View source for Nottinghamshire

{{Short description|County of England}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}}
{{Infobox English county
| official_name = Nottinghamshire
| image_main = {{multiple images|border=infobox|perrow=1 2 2 1|total_width=270px
  | image1 = Statue of Robin Hood in Sherwood Forest (9464).jpg
  | image2 = Southwell Minster - geograph.org.uk - 43532.jpg
  | image3 = Nottingham Council House - geograph.org.uk - 2943238 (cropped).jpg
   }}
| image_caption = Statue of [[Robin Hood]] in [[Sherwood Forest]], [[Southwell Minster]], and the [[Nottingham Council House|Council House]] in [[Nottingham]]
| arms_image = 
| arms_link = 
| motto = 
| locator_map = Nottinghamshire UK locator map 2010.svg
| map_caption = Nottinghamshire within England
| coordinates = {{coord|53|N|1|W|region:GB-NTT_type:adm1st|display=title,inline}}
| region = [[East Midlands]]
| established_date = [[Historic counties of England|Ancient]]
| established_by = 
| preceded_by = 
| origin = 
| lord_lieutenant_office = Lord Lieutenant of Nottinghamshire
| lord_lieutenant_name = Lady Veronica Pickering
| high_sheriff_office = High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire
| high_sheriff_name = Nick Rubins (2024/25)
| area_total_km2 = 2160
| area_total_rank = 27th
| ethnicity = {{ubl|93% White|3% Asian|2.1% Mixed|1.2% Black|0.7% Other}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Nottinghamshire Demographics {{!}} Age, Ethnicity, Religion, Wellbeing |url=https://www.varbes.com/demographics/nottinghamshire-demographics |website=Varbes |access-date=10 February 2023 |language=en-gb}}</ref>
| county_council = [[Nottinghamshire County Council]]
| unitary_council = 
| unitary_council1 = 
| government = 
| joint_committees = 
| admin_hq = [[County Hall, Nottinghamshire|County Hall, West Bridgford]]
| area_council_km2 = 2084.7
| area_council_rank = 24th
| iso_code = GB-NTT
| gss_code = E10000024
| nuts_code = TLF15/16
| districts_map = [[File:Nottinghamshire numbered districts.svg|200px]]
| districts_key = {{Colorsample|#FEFE77}} Unitary {{Colorsample|#FEC1E9}} County council area
| districts_list = #[[Nottingham]]
#[[Bassetlaw District|Bassetlaw]]
#[[Mansfield District|Mansfield]]
#[[Newark and Sherwood]]
#[[Ashfield District|Ashfield]]
#[[Borough of Gedling|Gedling]]
#[[Borough of Broxtowe|Broxtowe]]
#[[Rushcliffe]]
| MPs = [[List of parliamentary constituencies in Nottinghamshire|8 MPs]]
| police = [[Nottinghamshire Police]]
| website = {{URL|https://nottinghamshire.gov.uk}}
}}
'''Nottinghamshire''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|n|ɒ|t|ɪ|ŋ|ə|m|ʃ|ər|,_|-|ʃ|ɪər}};<ref name=CollinsDictionary>{{cite web|url=https://www.CollinsDictionary.com/dictionary/english/nottinghamshire|title=Definition of 'Nottinghamshire' – British English pronunciation|website=www.CollinsDictionary.com|publisher=[[Collins English Dictionary]]|access-date=23 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171224101341/https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/nottinghamshire|archive-date=24 December 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> abbreviated ''Notts.'') is a [[ceremonial county]] in the [[East Midlands]] of England. The county is bordered by [[South Yorkshire]] to the north-west, [[Lincolnshire]] to the east, [[Leicestershire]] to the south, and [[Derbyshire]] to the west. The largest settlement is the city of [[Nottingham]].

The county has an area of {{Convert|2160|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}} and had an estimated population of {{English cerem counties|POP=Nottinghamshire}} in {{English cerem counties|POP=|TXT=Year}}. Nottingham is located in the south-west, which is the most densely populated part of the county. Other settlements include [[Worksop]] in the north-east, [[Newark-on-Trent]] in the east, and [[Mansfield]] in the west. For [[Local government in England|local government]] purposes Nottinghamshire comprises a [[non-metropolitan county]], with seven districts, and the Nottingham [[Unitary authorities of England|unitary authority]] area. The [[East Midlands Combined County Authority]] includes [[Nottinghamshire County Council]] and [[Nottingham City Council]].

The geography of Nottinghamshire is largely defined by the [[River Trent]], which forms a wide valley which crosses the county from the south-west to the north-east. North of this, in the centre of the county, is [[Sherwood Forest]], the remnant of a large [[ancient woodland]].

==History==
{{Main|History of Nottinghamshire}}Nottinghamshire lies on the [[Roman Britain|Roman]] [[Fosse Way]], and there are Roman settlements in the county; for example at [[Mansfield]], and forts such as at the [[Broxtowe Estate]] in [[Bilborough]]. The county was settled by [[Angles (tribe)|Angles]] around the 5th century, and became part of the Kingdom, and later Earldom, of [[Mercia]]. However, there is evidence of [[Anglo-Saxons|Saxon]] settlement at the Broxtowe Estate, [[Oxton, Nottinghamshire|Oxton]], near Nottingham, and [[Tuxford]], east of [[Sherwood Forest]]. The name first occurs in 1016, but until 1568, the county was administratively united with Derbyshire, under a single [[Sheriff]]. In [[Normans|Norman]] times, the county developed [[malting]] and [[woollen]] industries.

