Nottinghamshire

Situated in Central England, and known throughout the world as the legendary home of Robin Hood, the county has a population of around 1,000,000 and covers 843 square miles (2,183 sq km). The county town is Nottingham.

In Nottinghamshire there are the popular towns of Nottingham, West Bridgford and Mansfield.

 

Geography

The countryside is low-lying and very fertile. In the South there is an area of moor land known as the Wolds. The main river is the Trent. Contrasting with the industrial heritage of the coalfields on its western side, much of Nottinghamshire is rural. South of Nottingham, fields and farms stretch all the way down to the Leicestershire border. Around Newark to the East lies rolling countryside dotted with small villages. In the South East the Vale of Belvoir offers a green landscape that is very popular with walkers. In the North West of the county are the remains of Sherwood Forest with its legends of Robin Hood.

 

Industry

Cereal crops and sugar beets are grown. Dairying is extensive, and sheep are also raised. The Nottinghamshire coalfields extend along the western border but the extent of mining is now declining as the deep mines close. Nottingham is the major population centre and a great deal of industrial development is attracted by its central location and good road and rail connections. The mineral wealth also includes limestone, sandstone, and gravel. Sherwood Forest is an important tourist attraction, which generates a substantial part of the tourist economy.

 

History

The county was a part of the Kingdom of Mercia. Legend places Robin Hood in Sherwood Forest in the 12th century, the time of King Richard the Lion heart and his brother King John. King Charles I unfurled his banner at Nottingham in 1642 and began the civil war which cost him his throne and later his life.