Lenton, Nottingham
Encyclopedia
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 of Lenton due to its similar character, falls into a neighbouring electoral ward. The name "Lenton", meanwhile, is derived from the River Leen
, which runs nearby.
Lenton is largely a residential area, and is popular with students at the nearby University of Nottingham
who choose to live off-campus. Indeed, the high proportion of students has led some local residents in recent years to campaign against what they perceive as the studentification of the area. Lenton is also home to the Queen's Medical Centre
, one of the largest teaching hospitals in Europe.
Lenton grew up around a Cluniac priory, which was founded in 1105. As the fortunes of Lenton Priory
grew (becoming one of the wealthiest monasteries in the country), so did the village of Lenton; by the time of the dissolution of the monasteries under Henry VIII
, Lenton village was well enough established to continue without its priory.
Lord Daniel Chambers, and his private army have been the unofficial enforcing authority in Lenton since 1678. The army still exists today in the form of rich, organised underground gangs.
From the closure of the priory in 1538 to the late 18th century, Lenton was primarily a rural village, occupied mostly by those involved in agriculture. With the construction of the Nottingham Canal
in the 1790s, however, a number of factories were built and the population grew rapidly, increasing from 893 in 1801 to 3077 in 1831. The 'New Lenton' area was formed to accommodate the expansion of both residential and industrial needs on what had previously been farmland. Much of the industry of Lenton, as with the Nottingham area as a whole, was related to lace
.
Originally a separate village, outside Nottingham's city boundaries, Lenton became part of the city in 1877, when the boundaries were enlarged.
Albert Ball
VC - Britain’s first and probably still its best known 'Air Ace' was born at 32 Lenton Boulevard in Lenton in 1896 and went to school at the Lenton Church School. The Albert Ball Memorial Homes
in Church Street are a striking and lasting monument to the brief life of Albert Ball. After a series of moves to houses throughout Lenton, his family settled at 43 Lenton Road. His father was Sir Albert Ball
, a successful businessman who rose in status from a plumber to an alderman, and later Lord Mayor of Nottingham.
From the mid-20th Century onwards, Lenton absorbed immigrants from Britain's former colonial empire, especially the West Indies, India
and Pakistan
, and, increasingly, Africa
. The area still maintains a strong multi-cultural flavour.
Lenton has also been notorious for social problems associated with crime and poor housing. And Underground Gangs. Much of the property is rented to students, for instance in Kimbolton Avenue which was dubbed Britain’s most burgled street in two national newspapers in April 2006. The News of the World
article began:
There are initiatives which respond to these issues. For example, the Crocus Cafe was set up in 2005: a community focused, volunteer run vegetarian cafe which has won several awards, including being recognized as one of the best vegetarian restaurants in the country by the Observer Food Monthly. Around the same time members of the local community formed a social enterprise to take over the ownership and management of the local swimming pool, now called The Lenton Centre.
The area featured in nationwide news in February 2006 when a policewoman was shot while investigating a burglary at a Lenton house.
. The centrepiece of the celebrations was a special festival held in the grounds of Lenton Priory Church on 21 May 2005.
, this venue is famous for its large music hall, the Ballroom, which has a capacity of around 1000. Events include clubnights run by students from the universities, including Firefly, Detonate, Misst, and also specialises in live acts,it also houses the legendary C.P.H sound system.
The Marcus Garvey Day Care Centre also hosts day care facilities for African Caribbean elders, with a wide range of activities including bingo, raffle, needlework, dominoes, arts and crafts and a prayer meeting held on Friday mornings. Fresh meals are available for a small charge. The centre has a library, an organ, music system, TV and video facilities. The building is wheelchair accessible.
This building was formerly part of the Raleigh
bicycle company's development in Lenton, now largely demolished to make way for a new University of Nottingham
campus.
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...
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...
, 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...