The village of [[Edwinstowe]] close to [[Sherwood Forest]] took the name from [[Edwin of Northumbria]], who died in 633 nearby and was provisionally buried in St Mary's Church, [[Edwinstowe]].<ref>H Gill, Summer excursion 1914: Edwinstowe church, Transactions of the Thoroton Society, 18 (1914) retrieved on 26 April 2025</ref>

[[William the Conqueror]] in 1066 made [[Sherwood Forest]] a [[Royal Forest]] for hunting which was frequently visited by the Mercian and later Kings.<ref>{{cite web|title=The History of Sherwood |website=Visit Nottinghamshire |url=https://www.visit-nottinghamshire.co.uk/explore/sherwood-forest/history-of-sherwood |access-date=8 April 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |first=Robert |last=White |title=The Dukery, and Sherwood Forest |date=1875}}</ref><ref name="groves">{{cite book |first=William Horner |last=Groves |title=The History of Mansfield |date=1894}}</ref>

William's 1086 [[Domesday Book]] identified certain areas in Nottinghamshire being under the land of King [[Edward the Confessor]] these included [[Mansfield]] and [[Sutton in Ashfield]], amongst other places including [[Skegby]], [[Dunham-on-Trent]], [[East Drayton]], [[East Markham]], [[Farnsfield]], [[Warsop]], [[Carburton]], [[Edwinstowe]], [[Carlton-on-Trent]], [[Budby]], [[Perlethorpe]] and [[Walesby, Nottinghamshire|Walesby]].<ref>Lady Antonia Fraser, Domesday Book (1992) retrieved on 7 April 2023</ref>

[[King John's Palace]] ruin near [[Kings Clipstone]] was a royal residence for [[John, King of England|King John]], the area being near to [[Sherwood Forest]]. [[King John's Palace]] was a place where [[William the Lion|William I]] met [[Richard I of England|Richard I]] to congratulate him on his return from the crusades.<ref name="groves"/> [[John, King of England|King John]] died at [[Newark Castle, Nottinghamshire|Newark Castle]] in 1216.<ref>{{cite book|first=Cornelius|last=Brown|title=A History of Nottinghamshire|date=1896}}</ref>

During the [[Industrial Revolution]], the county held much needed minerals such as [[coal]] and [[iron ore]], and had constructed some of the first experimental waggonways in the world; an example of this is the [[Wollaton]] wagonway of 1603–1616, which transported minerals from [[bell pit]] mining areas at [[Strelley]] and [[Bilborough]], this led to [[canal]]s and [[railway]]s being constructed in the county, and the [[lace]] and cotton industries grew. In the 18th and 19th centuries, mechanised deeper [[collieries]] opened, and mining became an important economic sector. Although  there are no remaining working mines in Nottinghamshire now.

[[File:Lincolnia nottinghamia Atlas.jpg|thumb|250px|Hand-drawn map of Lincolnshire and Notthinghamshire from 1576.]]
Until 1610, Nottinghamshire was divided into eight [[Wapentake]]s. Sometime between 1610 and 1719, they were reduced to six – [[Newark (wapentake)|Newark]], [[Bassetlaw (wapentake)|Bassetlaw]], [[Thurgarton (wapentake)|Thurgarton]], [[Rushcliffe (wapentake)|Rushcliffe]], [[Broxtowe (wapentake)|Broxtowe]], and [[Bingham (wapentake)|Bingham]], some of these names still being used for the modern districts. Oswaldbeck was absorbed in Bassetlaw, of which it forms the North Clay division, and Lythe in Thurgarton.

[[Mansfield]] and surrounding areas in Nottinghamshire in the 17th century became the centre of [[Nonconformist (Protestantism)|nonconformism]] in separation from the [[Church of England]]. In particular [[Mansfield]] became the birthplace of the [[Quaker]]s with [[George Fox]] living in the town.<ref>The Mansfield Quakers Heritage Trail" (PDF). Nottinghamshire County Council. Retrieved 26 April</ref>

Nottinghamshire is famous for its involvement with the legend of [[Robin Hood]]. This is also the reason for the numbers of tourists who visit places like [[Sherwood Forest]], [[Nottingham|City of Nottingham]], and the surrounding villages in Sherwood Forest. To reinforce the Robin Hood connection, the [[University of Nottingham]] in 2010 has begun the [[Nottingham Caves Survey]], with the goal "to increase the tourist potential of these sites". The project "will use a 3D laser scanner to produce a three dimensional record of more than 450 sandstone caves around Nottingham".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/local/nottingham/hi/people_and_places/history/newsid_8630000/8630926.stm|title=Laser to scan Robin Hood's prison under Nottingham city|website=news.BBC.co.uk|publisher=[[BBC News]]|date=20 April 2010|access-date=25 September 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101101101637/http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/nottingham/hi/people_and_places/history/newsid_8630000/8630926.stm|archive-date=1 November 2010|url-status=live}}</ref>

Nottinghamshire was mapped first by [[Christopher Saxton]] in 1576; the first fully surveyed map of the county was by John Chapman, who produced Chapman's Map of Nottinghamshire in 1774.<ref>Chapman's Map of Nottinghamshire 1774. [[Nottinghamshire County Council]] {{ISBN|0-902751-46-8}}.</ref>  The map was the earliest printed map at a sufficiently useful scale (one statute mile to one inch) to provide basic information on village layout, and the existence of landscape features such as roads, [[milestone]]s, [[tollbar]]s, parkland, and mills.

