Bulwell Common - or is it ?


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For the past 60 years or so I have referred to the area of land alongside Hucknall Road (now mostly golf course) as Bulwell Common. (Shown on maps as Bulwell Forest). As have many other local people!

But the City Council say that they have no record of any 'common land' registered in the Bulwell area.

There has certainly been free public access to the area from time immemorial

Does anyone have any further information on the subject, as I have been unable to turn up anything conclusive on internet, local libraries etc.

There was certainly a railway station (now housing estate) called Bulwell Common, with a Bulwell Forest Station on the oppopsite side. But I have also been unable to track down any photographs of the actual Bulwell Common station - other than some showing it in course of construction.

Am wondering how the station came to be so named, if this has never been a Common.

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You'll cop it, our Ben. Radford Red will be gunning for you! 

The Canberra was operated by Rolls-Royce at Hucknall. This was the first accident involving a Canberra. The test pilot Richard Peach, the only crew member, was killed. Chulla

Does this post need archiving? :smile:

Every member of this site has a voice, good bad or indifferant it may turn out to be.

Bip.

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But does anybody have an answer to the question? I wonder if it just acquired that name by the locals calling it a common as in an area being frequently used.

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Always understood that the Golf Club side of the land between Hucknall Road and St Alban's Road was Bulwell Forest, and that adjacent to St Alban's Road was known as Bulwell Common - hence the name of the GC railway station. I have some pics somewhere of the station and various web links, which I'll dig out tomorrow - to coin a phrase...rather tied up tonight...

Cheers

Robt P.

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If there's an area called 'the common' you can almost guarantee that it was before the enclosure act of the late 1700s...I'll have a look around see what I can find

Paul.

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It would appear from this link (Last two paragraphs first page) That in 1228 men of Bullwell were given the common of pasture in the wood of 'Beskwood'

Beskwood being part of Sherwood Forest and belonging to the King...it would appear that the area known now as Bulwell common and Bestwood was part of that forest and the words 'common' and 'forest' have been used by locals over the centuries as being one and the same.

The forest would still belong to the crown but right of pasture for cattle would in this case have been granted to commoners.

Not something encouraged in most Royal forests as grazing of cattle and pigs would be detrimental to the wild game.

http://www.nottshistory.org.uk/articles/me...es/bulwell1.htm

Paul.

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Nice to see the topic getting back on track! Thanks for the information so far

I think most likely explanation is given by Zeb - common useage leading to local name!

But the issue could be important as I believe there is likelihood of a Public Enquiry in the offing relating to certain footpaths and rights of way on and across the Common / Forest

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Isn't there some kind of ancient law that once it has been in use for a certain period of time,

The land reverts to common land by default?

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I always had a period of 21 years in mind, but not sure where I got that from. Hence the oft seen notices on some paths and car parks to indicate that the area is private and not dedicated to public use - or words to that effect. Thus making it clear that the Common use argument cannot be used.

Don't think there are any such notices here though - except one at the beginning of a regularly used footpath warning the public "not to cross the golf course as it is dangerous to do so". But that has fallen down recently.

Perhaps needs the lawyers on this one?

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You will probably find now that a thousand years of lawmaking and strife fought for by our ancestors has been given away by our 'Mother of Parliaments' and is in the hands of a junior clerk in Brussels.

Rule Brittannia...I don't think so.

And it won't matter who you vote for the tossers have given away our heritage.

Paul.

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Ayup everybody... !hand!

Bin 'lurkin' [ 'lookin' actually] for a few days, trying to read all the older posts, this could take forever !

Anyrode, I was born in Owd Basford, lived there 20 years, always known it as Bulwell Common, although a few people called it Bulwell Forest.

I suppose the answer is in the Hucknall road entrance, next to the Wholesale car co. there's a metal archway there which clearly says 'Bulwell Forest',

then there's the Bulwell 'Forest' Golf/Bowls clubs.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/nottingham/content/im...est_400x300.jpg

http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=h...v%3D2%26hl%3Den

http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=h...v%3D2%26hl%3Den

http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=h...v%3D2%26hl%3Den

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Hi Bill

Thanks for the research and suggestions. But am not sure that the sign near the car showroom is the answer to the question, as it has only been installed quite recently. Not sure who commissioned it, and the several other similar 'sculptures'. Possibly the City Council, who perhaps have a hidden agenda to ensure that the Common idea is not perpetuated. They have recently re - leased the golf course to the club at a lucrative rent, and transferred maintenance over to them. Saves them the expense!

