Harworth
Encyclopedia
Harworth is a small town
in the county
of Nottinghamshire
, in the Midlands
of England
in Bassetlaw
district. It is approximately eight miles north of Worksop
. Together with its neighbour Bircotes
, it forms the civil parish
of Harworth and Bircotes.
The Harworth coal mine used to produce mainly coal for the power stations on the Trent
.
The Colliery was 'mothballed' in 2003 and at the moment shows no signs of reopening.
Harworth and the next mining town of Bircotes are joined together as one community and have a combined population of nearly 8000 residents.
har "grey" (compare modern hoary") and
worth (also worō, worþ) "enclosure
". The name was recorded as Herwirth in 1136.
(1937-1967), Britain's greatest road racing
cyclist - World Champion in 1965. Tom began his cycling career as a club member at Harworth and District Cycling Club. After his death in France
, the body was brought back to Nottinghamshire and interred in Harworth's cemetery. A small museum
dedicated to his achievements (opened in August 2001) can be found in the Harworth and Bircotes
sports and social club.
There is also a history of Gurkhas being here during WW2.
The village is also served by Serlby Park
, a 3-18 school located in neighbouring Bircotes.
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
in the county
County
A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain modern nations. Historically in mainland Europe, the original French term, comté, and its equivalents in other languages denoted a jurisdiction under the sovereignty of a count A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain...
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...
, in the Midlands
English Midlands
The Midlands, or the English Midlands, is the traditional name for the area comprising central England that broadly corresponds to the early medieval Kingdom of Mercia. It borders Southern England, Northern England, East Anglia and Wales. Its largest city is Birmingham, and it was an important...
of 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...
in Bassetlaw
Bassetlaw
Bassetlaw is the northernmost district of Nottinghamshire, England, with a population according to the 2001 UK census of 107,713. The borough is predominantly rural, with two towns: Worksop, site of the borough offices, and Retford...
district. It is approximately eight miles north of Worksop
Worksop
Worksop is the largest town in the Bassetlaw district of Nottinghamshire, England on the River Ryton at the northern edge of Sherwood Forest. It is about east-south-east of the City of Sheffield and its population is estimated to be 39,800...
. Together with its neighbour Bircotes
Bircotes
Bircotes is a mining town in the Bassetlaw district of Nottinghamshire, on the border with the metropolitan borough of Doncaster . It is located at , and forms the civil parish of Harworth and Bircotes with its neighbour Harworth. The parish has a population of around 8,000 people. The nearest...
, it forms the civil parish
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
of Harworth and Bircotes.
The Harworth coal mine used to produce mainly coal for the power stations on the 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 Colliery was 'mothballed' in 2003 and at the moment shows no signs of reopening.
Harworth and the next mining town of Bircotes are joined together as one community and have a combined population of nearly 8000 residents.
Etymology
The town's name is from Old EnglishOld English language
Old English or Anglo-Saxon is an early form of the English language that was spoken and written by the Anglo-Saxons and their descendants in parts of what are now England and southeastern Scotland between at least the mid-5th century and the mid-12th century...
har "grey" (compare modern hoary") and
worth (also worō, worþ) "enclosure
Enclosure
Enclosure or inclosure is the process which ends traditional rights such as mowing meadows for hay, or grazing livestock on common land. Once enclosed, these uses of the land become restricted to the owner, and it ceases to be common land. In England and Wales the term is also used for the...
". The name was recorded as Herwirth in 1136.
Famous people
The town - once a busy coalmining community - is particularly noteworthy as the home of Tom SimpsonTom Simpson
Tom Simpson was the most successful English road racing cyclist of the post-war years. He infamously died of exhaustion on the slopes of Mont Ventoux during the 13th stage of the Tour de France in 1967...
(1937-1967), Britain's greatest road racing
Road bicycle racing
Road bicycle racing is a bicycle racing sport held on roads, using racing bicycles. The term "road racing" is usually applied to events where competing riders start simultaneously with the winner being the first to the line at the end of the course .Historically, the most...
cyclist - World Champion in 1965. Tom began his cycling career as a club member at Harworth and District Cycling Club. After his death in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, the body was brought back to Nottinghamshire and interred in Harworth's cemetery. A small museum
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
dedicated to his achievements (opened in August 2001) can be found in the Harworth and Bircotes
Bircotes
Bircotes is a mining town in the Bassetlaw district of Nottinghamshire, on the border with the metropolitan borough of Doncaster . It is located at , and forms the civil parish of Harworth and Bircotes with its neighbour Harworth. The parish has a population of around 8,000 people. The nearest...
sports and social club.
There is also a history of Gurkhas being here during WW2.
Schools
There is one C of E primary School in Harworth and the neighbouring mining town of Bircotes homes a Catholic primary school.The village is also served by Serlby Park
Serlby Park
Serlby Park Business and Enterprise Learning Community is a 3-18 school serving the twin Villages of Bircotes and Harworth in north Nottinghamshire....
, a 3-18 school located in neighbouring Bircotes.