Nottinghamshire saw a slight change to its overall boundary in the extreme northern part of the county in 1974, when the villages of [[Blaxton]], [[Finningley]] and [[Auckley]] (part) were merged into the Doncaster in [[South Yorkshire]].<ref>GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth, History of Auckley, in Doncaster and Nottinghamshire | Map and description, A Vision of Britain through Time|3 April 2025</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.finningley.org/villageinfo/ |title=More about our Village |website=Finningley Village Community Group |access-date=3 April 2025}}</ref>

==Physical geography==
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Nottinghamshire, like [[Derbyshire]], and South Yorkshire, sits on extensive coal measures, up to {{convert|900|m|ft|abbr=off|lk=on}} thick, and occurring largely in the north of the county. There is an [[oilfield]] near [[Eakring]]. These are overlaid by [[sandstone]]s and [[limestone]]s in the west, and [[clay]] in the east.<ref>{{cite EB1911 |wstitle=Nottinghamshire#Geology |display=Nottinghamshire § Geology |page=827}}</ref> The north of the county is part of the [[Humberhead Levels]] [[lacustrine plain]]. The centre and south west of the county, around Sherwood Forest, features undulating hills with ancient [[oak]] woodland. Principal rivers are the [[River Trent|Trent]], [[River Idle|Idle]], [[River Erewash|Erewash]], and [[River Soar|Soar]]. The Trent, fed by the Soar, Erewash, and Idle, composed of many streams from Sherwood Forest, run through wide and flat valleys, merging at [[Misterton, Nottinghamshire|Misterton]]. A point just north of Newtonwood Lane, on the boundary with Derbyshire is the highest point in Nottinghamshire; at {{convert|205|m|ft|abbr=off}},<ref>{{cite web|last=Barnard|first=John|url=http://www.Hill-Bagging.co.uk/surveys.php|title=Survey of highest point Nottinghamshire (final)|website=www.Hill-Bagging.co.uk|date=8 February 2011|access-date=20 March 2012|publisher=Database of British and Irish Hills|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120211062144/http://www.hill-bagging.co.uk/surveys.php|archive-date=11 February 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> while [[Silverhill, Nottinghamshire|Silverhill]], a [[spoil heap]] left by the former Silverhill colliery, a human-made point often cited as the highest, reaches {{convert|204|m|ft|abbr=off}}. The lowest is Peat Carr, east of Blaxton, at [[sea level]]; the Trent is tidal below [[Cromwell Lock]].<ref name="Experiencing the Highs and Lows">{{cite news|last1=Haran|first1=Brady|title=Experiencing the Highs and Lows|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/3827507.stm|website=news.BBC.co.uk|date=25 June 2004 |publisher=[[BBC News]]|access-date=28 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170812215501/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/3827507.stm|archive-date=12 August 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>

Nottinghamshire is sheltered by the [[Pennines]] to the west, so receives relatively low rainfall at {{convert|641|to|740|mm|in|0|abbr=off|lk=on}} annually.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=[[Met Office]]|year=2000|url=http://www.MetOffice.com/climate/uk/averages/19712000/rr/17.gif|title=Annual average rainfall for the United Kingdom|website=www.MetOffice.com|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100304032633/http://www.metoffice.com/climate/uk/averages/19712000/rr/17.gif|archive-date=4 March 2010}}</ref>  The average temperature of the county is 8.8–10.1 degrees [[Celsius]] (48–50 degrees [[Fahrenheit]]).<ref>{{cite web|publisher=[[Met Office]]|year=2000|url=http://www.MetOffice.com/climate/uk/averages/19712000/tmean/17.gif|title=Annual average temperature for the United Kingdom|website=www.MetOffice.com|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100304032708/http://www.metoffice.com/climate/uk/averages/19712000/tmean/17.gif|archive-date=4 March 2010}}</ref>  The county receives between 1321 and 1470 hours of sunshine per year.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=[[Met Office]]|year=2000|url=http://www.MetOffice.com/climate/uk/averages/19712000/ss/17.gif|title=Annual average sunshine for the United Kingdom|website=www.MetOffice.com|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100304032747/http://www.metoffice.com/climate/uk/averages/19712000/ss/17.gif|archive-date=4 March 2010}}</ref>

===Green belt===
{{main|Nottingham and Derby Green Belt}}

Nottinghamshire contains one green belt area, first drawn up from the 1950s. Completely encircling the Nottingham conurbation, it stretches for several miles into the surrounding districts, and extends into Derbyshire.

==Politics==
{{See also|Nottinghamshire local elections}}
Nottinghamshire, including the city of Nottingham, is represented by eleven [[Parliament of the United Kingdom|members of parliament]]; nine for the [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]], one [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] and one [[Reform UK]] MP.