As regards the photos that you found, the first two were actually taken by myself, and there are also several others on the Bulwell Common page of my web site, and also in my Gallery on the BBC website (10 photos).

But the area does seem to be generally accepted by us 'oldies' as Bulwell Common, and the station on the Bulwell side was also so named.

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Whilst on the subject of Bulwell Common, does anyone remember this event I have just `discovered'

Re: 1951 Plane Crash I remember the crash of an RAF Canberra onto the railway sidings alongside Bulwell Common

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Yes, I recall the Canberra crash on the sidings - just south of the station near the Kersall Lane/Hucknall Road overbridge.

At that time the Canberra was the RAF's primary medium range bomber, and still subject to some secrecy.

Can't remember if the crew survived but, IIRC, it was based at RAF Wyton, Cambs.

Cheers

Robt P.

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I've always known it as Bulwell Common. My dad did a lot of signwriting at NCV [Nottingham Commericial Vehicles] on Bulwell Common. That name has long gone, I think it's a car dealership now? Anyhoo, I always thought a 'common' was a piece of land that was public and anyone could walk across it?

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Hi Mick, thanks for the welcome, Ow do to you Beefsteak, Tee Bee, great photo's there mate, sorry for duplicating them, didn't notice your website before, too much on here to go through, got there in the end though...

!cheers!

On the subject of the Canberra crash, I have vivid memories of this, although I was very young.

I was at the catholic school on Kersal drive [two single storey wooden huts, [still there]] next to the church, we were having dinner in the hall when the burning jet came over, it narrowly missed the school, clipped the roof of a house on St Albans road, and crashed onto the railway sidings on the other side of the road, the pilot died, he was hailed a hero for staying with his striken plane and preventing it from crashing into residential areas.

There were some photo's of the crash scene in the N-E-P not too long ago, possibly in 'Bygones' ?

Can't find any now though.

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Chats with Mr Google reveal it was in fact a test flight from Hucknall...

http://www.testflyingmemorial.com/1946-70.htm

In date order...scroll down to 13/06/51...

Extracts from Knowhere Contact UK: Bulwell

Re: 1951 Plane Crash by Jeff Read (Member 149684) on 25-Sep-04

I remember the crash of an RAF Canberra onto the railway sidings alongside Bulwell Common. I too lived on Bestwood Estate at the time. From memory the aircraft was trying to make an emergency landing on the Common but struck the chimney of a house and crashed in flames. From memory at least one person died in the accident.

Re: 1951 Plane Crash by peter dalton (Member 153543) on 6-Nov-04

Hi I too was 5 and lived in Piccadilly. I remember the plane coming over and waking up my Dad. I also remember what you say about hitting some chinmney pots. I think a tail section ended up in a rail wagon. I know we all went up ther and had a look, as you do, but apart from that its a bit blurry. I do remember it being so low that the sky darkenned for a moment and the noise was so scary.... Peter

Re: 1951 Plane Crash by Dave Mortimer (Member 172893) on 8-Jun-05

You must have gone to Henry Whipple or Padstow school then - where did you live exactly? I lived on Southglade Road - I think the estate is still there. We used to go train spotting on the common and the wagon works line that ran over Marble Arch. I also used to run or bike over to Hucknall aerodrome to watch all sorts of planes. The Canberra crash doesn't seem to feature on any historical websites - I get the impression it was all hushed up at the time.

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Thanks for that link Rob (Ian said sarcastically) I have just spent the best part of an hour reading and cross referencing just a few of those entries, to find out what some of those planes actually looked like.(Before realising there are hundreds of others!!) At least a weeks work there , facinating , cheers Rob.

Ian

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Tee Bee, great photo's there mate, sorry for duplicating them, didn't notice your website before, too much on here to go through, got there in the end though...

!cheers!

No apology needed as regards the photo's, just delighted to see that they have made it on to Google and that someone else has found them! New to this site myself, and still trying to 'get to grips' with it all. There's so much to it! !yada!

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