Lowdham

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Lowdham
Nottinghamshire
The Magna Charta, Lowdham, Notts - geograph.org.uk - 386345.jpg
Lowdham War Memorial
Location
Grid reference: SK670462
Location: 53°-0’32"N, 1°0’4"W
Data
Population: 3,334  (2011)
Post town: Nottingham
Postcode: NG14
Dialling code: 0115
Local Government
Council: Newark and Sherwood
Parliamentary
constituency:
Newark

Lowdham is a village between Nottingham and Southwell in the midst of Nottinghamshire. Two main roads slice through the village: the A6097 south-east to north-west dual carriageway, and the A612 between Nottingham and Southwell.

The 2011 census recorded a population of 3,334

History

This seems to be from the Old English Hludan ham, meaning 'Hluda’s homestead', after an otherwise unknown local landowner.[1][2]

Relics of the Middle Ages remaining include an alabaster slab and a figure of a knight in armour, in the chancel of the church, inscribed to the memory of Sir John de Loudham. The dog at the feet of the effigy suggests that Loudham was a warrior. According to one source, "Many of the Crusaders are represented with their feet on a dog, to show that they followed the standard of the Lord as faithfully as a dog follows the footsteps of his master."[3]

The old church and the castle mound are to the west of the bypass.

St Mary's Church dates back to before the 14th century. In 1826 a Wesleyan Methodist Chapel (Top Chapel) was built in Ton Lane, and in 1844 an Independent Primitive Methodist Chapel (Bottom Chapel) appeared in the Main Street. The Ton Lane chapel closed in 1986. The Bottom Chapel continues in use as an Independent Methodist church.[4]

To the north-east of the bypass is Lowdham Mill. There is now little sign of the frame knitting industry that was important in this area in the 19th century. In 1844 there were 94 stocking frames working in Lowdham.

About the village

Lowdham railway station is on the Nottingham to Lincoln Line. Two miles from the railway station is a prison, HMP Lowdham Grange.

Village pubs are the Railway, the Magna Charta, the World's End (formally the Plough and still located in Plough Lane), and the Old Ship. All have open lounge/bar layouts and are situated near the centre of the village.

The retail services include two general stores, a sub-post office, several take-away eating places, a filling station and a bookshop.[5]

Outside links

Commons-logo.svg
("Wikimedia Commons" has material
about Lowdham)

References

  1. Gover, J. E. B.; Mawer, A. & Stenton, F.M.: 'Place-Names of Nottinghamshire , Part' (English Place-Names Society, 1940), page 171
  2. Mills, Anthony David: 'A Dictionary of British Place-Names' (Oxford University Press, 2003) ISBN 978-0-19-852758-9
  3. Nottinghamshire History: Burton Joyce
  4. Southwell & Nottingham Church History Project
  5. page The Bookcase