Following the [[2025 Nottinghamshire County Council election|2025 County Council election]], [[Nottinghamshire County Council]] is controlled by Reform UK. The party went from having a single councillor before the election to winning a majority of the council's seats.<ref>{{cite web |date=2 May 2025 |title=Election Results 2025 |url=https://electionresults.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/2025 |access-date=3 May 2025 |publisher=Nottinghamshire County Council}}</ref> The council is currently made up of 41 Reform UK councillors, 18 Conservatives, four Labour and three from local parties.<ref>{{cite web | title=Democratic Management System > Councillors | website=Nottinghamshire County Council | date=2025-07-13 | url=https://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/dms/Councillors/tabid/63/ScreenMode/Party/Default.aspx | ref={{sfnref|Nottinghamshire County Council|2025}} | access-date=2025-07-13}}</ref> Prior to the 2025 election, the council had been fully or partially controlled by the Conservative Party since 2017. The council had historically been under Labour control; the party held a majority on the council from 1981 to 2009.

Local government is devolved to seven local borough and district councils. [[Ashfield District|Ashfield]] is controlled by the [[Ashfield Independents]]. [[Bassetlaw District|Bassetlaw]], [[Borough of Gedling|Gedling]] and [[Mansfield District|Mansfield]] are Labour-controlled. [[Newark and Sherwood]] is controlled by a coalition of Labour, [[Liberal Democrats (UK)|Liberal Democrat]] and independent councillors. [[Rushcliffe]] is Conservative-controlled. [[Borough of Broxtowe|Broxtowe]] is run by a minority [[Broxtowe Alliance]] administration. [[Nottingham City Council]], which governs the Nottingham unitary authority and is independent of Nottinghamshire County Council, is majority Labour-controlled.

===Westminster Parliamentary===
{|class="wikitable" style=text-align:center
|+[[2024 United Kingdom general election|General Election 2024]]: Nottinghamshire
|-
!Labour!!Conservative!!Reform!!Green!!Lib Dem!!Others!!''Turnout''
|- class="nowrap"|
|201,998 {{wbr}}'''(41.5%)'''<br />{{decrease}}2,013
|119,325 {{wbr}}'''(24.5%)'''<br />{{decrease}}139,469
|94,331 {{wbr}}'''(19.4%)'''<br />{{increase}}78,409
|30,517 {{wbr}}'''(6.3%)'''<br />{{increase}}20,142
|22,827 {{wbr}}'''(4.7%)'''<br />{{decrease}}10,758
|17,559 {{wbr}}'''(3.6%)'''<br />{{decrease}}5,682
|''486,557''<br />{{decrease}}59,287
|}
{|class=wikitable
|+Overall number of seats in 2024
|-
!Labour!!Conservative!!Reform!!Green!!Lib Dem!!Others
|-
|style=text-align:center|9<br />{{increase}}6
|style=text-align:center|1<br />{{decrease}}7
|style=text-align:center|1<br />{{increase}}1
|style=text-align:center|0<br />{{steady}}
|style=text-align:center|0<br />{{steady}}
|style=text-align:center|0<br />{{steady}}
|}

===Political control===
Nottinghamshire is a [[Metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England|non-metropolitan]] county, governed by [[Nottinghamshire County Council]] and seven non-metropolitan district councils.  Elections to the county council take place every four years, with the first election taking place in 1973. Following each election, the county council has been controlled by the following parties:<ref name=gain>{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/bsp/hi/elections/local_council/09/html/3873.stm|title=Nottinghamshire local elections|website=news.BBC.co.uk|access-date=25 September 2009|publisher=[[BBC News Online]]|date=19 April 2009}}</ref>
{|class=wikitable
!colspan=2 rowspan=1 align=center valign=top|Year
!valign=top|Party
!valign=top|Details
|-
|bgcolor={{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}|
|1973
|[[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]
|[[1973 Nottinghamshire County Council election|details]]
|-
|bgcolor={{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}|
|1977
|[[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]
|[[1977 Nottinghamshire County Council election|details]]
|-
|bgcolor={{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}|
|1981
|[[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]
|[[1981 Nottinghamshire County Council election|details]]
|-
|bgcolor={{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}|
|1985
|[[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]
|[[1985 Nottinghamshire County Council election|details]]
|-
|bgcolor={{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}|
|1989
|[[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]
|[[1989 Nottinghamshire County Council election|details]]
|-
|bgcolor={{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}|
|1993
|[[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]
|[[1993 Nottinghamshire County Council election|details]]
|-
|bgcolor={{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}|
|1997
|[[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]
|[[1997 Nottinghamshire County Council election|details]]
|-
|bgcolor={{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}|
|2001
|[[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]
|[[2001 Nottinghamshire County Council election|details]]
|-
|bgcolor={{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}|
|2005
|[[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]
|[[2005 Nottinghamshire County Council election|details]]
|-
|bgcolor={{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}|
|2009
|[[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]
|[[2009 Nottinghamshire County Council election|details]]
|-
|bgcolor={{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}|
|2013
|[[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]
|[[2013 Nottinghamshire County Council election|details]]
|-
|bgcolor={{party color|No overall control}}|
|2017
|[[no overall control]]
|[[2017 Nottinghamshire County Council election|details]]
|-
|bgcolor={{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}|
|2021
|[[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]
|[[2021 Nottinghamshire County Council election|details]]
|-
|bgcolor={{party color|Reform UK}}|
|2025
|[[Reform UK|Reform]]
|[[2025 Nottinghamshire County Council election|details]]

