Forest Recreation Ground
Encyclopedia
The Forest Recreation Ground is a recreation ground
in Nottingham
, England
, approximately one mile north of the city centre. This urban space is bounded by the neighbourhoods of Forest Fields
to the north, Mapperley Park to the east, Arboretum to the south and Hyson Green
to the west.
that once extended from the city of Nottingham to the north of Nottinghamshire
. The Forest was the southern most part of Sherwood Forest and was part of the open area known formerly as "The Lings" which, largely covered by gorse and scrub, extended into the parishes of Lenton
, Radford
and Basford
.
The site of The Forest was one of the original areas to be protected in perpetuity by the 1845 Nottingham Inclosure Act
, which set aside some eighty acres (324,000 m²) of Sherwood Forest for public recreational use. In commemoration, the Mayor of Nottingham planted the "Inclosure Oak" which can still be seen at the Mansfield Road entrance to The Forest.
Leading gardener and architect of the nineteenth century Joseph Paxton
was responsible for the criss-cross formation of walkways. Today, these form part of a city-wide network of walks that link various recreation areas, parks and open spaces preserved by the Inclosure Act.
Nottingham Forest Football Club first played their games on the Forest after their formation in 1865, hence the club's name. They last played there in 1898, six years after election to the Football League, when they moved to the City Ground
on the banks of the River Trent
.
The Forest was also home to Nottingham's racecourse before it moved to its current location at Colwick
, south east of Nottingham.
Cricket was also played on the Forest, long before the land was enclosed and either side of the two World Wars.
Standing at the Mansfield Road entrance is Forest Lodge, built in 1857. This Grade 2 listed building was originally used as a Police or Keeper's Lodge and a police cell can still be seen at basement level. A red granite monument stands at the Monument Gate on Forest Road East, commemorating the fallen of the Boer War
.
Each October, the Forest hosts the annual Nottingham Goose Fair
. Other smaller travelling fairs and circuses take place on the recreation ground throughout the year, usually coinciding with local school holidays.
.
Certain parts of the Forest play host to relic meadow flora such as Meadow Foxtail, Smooth-stalked Meadowgrass, Yorkshire Fog, Red Clover, White Clover, Oxeye Daisy, Germander Speedwell and Meadow Saxifrage.
With such an abundance of habitat, the Forest attracts many birds such as Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Mistle Thrush, Tawny Owl, Song Thrush, Great Spotted Woodpecker and Chaffinch.
The caves of the Rock Cemetery are a Geological County Wildlife Site. The thin turf here supports Early and Silver Hair Grass, Harebells, Birdsfoot and Prickly Sedge. Conspicuous insects include Holy Blue and Clouded Yellow butterflies, Hornets and Cock Chafer beetles.
(NET).
.
As at summer 2008, The Forest was the subject of a public consultation to decide on regeneration priorities, to be funded by an expected Heritage Lottery Fund
award. For the last four years, Nottingham City Council
and Nottingham's Partnership Council have worked on plans to restore the parkland to its former glory and to better serve the needs of today's park users. The project is also backed by the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment
(CABE) and by local organisations such as Friends of the Forest.
Plans currently include restoring the lodge and the pavilion, repairing footpaths, improving access to sporting facilities, improving lighting and security, more planting and better activity areas for young people.
Park
A park is a protected area, in its natural or semi-natural state, or planted, and set aside for human recreation and enjoyment, or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. It may consist of rocks, soil, water, flora and fauna and grass areas. Many parks are legally protected by...
in Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, approximately one mile north of the city centre. This urban space is bounded by the neighbourhoods of Forest Fields
Forest Fields
Forest Fields is an inner-city area of the City of Nottingham in the county of Nottinghamshire, England.-Geography:The area is known to be very multicultural and is located just North of the city centre, in between the areas of Hyson Green, Basford and Sherwood, close to the site of Nottingham's...
to the north, Mapperley Park to the east, Arboretum to the south and Hyson Green
Hyson Green
Hyson Green is an area of Nottingham, England. It is the second most popular shopping area after the city centre and is now home to a variety of cultures with a thriving local economy...
to the west.
