On 21st October, Edwinstowe Historical Society’s visiting speaker is Denis Hill, whose illustrated talk relates to the history and heritage of Wellow village. Eleven years have elapsed since a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund enabled the Society to develop a website (www.edwinstowehistory.org.uk ) and, with help from Woodhead Construction Company, establish an archive in Edwinstowe House.

The following snippets from the archive give an insight into the life of Edwinstowe villagers a few centuries ago: in 1381 permission was granted for an annual fair to be held on 12th October, in St Mary’s churchyard, to celebrate the anniversary of the death in 633 AD of Saint Edwin, the first Christian King of Northumbria; in 1800 churchwardens and others with influence and position in the village, petitioned William Henry Cavendish, Duke of Portland, to allow poor villagers to collect bracken from the forest for burning – mention was made that when the bracken was cut down this would expose many hidden holes and tree stumps which may be dangerous to gentlemen in pursuit of their sport; from the time of Henry viii until Nelson thousands of native Sherwood oak trees had been cut down to build the Royal Navy’s ships and in 1807, at Ollerton Hop Pole Hotel, an auction for bark of over 300 trees in Birkland took place; in 1811, in Edwinstowe, by order of the Navy, oak board, etc. from Birkland and Bilhaigh was auctioned.