|}

==Economy and industry==
The regional economy was traditionally based on industries such as coal mining in the [[Leen Valley]], and manufacturing. Since the invention of the [[knitting frame]] by local [[William Lee (inventor)|William Lee]], the county, in particular [[Nottingham]], became synonymous with the lace industry.<ref>{{cite web|author=Sheila A. Mason, BA (Hons), FRSA|title=Legacies – Nottingham – Black lead and bleaching – the Nottingham lace industry|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/legacies/work/england/nottingham/article_1.shtml|website=www.BBC.co.uk|publisher=[[BBC]]|year=2004|access-date=23 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180212025055/http://www.bbc.co.uk/legacies/work/england/nottingham/article_1.shtml|archive-date=12 February 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 1998, Nottinghamshire had a [[gross domestic product]] (GDP) per-capita of [[Pound Sterling|£]]12,000, and a total GDP of £12,023&nbsp;million. This is compared to a per-capita GDP of £11,848 for the [[East Midlands]], £12,845 for England, and £12,548 for the United Kingdom. Nottingham had a GDP per-capita of £17,373, North Nottinghamshire £10,176, and South Nottinghamshire £8,448.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=[[Office for National Statistics]]|year=2001|url=http://www.Statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_compendia/regional_trends_2001/rt36.pdf|title=Regional Trends 26, chapter 14.7|website=www.Statistics.gov.uk|access-date=24 December 2005|url-status=dead|archive-url=http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20031222031333/http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_compendia/regional_trends_2001/rt36.pdf|archive-date=22 December 2003}}</ref> In October 2005, the United Kingdom had 4.7% unemployment, the East Midlands 4.4%, and the Nottingham commuter belt area 2.4%.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=East Midlands Observatory|year=2005|url=http://www.EastMidlandsObservatory.org.uk/popup.asp?thetype=2&thefile=uploads/documents/8A138/labour%5Fmarket%5Ffigures%5Foctober%5F2005%2ehtm|title=Labour market statistics for October 2005|website=www.EastMidlandsObservatory.org.uk|access-date=24 December 2005|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160312005826/http://eastmidlandsobservatory.org.uk/popup.asp?thefile=uploads%2Fdocuments%2F8a138%2Flabour_market_figures_october_2005.htm&thetype=2|archive-date=12 March 2016}}</ref>

==Education==
{{See also|List of schools in Nottinghamshire}}

===Secondary education===
The county has [[Comprehensive school|comprehensive]] secondary education with 47 state [[Secondary school#England and Wales|secondary schools]], as well as 10 [[Private schools in the United Kingdom|private schools]]. The City of Nottingham [[local education authority]] (LEA) has 18 state schools and six independent schools, not including [[sixth form college]]s.

A total of 9,700 pupils took [[GCSE]]s in the Nottinghamshire LEA in 2007. The best results were from the [[West Bridgford School]], closely followed by [[Rushcliffe School|Rushcliffe Spencer Academy]] and the Minster School in [[Southwell, Nottinghamshire|Southwell]]. In Nottingham, the best results came from the [[Trinity School (Nottingham)|Trinity Catholic School]] and the Fernwood School in [[Wollaton]].<ref>{{cite news |title=These are the best 10 secondary schools in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire |url=https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/nottingham-news/best-10-secondary-schools-nottingham-4310242 |access-date=19 April 2023 |work=Nottingham Post |date=9 July 2020}}</ref>

At [[A-level]], the highest performing institution was [[The Becket School]], followed by the West Bridgford School. Some of Nottingham city best results tend to come from [[Nottingham High School]], closely followed by the all-female [[Nottingham High School for Girls]], both of which are privately run.

[[Worksop College]] is another private school near to [[Worksop]].

===Higher education===
The [[University of Nottingham]] is a [[Russell Group]] university and well-renowned, offering one of the broadest selections of courses in the UK. [[Nottingham Trent University]] is one of the most successful [[Further and Higher Education Act 1992|post-1992]] [[New Universities|universities]] in the UK. Nottingham is home to a campus of the [[University of Law]]. All three of these institutions  combine to make Nottingham one of [[England]]'s largest student cities. Nottingham Trent University also has an agricultural college near [[Southwell, Nottinghamshire|Southwell]], while the University of Nottingham has one at [[Sutton Bonington]].

==Culture==
[[File:Larwood.jpg|thumb|160px|National and County cricket player [[Harold Larwood]]]]

Nottinghamshire is home to the [[Sherwood Forest]], known for its association with the legend of [[Robin Hood]].<ref>{{cite EB1911|wstitle=Sherwood Forest |page= 853 |volume= 24 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Council|first=Nottinghamshire County|title=Sherwood Forest Country Park|url=https://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/culture-leisure/country-parks/sherwood-forest|access-date=22 August 2020|website=Nottinghamshire County Council|language=en}}</ref>

Nottinghamshire contains the ancestral home of the poet [[Lord Byron]], [[Newstead Abbey]], which he sold in 1818. It is now owned by Nottingham City Council, and is open to the public. The acclaimed author [[D. H. Lawrence]] was from [[Eastwood, Nottinghamshire|Eastwood]] in Nottinghamshire. [[Toton]] was the birthplace and home of English folk singer-songwriter [[Anne Briggs]], well known for her song ''Black Waterside''. The north of the county is also noteworthy for its connections with the [[Pilgrim (Plymouth Colony)|Pilgrim Fathers]].  [[William Brewster (Pilgrim)|William Brewster]], for example, came from the village of Scrooby, and was influenced by [[Richard Clyfton]], who preached at [[Babworth]].