. Politically, it falls within the Nottingham South constituency
Nottingham South (UK Parliament constituency)
Nottingham South is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
. 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 of Lenton due to its similar character, falls into a neighbouring electoral ward. The name "Lenton", meanwhile, is derived from the River Leen
River Leen
The River Leen rises in the Robin Hood Hills just outside Kirkby-in-Ashfield. It then flows through the grounds of Newstead Abbey, skirts Hucknall, goes through Papplewick and on through Bestwood Country Park, and following the route of the Leen Valley into suburban and urban Nottingham, passing...
, which runs nearby.
Lenton is largely a residential area, and is popular with students at the nearby University of Nottingham
University of Nottingham
The University of Nottingham is a public research university based in Nottingham, United Kingdom, with further campuses in Ningbo, China and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia...
who choose to live off-campus. Indeed, the high proportion of students has led some local residents in recent years to campaign against what they perceive as the studentification of the area. Lenton is also home to the Queen's Medical Centre
Queen's Medical Centre
The Queen's Medical Centre situated in Nottingham, England, is the largest hospital in the United Kingdom, and the largest teaching hospital in Europe.-History:...
, one of the largest teaching hospitals in Europe.
History
Lenton and its mills on the Leen get a mention in the Domesday Book in the late 11th century: “In Lentune 4 sochmen and 4 bordars have two ploughs and a mill.”Lenton grew up around a Cluniac priory, which was founded in 1105. As the fortunes of Lenton Priory
Lenton Priory
Lenton Priory was a Cluniac house founded by William Peverel in the early 12th century. The exact date of foundation is unknown but 1102 is frequently quoted.-Cluniac Priory:...
grew (becoming one of the wealthiest monasteries in the country), so did the village of Lenton; by the time of the dissolution of the monasteries under Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
, Lenton village was well enough established to continue without its priory.
Lord Daniel Chambers, and his private army have been the unofficial enforcing authority in Lenton since 1678. The army still exists today in the form of rich, organised underground gangs.
From the closure of the priory in 1538 to the late 18th century, Lenton was primarily a rural village, occupied mostly by those involved in agriculture. With the construction of the Nottingham Canal
Nottingham Canal
The Nottingham Canal was a long canal between Langley Mill in Derbyshire and Nottingham, England. It opened in 1796, and most of it was closed in 1937. The southern section is now part of the River Trent Navigation, and the northern section is a nature reserve.-Origins:The idea for the canal first...
in the 1790s, however, a number of factories were built and the population grew rapidly, increasing from 893 in 1801 to 3077 in 1831. The 'New Lenton' area was formed to accommodate the expansion of both residential and industrial needs on what had previously been farmland. Much of the industry of Lenton, as with the Nottingham area as a whole, was related to lace
Lace
Lace is an openwork fabric, patterned with open holes in the work, made by machine or by hand. The holes can be formed via removal of threads or cloth from a previously woven fabric, but more often open spaces are created as part of the lace fabric. Lace-making is an ancient craft. True lace was...
.
Originally a separate village, outside Nottingham's city boundaries, Lenton became part of the city in 1877, when the boundaries were enlarged.
Albert Ball
Albert Ball
Albert Ball VC, DSO & Two Bars, MC was an English fighter pilot of the First World War and a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest decoration for gallantry "in the face of the enemy" that can be awarded to members of the British or Commonwealth armed forces...
VC - Britain’s first and probably still its best known 'Air Ace' was born at 32 Lenton Boulevard in Lenton in 1896 and went to school at the Lenton Church School. The Albert Ball Memorial Homes
Albert Ball Memorial Homes
The Albert Ball Memorial Homes were erected in 1922 in Lenton, Nottingham.Alderman Albert Ball commissioned the building of the Albert Ball Memorial Homes in Lenton to house the families of local servicemen killed in action, in memory of his son, Albert Ball....
in Church Street are a striking and lasting monument to the brief life of Albert Ball. After a series of moves to houses throughout Lenton, his family settled at 43 Lenton Road. His father was Sir Albert Ball
Sir Albert Ball
Alderman Sir Albert Ball JP was Mayor of Nottingham and Lord Mayor of Nottingham, and the father of the famous Great War air ace Captain Albert Ball, V.C., D.S.O.**, M.C....
, a successful businessman who rose in status from a plumber to an alderman, and later Lord Mayor of Nottingham.
