman, John (1774). Map of Nottinghamshire. ISBN 0-902751-46-8.
| ||||||||||||||||||