Nottinghamshire has international [[town twinning|twinning]] arrangements with the province of [[Greater Poland Voivodeship|Wielkopolska]] ([[Greater Poland]]) in western [[Poland]], and with the province's capital city, [[Poznań]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Transnational partnerships |url=http://www.Nottinghamshire.gov.uk/home/your_council/howweprovideyourservices/partnerships/internationalandtwinning/transnationalpartnerships.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171224101449/http://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/home/your_council/howweprovideyourservices/partnerships/internationalandtwinning/transnationalpartnerships.htm |archive-date=24 December 2017 |website=www.Nottinghamshire.gov.uk |publisher=Nottinghamshire County Council}}</ref>

In 2002, ''[[Crocus nudiflorus]]'' (Autumn crocus) was voted by the public as the county flower of Nottinghamshire.<ref>Dr. Peter Jarvis {{google books|5STMDwAAQBAJ|The Pelagic Dictionary of Natural History of the British Isles (2020)|page=686}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Autumn Crocus |url=https://www.plantlife.org.uk/uk/discover-wild-plants-nature/plant-fungi-species/autumn-crocus |access-date=17 June 2020 |website=Plantlife |language=en}}</ref>

=== Sport ===
[[Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club]] (NCCC) are a [[first-class cricket|first class]] county [[cricket]] club who play at [[Trent Bridge]] in [[West Bridgford]]. They won the [[County Championship]] in 2010.

The most successful [[Association football|football]] team within Nottinghamshire is [[Nottingham Forest F.C.|Nottingham Forest]], a [[Premier League]] club that won the [[1977–78 Football League First Division|1978]] [[Premier League|English championship]], and followed it up with winning the [[1979 European Cup Final|1979]] and [[1980 European Cup Final|1980]] [[UEFA Champions League|European Cup]] titles although success has not been seen by most of their fans in living memory. [[Mansfield Town F.C.|Mansfield Town]] of [[EFL League One|League One]] and [[Notts County F.C.|Notts County]] of [[EFL League Two|League Two]] are the other professional teams in the county. Notts County are the world's oldest professional football club, being formed in 1862 and are world renowned for giving [[Juventus]] their black and white striped kit and opening their new stadium in 2011.

Other notable sporting teams are the [[Nottingham R.F.C.|Nottingham Rugby Football Club]], and the [[Nottingham Panthers|Nottingham Panthers Ice Hockey Club]].

=== Flag ===
[[File:County Flag of Nottinghamshire.svg|thumb|The unofficial flag of Nottinghamshire]]{{Main|Flag of Nottinghamshire}}

An unofficial flag for Nottinghamshire was created through a design competition organised by [[BBC Radio Nottingham]], and registered with the [[Vexillology|vexillological]] charity the [[Flag Institute]] in 2011. It consists of a green field, on which is a red cross [[Fimbriation|fimbriated]] (bordered) with white, on which a white shield containing the green figure of an archer is superimposed.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Nottinghamshire |url=https://www.flaginstitute.org/wp/flags/nottinghamshire-flag/ |access-date=2024-08-19 |website=[[Flag Institute]] |language=en-GB}}</ref>

== Media ==
=== Television ===
[[BBC East Midlands]] is based in [[Nottingham]] and broadcasts news around the county; [[ITV Central]] also covers regional news in the county. Northern parts of the county such as [[Worksop]] and [[Retford]] in the [[Bassetlaw District|Bassetlaw]] and [[Mansfield]] receive a better signals from the [[Emley Moor]] TV transmission so the area is covered by [[BBC Yorkshire]] and [[ITV Yorkshire]] (West).<ref>{{cite web |title=Full Freeview on the Emley Moor (Kirklees, England) transmitter |date=May 2004 |url=https://ukfree.tv/transmitters/tv/Emley_Moor |publisher=UK Free TV |access-date=19 November 2022}}</ref> [[Ashfield District|Ashfield]] and parts of [[Newark-on-Trent|Newark]] get better signals from the [[Belmont transmitting station|Belmont]] TV tranmsitter that broadcast [[BBC Yorkshire and Lincolnshire]] and [[ITV Yorkshire]] (East).<ref>{{cite web |title=Full Freeview on the Belmont (Lincolnshire, England) transmitter |date=May 2004 |url=https://ukfree.tv/transmitters/tv/Belmont |publisher=UK Free TV |access-date=1 September 2024}}</ref>

=== Radio ===
Radio stations for the county are:<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/council-and-democracy/news-and-media/local-news-and-radio#:~:text=Radio%20Faza%2097.1%20FM,Bramley%20%2D%20Southwell%20and%20surrounding%20area|title=Local news and radio|publisher= Nottinghamshire County Council|access-date=1 September 2024}}</ref>

