Nottingham Hill

[poohbear 1,360]

This from around 1790...

"Lines of fortification" Which sounds like a typical hill fort of the bronze age using ditch and rampart.He uses the word 'are'...so they existed around 1790.As for three or four barrows...I thought the nearest to Nottingham were Lowdham and Oxton.

Now where is this 'Nottingham Hill'? Ruddington hills are too far away to be 'About a mile from Nottingham'

Derby Road and Mansfield road were 'the Sandhills' not I would have thought suitable for barrows.

Woodborough Road hill was known as Tod Hill (Fox).... Wells Road hill was heavily forested (The Coppice)

Could it mean Carlton Hill...or Bakersfield? The University (Adams Hill)?

This is the only mention I can find of this...anybody spotted the words 'Nottingham Hill' in any other context or on old maps?

Barrows actually on the edge of Nottingham?...I'd love to know where.

[Michael Booth 7,364]

The only 'Nottingham Hill' that I've found so far is near Bishops Cleeve, Gloucestershire.

[Cliff Ton 10,457]

Not one I've come across before. I've looked on my "Sanderson's 20 miles around Mansfield - 1830s" and no such hill is mentioned.

As you've probably discovered, there is a place called Nottingham Hill in Gloucestershire which is apparently well known as a Bronze Age site, but that is a bit more than "about a mile from Nottingham".

[... 1,411]

A bit far but what about wilford hill

[Rob.L 1,088]

That quote is, I think, from Thoroton so will relate to Nottingham.

http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=76811

[Rob.L 1,088]

The full paragraph in Thoroton:

It appears that our Saxon ancestors distinguished the places of burial of those slain in battle from the ordinary ones by raising over their bodies clods and turves of earth, these places are visible in many counties in England, and are now called Burrows and by some Barrows. About a mile from Nottingham, at a place called Nottingham-hill, are some lines of fortification, between which are three or four of these fort of eminences, which are now called Burrows, in one of which have been found great quantities of human bones.

[DAVIDW 1,681]

Don't think that this is the answer but where is "the Beast Hill" that is named as the site of the Whitefriary in this article quoting another article from 1762 ? Doubt it's a mile away ?

Also like the phrase from the 1775 that workmen were laying in "some rammel " when they found some bones in the Broadmarsh area .

[Rob.L 1,088]

I'd guess that will be Beastmarket Hill, as there was a friary on the site between what is now Friar Lane and St James's Street.

[poohbear 1,360]

The full paragraph in Thoroton:

It appears that our Saxon ancestors distinguished the places of burial of those slain in battle from the ordinary ones by raising over their bodies clods and turves of earth, these places are visible in many counties in England, and are now called Burrows and by some Barrows. About a mile from Nottingham, at a place called Nottingham-hill, are some lines of fortification, between which are three or four of these fort of eminences, which are now called Burrows, in one of which have been found great quantities of human bones.

On this 1880s map of parish boundaries the Lady Bay area was called Burrowhill....coincidence?....I wonder...

[Bilbraborn 1,594]

Could it be Canning Circus. I'm sure I heard it mentioned that it was an old burial ground.

[poohbear 1,360]

The whole area of Canning Circus was part of the Sandhills and not to my mind suitable for the construction of 'sod and earth' burial mounds as described by the historian in the 1790s. I think the answer lies in the Clayfields areas around the town.

"The Derby-Road rock-houses were destroyed in 1740, by Lord Middleton, who improved the hitherto "deep and narrow hollow-way" at his own cost."

The area was indeed a popular place for the burial of suicides and others not approved by the church.The habit being to bury these at crossroads so their sinful souls couldn't find their way back to haunt the living.

[poohbear 1,360]

The following is taken from 'Nottinghamshire History' by Robert Mellors. Maybe this was the site a mile from the town referred to by Thoroton in my opening post. Saxon earthworks and fort with burial mounds?....maybe!

Without information about 'Nottingham Hill' turning up somewhere else I shall just have to be satisfied that this probably was the site referred to.

On the Ladybay estate the old maps showed "Barrow" or "Burrow Hill"; (Query—Had there been a sepulchral ground there?)

In 924 Edward with an army went before Midsummer to Snotinagham, and ordered the construction of a burh, or fortress of earthworks, on the south side of the water, opposite to the other, and a bridge over the Trent between the two fortresses.

Where and what was Edward's fort ? We must assume it to have been only a stockaded fort consisting of earthworks, timber, etc. The Normans afterwards introduced stone fortifications in castles, and towers, but the Saxons lived more simply, and their defences were more cheaply constructed. Assuming the fortress to consist chiefly of earthworks, supported by timber, it is reasonable to suppose that when the works were discarded as out of date, the soil round about where the fort stood would be left a little higher than the surrounding land. If we thus look out we shall find on the north side high ground, and on the south side the Trent Bridge Cricket Ground was said to be higher than the surrounding land, and seldom or never flooded, and between that ground and the bridge there was sufficient space for the fort, and this may have determined the boundary of the two parishes which here meet.

[DAVIDW 1,681]

In "Bygone Notts.," p. 48, Mr. Wm. Stevenson suggests that the "burh," or fortress, which Edward the Elder in 924 ordered to be built for the protection of Trent Bridge, then being constructed, was on Wilford hill. The next hill, which is in Ruddington parish, is on the Ordnance charts called "Mickleborough hill." Both these hills would command the pass on the old great road, which was here cut through, and a "burh" might be deemed desirable for that purpose, but the hill is two or three miles from the bridge.

[Cliff Ton 10,457]

In "Bygone Notts.," p. 48, Mr. Wm. Stevenson suggests that ....... The next hill, which is in Ruddington parish, is on the Ordnance charts called "Mickleborough hill." Both these hills would command the pass on the old great road, which was here cut through, and a "burh" might be deemed desirable for that purpose, but the hill is two or three miles from the bridge.

That rings a bell and might be a better possibility.

In the Compton Acres area of West Bridgford there is also a road called Compton Acres; joining it at one point is a road called Mickleborough Way. Compton Acres - the road - is a steep hill at its southern end, and before the area was developed would have given a great view towards Nottingham. If you look at this Streetview version of the area you'll see what I mean. On your left is a wide panorama of Nottingham, and if you move forwards you'll see Mickleborough Way on your right.

http://goo.gl/maps/MXi35

[DAVIDW 1,681]

A piece from an article in the E.P. 1892 . The left hand column mentions Edward the Elder .

[poohbear 1,360]

I agree the Lady Bay site is not exactly hillfort material, just the opposite,but it is close to the river. It is still possible the area was dotted by ancient burial mounds hence the local name.... Wilford Hill I would have thought would be a much better defensive site, but not exactly local to the bridge.

Interestingly before the cemetery was plotted, an area of previously levelled ground was discovered and several Civil War date cannon balls were dug up.The historian present thought it had been a gun emplacement for cannon. Maybe they were making use of land already previously prepared for defence.

I suppose a battery overlooking the South Road capable of crippling an approaching enemy would have had more tactical advantage than one placed nearer the bridge.

I'm as guilty as anyone of tending to believe what is in print as factual with the accounts available.They being written much closer to the date in question,and the authors having the advantage of seeing the lay of the land before the builders hid everything.

Sometimes though their theories are shown as being mistaken...for instance the Gentleman writing of the cannon balls found on Wilford Hill said they belonged to a battery that was placed to bombard the Castle.He failed to mention exactly what type of cannon in those days could hurl a ball a distance of nearly three miles.