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Anybody know where in Watnall this was? it was built in 1690 and demolished in 1962 so says nottshistory.org.uk. Owned by The Rollestons. There is a Rolleston Crescent opposite the Queens Head in Watnall, wondered if it was there?

http://www.nottshistory.org.uk/Jacks1881/watnall.htm

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I remember back in the 1950's when I was at Beauvale Junior school and a classmate invited me to tea.He lived in the Watnall Lodge which is at the entrance to Watnall Hall.His mother was Canadian and

Hi I have only just found this site and forum. To add some information about Watnall Hall....In the sixties I lived in the cottage a couple of doors away from the Queens Head before the houses were b

I was born in Watnall and used to go to Hollygirt  School in Nottingham.  At that time the school had both day girls and boarders and the boarders lived at Watnall Hall and were bused into Nottingham

According to the book "Lost Houses of Nottinghamshire" by Philip Jones, he says the site of Watnall Hall lies between numbers 14-27 Rolleston Crescent, Watnall. Rolleston Crescent closely follows the route of the old driveway

If you know the area I presume that might make some sense

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According to the book "Lost Houses of Nottinghamshire" by Philip Jones, he says the site of Watnall Hall lies between numbers 14-27 Rolleston Crescent, Watnall. Rolleston Crescent closely follows the route of the old driveway

If you know the area I presume that might make some sense

ah yes thats where i thought, opposite the Queens Head !! No sign of it now so must have been completely flattened before those houses were built, i think the the late 70s. it looked huge. think i'll have a drive up there, they must go back a lot further than i thought. thanks for that, had never heard of it yet only lived 4 miles away all my life!!

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  • 2 months later...

Anybody know where in Watnall this was? it was built in 1690 and demolished in 1962 so says nottshistory.org.uk. Owned by The Rollestons. There is a Rolleston Crescent opposite the Queens Head in Watnall, wondered if it was there?

http://www.nottshistory.org.uk/Jacks1881/watnall.htm

Yes, I knew Watnall Hall well. It had beautiful grounds. The main gateway was at the junction of Trough road and Main St. There was a 'Lodge' then it stretched down the Main St. to the tradesmen entrance opposite the road leading to WATNALL pit.I can tell you alot more if you want to know. From tambourine2 in Australia

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Ayup Tambourine2, welcome abpoard.

Now don't hide make yourself comfy , sit down and "tell us sommat abaht yusen"

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Re it's demolition, around 1964 I recall some corner property being demolished there, seem to recall leaded light type windows and old hand made bricks? only took an interest after seeing a ghost just before there (have posted re such somewhere on here) and before anyone scoffs I know what I saw! (plus landlord at log cabin said a regular sighting) :Vampire:

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hey Mr Tambourine man........... ooop sorry. yes please tell me more about Watnall hall. im moving to Watnall in a couple of weeks. i notice the lodge is still there its up for sale on rightmove at the moment http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-27645847.html

well i think thats it. been extended quite a bit by the look of it. where was the pit?

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Ayup Tambourine2, welcome abpoard.

Now don't hide make yourself comfy , sit down and "tell us sommat abaht yusen"

A lot to tell. In the fifties I cycled around Nttm as a district nurse. So you see I am an old womane, not that conversant with the iternet, if I make mistakes you will know why. Have only just found this site and very pleased I did. Came to the land of OZ in1961. Enough 'abaht me sen"

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hey Mr Tambourine man........... ooop sorry. yes please tell me more about Watnall hall. im moving to Watnall in a couple of weeks. i notice the lodge is still there its up for sale on rightmove at the moment http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-27645847.html

well i think thats it. been extended quite a bit by the look of it. where was the pit?