[[BBC Local Radio]]
*[[BBC Radio Nottingham]] broadcast county-wide
*[[BBC Radio Sheffield]] (covering [[Bassetlaw District|Bassetlaw]])
[[Independent Local Radio]]
*[[Hits Radio East Midlands]], 
*[[Greatest Hits Radio Midlands|Greatest Hits Radio East Midlands]]
*[[Trax FM|Greatest Hits Radio South Yorkshire]] (covering [[Bassetlaw District|Bassetlaw]])
*[[Capital Midlands]], 
*[[Gold (British radio network)|Gold]] 
*[[Smooth East Midlands]]
[[Community Radio]]
*[[Kemet FM]] (for [[Nottingham]])
*[[Mansfield 103.2 FM]] (serving [[Mansfield District|Mansfield]] and [[Ashfield, Nottinghamshire|Ashfield]])
*Radio Newark (serving [[Newark-on-Trent|Newark]])<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.radionewark.co.uk/|title=Radio Newark|access-date=1 September 2024}}</ref> 
*Bowe Radio (for [[Ollerton]] and [[Edwinstowe]])<ref>{{cite web |url=https://boweradio.co.uk/|title=Bowe Radio|access-date=1 September 2024}}</ref>

===Newspapers===
The [[Nottingham Post]] is the county's local newspaper.

==Districts and boroughs==
{{See also|List of places in Nottinghamshire|List of settlements in Nottinghamshire by population}}

=== Areas ===
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{| class="wikitable" style="border:0; text-align:left; line-height:150%;"
|-
! colspan="2" | Administrative area 
(post 1974) 
!Administrative centre
(post 1974) 
! Main settlements
|-
|[[Ashfield District|Ashfield]]<br />
|[[File:Ashfield UK locator map.svg|50px]]
|[[Kirkby-in-Ashfield]]
|[[Sutton-in-Ashfield]], [[Annesley]], [[Hucknall]]
|-
|[[Bassetlaw District|Bassetlaw]]<br />
|[[File:Bassetlaw UK locator map.svg|50px]]
|[[Worksop]] (also a non-constituent member of the [[South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority]])
|[[Retford]], [[Askham, Nottinghamshire|Askham]], [[Carlton in Lindrick]], [[Harworth]], [[Bircotes]], [[Elmton-with-Creswell|Elmton-with-Cresswell]]
|-
|[[Borough of Broxtowe|Broxtowe]]
|[[File:Broxtowe UK locator map.svg|50px]]
|[[Beeston, Nottinghamshire|Beeston]]
|[[Kimberley, Nottinghamshire|Kimberley]], [[Stapleford, Nottinghamshire|Stapleford]], [[Attenborough, Nottinghamshire|Attenborough]], [[Bramcote]], [[Chilwell]]
|-
|[[City of Nottingham]]
|[[File:Nottingham UK locator map.svg|50px]]
|[[Nottingham]] (County town of Nottinghamshire)
|[[Bulwell]], [[Bestwood Estate|Bestwood]], [[Sneinton]], [[Clifton, Nottingham|Clifton]], [[Aspley, Nottingham|Aspley]], [[Radford, Nottingham|Radford]], [[Basford, Nottingham|Basford]], [[Hyson Green]], [[Wollaton]]
|-
|[[Borough of Gedling|Gedling]]
|[[File:Gedling UK locator map.svg|50px]]
|[[Arnold, Nottinghamshire|Arnold]]
|[[Carlton, Nottinghamshire|Carlton]], [[Burton Joyce]], [[Colwick]], [[Ravenshead]], [[Gedling]], [[Netherfield, Nottinghamshire|Netherfield]]
|-
|[[Mansfield District|Mansfield]]
|[[File:Mansfield UK locator map.svg|50px]]
|[[Mansfield]]
|[[Rainworth]] (part), [[Forest Town, Nottinghamshire|Forest Town]], [[Mansfield Woodhouse]], [[Warsop]]
|-
|[[Newark and Sherwood]]
|[[File:Newark and Sherwood UK locator map.svg|50px]]
|[[Newark-on-Trent]]
|[[Southwell, Nottinghamshire|Southwell]], [[Ollerton]], [[Edwinstowe]], [[Rainworth]] (part), [[Farnsfield]], [[Sutton-on-Trent]]
|-
|[[Rushcliffe]]
|[[File:Rushcliffe UK locator map.svg|50px]]
|[[West Bridgford]]
|[[East Leake]], [[Ruddington]], [[Bingham, Nottinghamshire|Bingham]], [[Cotgrave]], [[Tollerton, Nottinghamshire|Tollerton]], [[Keyworth]], [[Radcliffe-on-Trent]]
|-
|}

=== Settlements and features ===
The traditional county town, and the largest settlement in the historic and ceremonial county boundaries, is the [[Nottingham|City of Nottingham]].  The city is now administratively independent, but towns including [[Arnold, Nottinghamshire|Arnold]], [[Carlton, Nottinghamshire|Carlton]], [[West Bridgford]], [[Beeston, Nottinghamshire|Beeston]], and [[Stapleford, Nottinghamshire|Stapleford]] are still within the administrative county, and West Bridgford is where the county council are based.

There are several [[market town]]s in the county.  [[Newark-on-Trent]] is a bridging point of the [[Fosse Way]] and [[River Trent]], but is actually an Anglo-Saxon market town with a now ruined [[Newark Castle, Nottinghamshire|castle]].  [[Mansfield]], the second-largest settlement in the county after Nottingham, sits on the site of a [[Roman Britain|Roman]] settlement, but grew after the [[Norman Conquest]].  [[Worksop]], in the north of the county, is also an Anglo-Saxon market town which grew rapidly in the [[Industrial Revolution]], with the arrival of [[canal]]s and railways and the discovery of coal.  Other market towns include Arnold, [[Bingham, Nottinghamshire|Bingham]], [[Hucknall]], [[Kirkby-in-Ashfield]], [[Tuxford]], [[Retford]] and [[Sutton-in-Ashfield]].