History
The name "Forest" derives comes from medieval times when the land that is now a recreation ground was part of the Sherwood ForestSherwood Forest
Sherwood Forest is a Royal Forest in Nottinghamshire, England, that is famous through its historical association with the legend of Robin Hood. Continuously forested since the end of the Ice Age, Sherwood Forest National Nature Reserve today encompasses 423 hectares surrounding the village of...
that once extended from the city of Nottingham to the north of Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire is a county in the East Midlands of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west...
. The Forest was the southern most part of Sherwood Forest and was part of the open area known formerly as "The Lings" which, largely covered by gorse and scrub, extended into the parishes of Lenton
Lenton, Nottingham
Lenton is an area of the City of Nottingham in the county of Nottinghamshire, England. Politically, it falls within the Nottingham South constituency. Most of the area lies within the electoral ward of "Dunkirk and Lenton", however the "Lenton Triangle" area, considered by most residents to be part...
, Radford
Radford, Nottingham
Radford is an inner-city area of Nottingham, located just outside the city centre itself.-History:Radford is bounded on the south by Lenton and Nottingham, and comprises around of land....
and Basford
Basford, Nottingham
Basford is a suburb in northern Nottingham. Basford parish was absorbed into Nottingham in 1877. It gave its name to the Basford Rural District which existed from 1894 to 1974....
.
The site of The Forest was one of the original areas to be protected in perpetuity by the 1845 Nottingham Inclosure Act
Inclosure Act
The Inclosure or Enclosure Acts were a series of United Kingdom Acts of Parliament which enclosed open fields and common land in the country. They removed previously existing rights of local people to carry out activities in these areas, such as cultivation, cutting hay, grazing animals or using...
, which set aside some eighty acres (324,000 m²) of Sherwood Forest for public recreational use. In commemoration, the Mayor of Nottingham planted the "Inclosure Oak" which can still be seen at the Mansfield Road entrance to The Forest.
Leading gardener and architect of the nineteenth century Joseph Paxton
Joseph Paxton
Sir Joseph Paxton was an English gardener and architect, best known for designing The Crystal Palace.-Early life:...
was responsible for the criss-cross formation of walkways. Today, these form part of a city-wide network of walks that link various recreation areas, parks and open spaces preserved by the Inclosure Act.
Nottingham Forest Football Club first played their games on the Forest after their formation in 1865, hence the club's name. They last played there in 1898, six years after election to the Football League, when they moved to the City Ground
City Ground
The City Ground is a football stadium in the West Bridgford area of Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England, on the banks of the River Trent. It has been home to Nottingham Forest Football Club since 1898, and has a capacity of 30,602 ....
on the banks of the River Trent
River Trent
The River Trent is one of the major rivers of England. Its source is in Staffordshire on the southern edge of Biddulph Moor. It flows through the Midlands until it joins the River Ouse at Trent Falls to form the Humber Estuary, which empties into the North Sea below Hull and Immingham.The Trent...
.
The Forest was also home to Nottingham's racecourse before it moved to its current location at Colwick
Colwick
Colwick is a suburb in the east of Greater Nottingham in England. It forms part of the Nottinghamshire borough of Gedling, although Colwick Country Park is actually within the city boundary. It lies between the River Trent and the railway line, with nearby places being Netherfield , Bakersfield ,...
, south east of Nottingham.
Cricket was also played on the Forest, long before the land was enclosed and either side of the two World Wars.
Standing at the Mansfield Road entrance is Forest Lodge, built in 1857. This Grade 2 listed building was originally used as a Police or Keeper's Lodge and a police cell can still be seen at basement level. A red granite monument stands at the Monument Gate on Forest Road East, commemorating the fallen of the Boer War
Boer War
The Boer Wars were two wars fought between the British Empire and the two independent Boer republics, the Oranje Vrijstaat and the Republiek van Transvaal ....
.
Cultural events
Nottingham Goose Fair
The Nottingham Goose Fair is an annual fun fair held in Nottingham, England, during the first week of October. It is largely provided by travelling fair people...
. Other smaller travelling fairs and circuses take place on the recreation ground throughout the year, usually coinciding with local school holidays.
Sports and recreation
The Forest Recreation Ground boasts floodlit hard surface courts and grass pitches for ball games, and a traditional bowling lawn. There is also an enclosed children's playground. These facilities are maintained by Nottingham City CouncilNottingham City Council
Nottingham City Council is the non-metropolitan district council for the unitary authority of Nottingham in Nottinghamshire. It consists of 55 councillors, representing a total of 20 wards, elected every four years. It is led by Jon Collins, of the majority Labour Party. The deputy leader of the...