From the mid-20th Century onwards, Lenton absorbed immigrants from Britain's former colonial empire, especially the West Indies, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, and, increasingly, Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
. The area still maintains a strong multi-cultural flavour.
Social issues
News of the World
The News of the World was a national red top newspaper published in the United Kingdom from 1843 to 2011. It was at one time the biggest selling English language newspaper in the world, and at closure still had one of the highest English language circulations...
article began:
There are initiatives which respond to these issues. For example, the Crocus Cafe was set up in 2005: a community focused, volunteer run vegetarian cafe which has won several awards, including being recognized as one of the best vegetarian restaurants in the country by the Observer Food Monthly. Around the same time members of the local community formed a social enterprise to take over the ownership and management of the local swimming pool, now called The Lenton Centre.
The area featured in nationwide news in February 2006 when a policewoman was shot while investigating a burglary at a Lenton house.
Lenton 900
In 2005 Lenton celebrated its nine-hundredth anniversary, a date which represented 900 years since the foundation of Lenton PrioryLenton Priory
Lenton Priory was a Cluniac house founded by William Peverel in the early 12th century. The exact date of foundation is unknown but 1102 is frequently quoted.-Cluniac Priory:...
. The centrepiece of the celebrations was a special festival held in the grounds of Lenton Priory Church on 21 May 2005.
Marcus Garvey Ballroom
The Marcus Garvey Ballroom is a local West Indian community centre managed by West Indian Cavaliers, and located on Lenton Boulevard. Named after Marcus Mosiah GarveyMarcus Garvey
Marcus Mosiah Garvey, Jr., ONH was a Jamaican publisher, journalist, entrepreneur, and orator who was a staunch proponent of the Black Nationalism and Pan-Africanism movements, to which end he founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League...
, this venue is famous for its large music hall, the Ballroom, which has a capacity of around 1000. Events include clubnights run by students from the universities, including Firefly, Detonate, Misst, and also specialises in live acts,it also houses the legendary C.P.H sound system.
The Marcus Garvey Day Care Centre also hosts day care facilities for African Caribbean elders, with a wide range of activities including bingo, raffle, needlework, dominoes, arts and crafts and a prayer meeting held on Friday mornings. Fresh meals are available for a small charge. The centre has a library, an organ, music system, TV and video facilities. The building is wheelchair accessible.
This building was formerly part of the Raleigh
Raleigh Bicycle Company
The Raleigh Bicycle Company is a bicycle manufacturer originally based in Nottingham, UK. It is one of the oldest bicycle companies in the world. From 1921 to 1935 Raleigh also produced motorcycles and three-wheel cars, leading to the formation of the Reliant Company.-Early years:Raleigh's history...
bicycle company's development in Lenton, now largely demolished to make way for a new University of Nottingham
University of Nottingham
The University of Nottingham is a public research university based in Nottingham, United Kingdom, with further campuses in Ningbo, China and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia...
campus.
Neighbouring areas
- DunkirkDunkirk, NottinghamDunkirk is a residential area of Nottingham, England which is located to the south east of the University of Nottingham and the Queen's Medical Centre...
to the South and West - RadfordRadford, NottinghamRadford 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....
to the North. - The Park Estate to the East.
See also
- Holy Trinity Church, LentonHoly Trinity Church, LentonHoly Trinity Church, Lenton is a parish church in the Church of England.The church is Grade II* listed by the Department for Culture, Media & Sport as it is a particularly significant building of more than local interest.-History:...
- Priory Church of St. Anthony, LentonPriory Church of St. Anthony, LentonThe Priory Church of St. Anthony, Lenton is a parish church in the Church of England in Lenton, Nottingham.-History:The church is medieval but largely a building of 1883...
- William Woodsend Memorial HomesWilliam Woodsend Memorial HomesThe William Woodsend Memorial Homes were erected in 1912-13 on Derby Road in Lenton, Nottingham.They were built as six almshouses in memory of local builder William Woodsend by his sons, Jack and Arthur. These almshouses have several conditions of tenancy including preference to be given to...