The main railway in the county is the [[Midland Main Line]], which links London to [[Sheffield]] via Nottingham.  The [[Robin Hood Line]] between Nottingham and Worksop serves several villages in the county.  The [[East Coast Main Line]] from London to [[Doncaster]], [[Leeds]], [[York]], [[Newcastle upon Tyne]], and [[Scotland]] serves the eastern Nottinghamshire towns of Newark and Retford.

The [[M1 motorway]] runs through the county, connecting Nottingham to London, Leeds, and Leicester by road.  The [[A1 road (Great Britain)|A1 road]] follows for the most part the path of the Great North Road, although in places it diverges from the historic route where towns have been bypassed.  Retford was by-passed in 1961, and Newark-on-Trent was by-passed in 1964, and the A1 now runs between Retford and Worksop past the village of [[Ranby, Nottinghamshire|Ranby]].  Many historic [[coaching inn]]s can still be seen along the traditional route.

[[East Midlands Airport]] is just outside the county in [[Leicestershire]], while [[Doncaster Sheffield Airport]] lies within the historic boundaries of Nottinghamshire.  These airports serve the county and several of its neighbours.  Together, the airports have services to most major European destinations, and East Midlands Airport now also has services to [[North America]] and the [[Caribbean]].  As well as local bus services throughout the county, Nottingham and its suburbs have a tram system, [[Nottingham Express Transit]].

Nottingham and its surrounding areas form part of the [[Nottingham Urban Area]] while Bassetlaw is a non-constituent part of the Sheffield City Region.

==Places of interest==
{{Div col|colwidth=14em}}
*[[Attenborough Nature Reserve]]
*[[Beauvale Priory]]
*[[Beth Shalom Holocaust Centre]]
*[[Brierley Forest Park]]
*[[Center Parcs UK and Ireland|Centre Parcs]], [[Sherwood Forest]]. 
*[[Clumber Park]] [[National Trust]]
*[[Creswell Crags]]
*[[D. H. Lawrence Birthplace Museum]]
*[[Felley Priory]]
*[[Green's Mill, Sneinton|Green's Windmill]] and Science Centre
*[[Hardwick Hall]] and Park (a small part of which is in Nottinghamshire)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://her.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/Monument/MNT26834/ |title=Park/Garden record MNT26834 - Part of Park at Hardwick Hall |date=3 February 2025 |website=Nottinghamshire Historic Environment Record |publisher=Nottinghamshire County Council |access-date=2 April 2025}}</ref>
*[[Harley Gallery and Foundation|The Harley Gallery]]
*[[Hawton]] Church
*[[King John's Palace]]
*[[Mansfield Museum]]
*[[Mr Straw's House]] [[National Trust]]
*[[Newark Air Museum]]
*[[Newark Castle, Nottinghamshire]]
*[[Newstead Abbey]]
*[[Nottingham Castle]]
*[[Papplewick Pumping Station]]
*[[Rufford Country Park]]
*[[Rushcliffe Country Park]]
*[[Sherwood Forest]]
*[[Sherwood Observatory]]
*[[Sherwood Pines Forest Park]]
*[[Silverhill, Nottinghamshire]]
*[[Southwell Minster]] and Archbishop's Palace
*[[St Mary's Church, Edwinstowe]]
*[[Sundown Adventureland]]
*[[Teversal]]
*[[The Royal Lancers and Nottinghamshire Yeomanry Museum]]
*[[The Workhouse, Southwell]] [[National Trust]]
*[[Thoresby Hall]] and Park
*[[Welbeck Abbey]]
*[[Wheelgate Park]]
*White Post Farm
*[[Wollaton Hall]]
*[[Wollaton Park]]
*[[Worksop Priory]]
*[[Ye Olde Trip To Jerusalem]]
{{Div col end}}

==See also==
*[[High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire]]
*[[List of English and Welsh endowed schools (19th century)#Nottinghamshire]]
*[[Lord Lieutenant of Nottinghamshire]]
*[[Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Nottinghamshire}}
{{Wikivoyage}}
* [http://www.NottsHeritageGateway.org.uk Nottinghamshire Heritage Gateway]—essays on local history by experts; covers places, people, themes and events.
* [http://www.ExperienceNottinghamshire.com Visit Nottinghamshire] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040602174032/http://experiencenottinghamshire.com/ |date=2 June 2004 }}
* {{Official website|name=Nottinghamshire County Council}}

{{Geographic location
|title = '''Neighbouring counties'''
|Centre = Nottinghamshire
|North = [[South Yorkshire]], Lincolnshire
|Northeast = [[Lincolnshire]]
|East = [[Lincolnshire]]
|Southeast = [[Leicestershire]]
|South = [[Leicestershire]]
|Southwest = [[Derbyshire]]<br />[[Leicestershire]]
|West = [[Derbyshire]]
|Northwest = [[South Yorkshire]]
}}
{{England counties}}
{{Nottinghamshire}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Nottinghamshire| ]]
[[Category:Counties of England established in antiquity]]
[[Category:East Midlands]]
[[Category:Non-metropolitan counties]]