From tambourine2 Susyshoes I am a woman! OK here we go. the two driveways formed a semi circle to meet at the Hall. Main drive way nice red gravel you came to Hall side entrance in front of which was a huge lawn where garden parties were held. In my day called Fete and Gala's. Sir Lancelot,(Rolleston) mainly opened these. There were egg and spoon races if it was easter, punch and Judy and such like. The chauffeur for the Rollestons made ice cream which was sometimes good other times horrible. The Rolleston's had a Rolls Royce about 1930 vintage - they were never driven at more than 20 miles an hour. Lady Maud ran a Sunday School for the village children that I attended for many years. We had to use the tradesman's entrance, this meant a walk of an extra half mile or so. On the left of this were open field and Watnall wood. On the right old stables etc. We entered the hall by the back door up worn sandstone steps - our room held chairs and a harmonium which Lady Maud played the hymns on. The gardens were lovely and the picture on the net must be an early one - When I knew the Hall the main front doors opened onto worn flag stones and went forward to a sunken garden down a dozen or so steps. There was a fish pond surrounded by lawn and shrubs - on the left of this a gate to a rose garden of quite some length with standard roses and trees. All these gardens were walled and behind the wall was a large orchard. At the back of the Hall the ground rose steeply, probably had been leveled for the building. Over this lay fields and quite close to the hall a burial ground enclosed by iron railings -- it was the family grave ground. I woder what happened to that when this gracious place was demolished. I walked the site in 1970 and could not believe my eyes. Not a brick or flower to say what had been there. Vandalism of the first degree. I hope your move to Watnall is a ggood one - my heart is there and I wish I was moviing withyou.

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From tambourine2 Susyshoes I am a woman!

hello again and yes I saw that as soon as i had posted!!! Apologies.

Thats so interesting thank you. You're right, there is nothing there now to remind you that the hall ever existed, except for the very extended house on my previous link that i think was the Lodge. The small housing estate that was built on the land has roads named after the locals ie Rolleston Crescent and lancelot Drive. I'm looking forward to going exploring in what's left of the woods. it has recently been 're vamped' and its looking good. Whereabouts was the pit? was it on the same side as the hall but further down the main road towards Moorgreen? Or was it on the other side of the road. i cant seem to find any pointers for that.

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The colliery was classed as one of the Eastwood Collieries, so probably closer to Eastwood than Watnall.

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If you know where the brickworks are, the Watnall Colliery was at side of it.

NCCC001890.jpg

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well i never knew that!. Used to go to the brickworks lots in the 80s when the Sunday market was there but never realised there had been a pit there too.

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Where the brickworks were, they inc the chimneys were demolished a couple? of years ago, my son lives at Eastwood and couple of years ago demolished an internal wall, all the bricks were stamped NCB Watnall, wish I'd kept some now! Read some years ago the chimneys were somehow camouflaged so as not to be seen from the air during WW2?

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During the search I found photos of the chimneys on their way down. Seems the brickworks and colliery were the Watnall Colliery and Brickworks Company, coal from the pit was used to "fire" the bricks. Not unusual, as when the industry was nationalised, the NCB became owners of dozens of brickworks and kept them running to provide the tons of bricks needed underground at their collieries.

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  • 1 month later...
All these gardens were walled and behind the wall was a large orchard. At the back of the Hall the ground rose steeply, probably had been leveled for the building. Over this lay fields and quite close to the hall a burial ground enclosed by iron railings -- it was the family grave ground. I woder what happened to that when this gracious place was demolished. I walked the site in 1970 and could not believe my eyes. Not a brick or flower to say what had been there.

The family burial plot is still there in the middle of a cow field and looks like it is still maintained. It is a walled plot with railings with a huge tree in the middle of it.

it is visable on google maps

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Well better late than never I suppose. I lived in Watnall from 1964 to 1980, my parents are still there and my grandparents used to live in the house next to the Queens Head. and owned the land behind it going right down to Long Lane. To get back to the point, my brother and I used to play where the Hall used to be, I believe it was actually demolished in 1962 and we used to play in one of the old air raid shelters that was also in the grounds. My best friend, who used to live at the pub, and I often played in the field behind where the family cemetary can still be found. And also in Bluebell wood to the left of the Hall.The houses on Rolleston Drive were built very shortly after Rolls Royce closed the airfield at Hucknall. Before that nothing higher than a bungalow was permitted if in direct line with the runway as the transporters couldn't get the height to clear a house....I remember seeing them seemingly headed straight for our front window!!! Always had great views of the air displays which they used to hold in the 60's and 70's too.

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Just had a quick shufti at G oo gle Earth and found the family graveyard to the rear of Rolleston Crescent as suggested, I also found 5 more places that appear fenced off, anybody any ideas as to what they would be ?

8333719562_d17ddef42e_b.jpg

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