.
Flora and fauna
The Forest Recreation Ground supports many important habitats and species. Mature trees include Turkey, English Elm, Common Oak, Sessile Oak, Rowan, Silver Birch, Common Lime and Horse Chestnut. Additionally, there have been more recent plantings of London Plane, Beech, various Maples and Silver Lime. Perennials include Autumn Crocus, Spring Crocus, Bluebell, Ransom, Primrose, Wild Privet, Hazel and Guilder Rose.Certain parts of the Forest play host to relic meadow flora such as Meadow Foxtail, Smooth-stalked Meadowgrass, Yorkshire Fog, Red Clover, White Clover, Oxeye Daisy, Germander Speedwell and Meadow Saxifrage.
With such an abundance of habitat, the Forest attracts many birds such as Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Mistle Thrush, Tawny Owl, Song Thrush, Great Spotted Woodpecker and Chaffinch.
The caves of the Rock Cemetery are a Geological County Wildlife Site. The thin turf here supports Early and Silver Hair Grass, Harebells, Birdsfoot and Prickly Sedge. Conspicuous insects include Holy Blue and Clouded Yellow butterflies, Hornets and Cock Chafer beetles.
Public transport
Located at the northwest corner of the Forest Ground is the Forest Park & Ride and associated tram stop for Nottingham Express TransitNottingham Express Transit
Nottingham Express Transit is a light-rail tramway in the Nottingham area in England. The first line opened to the public on 9 March 2004, having cost £200 million to construct. The scheme took sixteen years from conception to implementation...
(NET).
The future
As with much urban parkland, The Forest has been threatened by development. Proposals for a recreation centre, to be built on the eastern fringes of The Forest, were rejected following public opposition to loss of green space. However, mature trees and greenery at the northwest corner of the ground have been cut down to provide 989 parking spaces for the Park & Ride that serves the "Forest" stop for Nottingham Express TransitNottingham Express Transit
Nottingham Express Transit is a light-rail tramway in the Nottingham area in England. The first line opened to the public on 9 March 2004, having cost £200 million to construct. The scheme took sixteen years from conception to implementation...
.
As at summer 2008, The Forest was the subject of a public consultation to decide on regeneration priorities, to be funded by an expected Heritage Lottery Fund
Heritage Lottery Fund
The Heritage Lottery Fund is a fund established in the United Kingdom under the National Lottery etc. Act 1993. The Fund opened for applications in 1994. It uses money raised through the National Lottery to transform and sustain the UK’s heritage...
award. For the last four years, Nottingham City Council
Nottingham City Council
Nottingham City Council is the non-metropolitan district council for the unitary authority of Nottingham in Nottinghamshire. It consists of 55 councillors, representing a total of 20 wards, elected every four years. It is led by Jon Collins, of the majority Labour Party. The deputy leader of the...
and Nottingham's Partnership Council have worked on plans to restore the parkland to its former glory and to better serve the needs of today's park users. The project is also backed by the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment
Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment
The Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment was an executive non-departmental public body of the UK government, established in 1999. It was funded by both the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Department for Communities and Local Government.-Function:CABE was the...
(CABE) and by local organisations such as Friends of the Forest.
Plans currently include restoring the lodge and the pavilion, repairing footpaths, improving access to sporting facilities, improving lighting and security, more planting and better activity areas for young people.
Friends of the Forest
"Friends of the Forest" is a not-for-profit organisation, funded by donations and public subscription. It supports efforts to maintain The Forest as an accessible, open, green space which has historic importance for the City of Nottingham. Friends of the Forest has worked with Nottingham City Council to prioritize refurbishment and replanting, and to organise voluntary activities that benefit The Forest and increase local awareness of green issues.External links and further reading
- The Forest Recreation Ground
- Nottingham Goose Fair
- Inside the Rock Cemetery
- Nottingham Forest FC Official History
- Nottingham City Council
- Nottingham Express Transit
- Plan of the Forest
- Nottingham Partnership Council
- Forest Recreation ground and Rock Cemetery - photos and information