South Leverton
Encyclopedia
South Leverton is a village and civil parish in Bassetlaw
, north Nottinghamshire
, England
, four miles from Retford
. According to the 2001 census it has a population of 478.
in the east and Grove
in the west. The parish boundary stretches right to the perimeter of the power station itself, along Cottam Road. To the north is North Leverton with Habblesthorpe
and Treswell
is to the south. Cottam Power Station is actually in the parish of Treswell. The division between South and North Leverton is the level crossing of the railway that runs through the parish, and eventually to a power station
two miles to the south-east.
line that went from Retford
over the Trent
to Lincoln Central
; it now takes a longer route via Gainsborough Lea Road
.
to be known as the Cottam Wind Farm, comprising up to twelve wind turbines up to 145m in height, is proposed to be built between the village and Cottam by the German company Prowind. Most of it will be in the east of the parish, with only one turbine in Cottam parish. This form of power generation will complement the large coal- and gas-fired power stations at Cottam and West Burton.
, from where it is transferred by rail to be refined at Immingham
. Because of its quality, it is used for the production of chemicals and plastics, rather than for fuel. Oil was discovered at South Leverton in the late 1950s or early 1960s, after Dr Mosaddeq took power in Iran
and nationalised the oil industry there. Displaced engineers working for British Petroleum returned to the UK, and South Leverton was one of several oilfields which were identified at that time as a result of their exploration skills.
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...
, north 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...
, four miles from Retford
Retford
Retford is a market town in Nottinghamshire in the East Midlands of England, located 31 miles from the city of Nottingham, and 23 miles west of Lincoln, in the district of Bassetlaw. The town is situated in a valley with the River Idle and the Chesterfield Canal running through the centre of the...
. According to the 2001 census it has a population of 478.
Geography
South Leverton has a village hall, public house and private school called Orchard School. The parish covers a large area in an east-west direction, stetching across to CottamCottam, Nottinghamshire
Cottam is a village in Nottinghamshire 8 miles east of Retford. The village church of Holy Trinity is Norman in origin, restored in 1869 and again in 1890 with the addition of a bell turret. To the south of the village is Cottam Power Station with 8 cooling towers, built between 1964 and...
in the east and Grove
Grove, Nottinghamshire
Grove is a small village, lying about 2 miles south-west of Retford, Nottinghamshire. In fact, the parklands of Grove Hall separate it from Retford town, and a set of gates for Grove Hall can be found near the London Road, the A638....
in the west. The parish boundary stretches right to the perimeter of the power station itself, along Cottam Road. To the north is North Leverton with Habblesthorpe
North Leverton with Habblesthorpe
North Leverton with Habblesthorpe is a village and civil parish in the English county of Nottinghamshire.Unlike other civil parishes with a name of the form "X with Y", North Leverton with Habblesthorpe is shown as such on Ordnance Survey maps and thus has the longest name of a village in England...
and Treswell
Treswell, Nottinghamshire
Treswell is a village in north Nottinghamshire in England. The village is under the administration of Bassetlaw Council and Treswell parish council...
is to the south. Cottam Power Station is actually in the parish of Treswell. The division between South and North Leverton is the level crossing of the railway that runs through the parish, and eventually to a power station
Cottam Power Station
The Cottam power stations are a pair of power stations, located on the River Trent at Cottam near Retford in Nottinghamshire. The largest of the two is a coal-fired power station, which was commissioned in 1969 by the Central Electricity Generating Board, and has a generating capacity of 1,970...
two miles to the south-east.
History
The parish church is All Saints,dating fom the 12th century. The village pub is The Plough and is the centre of much village activity. The Railway Inn, formerly next to the level crossing and in the parish, has been demolished. Leverton railway station closed to passengers in 1959, and was on the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire RailwayManchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway
The Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway was formed by amalgamation in 1847. The MS&LR changed its name to the Great Central Railway in 1897 in anticipation of the opening in 1899 of its London Extension.-Origin:...
line that went from Retford
Retford railway station
Retford railway station serves the town of Retford in Nottinghamshire, England. and is 223 km north of London Kings Cross and 28 km south of Doncaster on the East Coast Main Line...
over 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...
to Lincoln Central
Lincoln Central railway station
Lincoln Central railway station serves the city of Lincoln in Lincolnshire, England. The station is operated by East Midlands Trains, who provide services along with Northern Rail and East Coast....
; it now takes a longer route via Gainsborough Lea Road
Gainsborough Lea Road railway station
Gainsborough Lea Road railway station is the major station in the town of Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, England. The town's other station is Gainsborough Central...
.
Wind farm
A wind farmWind farm
A wind farm is a group of wind turbines in the same location used to produce electric power. A large wind farm may consist of several hundred individual wind turbines, and cover an extended area of hundreds of square miles, but the land between the turbines may be used for agricultural or other...
to be known as the Cottam Wind Farm, comprising up to twelve wind turbines up to 145m in height, is proposed to be built between the village and Cottam by the German company Prowind. Most of it will be in the east of the parish, with only one turbine in Cottam parish. This form of power generation will complement the large coal- and gas-fired power stations at Cottam and West Burton.
Opposition
The South Leverton Parish Council conducted a survey to find out the level of support for the wind farm to the east of the village. Out of 305 votes cast (approximately two thirds of the total population), 299 votes (98.0%) were opposed to the plans. The South Leverton Parish Council said that it was "very pleased with the large number of parishioners who voted" and with the "overwhelming vote against the development", and that the data "completely contradicts the developer's assertion that 50% of the villagers were in favour of the wind farm."Oilfield
South Leverton gives its name to the oilfield which runs beneath it, although the well heads are located in nearby Treswell. The field produces high-grade crude oil, which is taken by road to a collection centre at GainsboroughGainsborough, Lincolnshire
Gainsborough is a town 15 miles north-west of Lincoln on the River Trent within the West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. At one time it served as an important port with trade downstream to Hull, and was the most inland in England, being more than 55 miles from the North...
, from where it is transferred by rail to be refined at Immingham
Immingham
Immingham is a town in North East Lincolnshire, located on the south bank of the Humber Estuary...
. Because of its quality, it is used for the production of chemicals and plastics, rather than for fuel. Oil was discovered at South Leverton in the late 1950s or early 1960s, after Dr Mosaddeq took power in Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
and nationalised the oil industry there. Displaced engineers working for British Petroleum returned to the UK, and South Leverton was one of several oilfields which were identified at that time as a result of their exploration skills.