Kimberley, Nottinghamshire

infobox UK place
country = England
latitude= 52.9974
longitude= -1.2512
map_type = Nottinghamshire
official_name= Kimberley
static_

population = 6,849
shire_district= Broxtowe
shire_county = Nottinghamshire
region= East Midlands
constituency_westminster= Broxtowe
post_town= NOTTINGHAM
postcode_district = NG16
postcode_area= NG
dial_code= 0115
os_grid_reference= SK502447
static_

static_image_caption=Kimberley War Memorial

Kimberley is a town in Nottinghamshire, England, lying 6 miles northwest of Nottingham along the A610. The town grew as a centre for coal mining, brewing and hosiery manufacturing. Together with the neighbouring villages of Giltbrook and Greasley, it has a population of around 6,500 people.There has been no mining or hosiery manufacturing in the town for many years and the local brewery was sold and closed at the end of 2006.

History

Kimberley is referred to as Chinemarelie in William the Conqueror's Domesday Book. With the accession of William to the throne Kimberley came into the possession of William de Peveril"Domesday Book: A Complete Transliteration". London: Penguin, 2003. ISBN 0-14-143994-7 p.772] . The Peverils lost control when they supported the losing side in the civil war which preceded the accession of Henry II of England in 1154. The King became the owner of the land. King John of England granted land in the area to Ralph de Greasley in 1212 who took up residence at Greasley Castle and also at around this time to Henry de Grey whose son re-built Codnor Castle on the site of an earlier castle established by William Peveril..cite book|title=A Brief History of Kimberley|author=Lee, J.M.,]

Ralph de Greasley's land passed by inheritance and marriage to Nicholas de Cantelupe who took part in Edward III of England's Scottish campaigns and also the Battle of Crécy. Nicholas founded Beauvale Priory using part of his Kimberley holding in 1343. That part of Kimberley which had become the property of Beauvale Priory was claimed by King Henry VIII during the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the 16th century.

The Priory's land was redistributed by the King and came into the possession of Arthur Capell, 1st Baron Capell of Hadham again by inheritance and marriage in 1627. Arthur was beheaded in 1649 having fought for the Royalists in the English Civil War. Arthur's son was created Earl of Essex in 1661.

In 1753 the land was purchased by Sir Matthew Lamb whose grandson William Lamb became Prime Minister in 1834. The Lamb's Kimberley estates passed by marriage to the 5th Earl Cowper in 1805 and on the death of the 7th Earl in 1913 were sold off in pieces.

That part of Kimberley retained by the Cantelupe's passed by inheritance and marriage to John Lord Zouch who died at the Battle of Bosworth Field with Richard III of England in 1485. He was posthumously found guilty of high treason with his property forfeited to Henry VII of England. John Savage received this part of Kimberley in gratitude for his efforts on behalf of Henry VII at Bosworth. The Savage family sold this land to the Earl of Rutland in the early 17th century. The Duke of Rutland's Kimberley estates were sold in parcels in the early 19th century.

Kimberley today

One of Kimberley's most notable structures is its unusual war memorial, in the form of a rotunda. Kimberley also has a large comprehensive school whose catchment area extends well into the neighbouring areas of Nuthall, Eastwood, Watnall, and Hempshill Vale.

On the South side of Kimberley lies Swingate, which has many different walking and cycling routes into the woods and surrounding countryside.

The twin town of Kimberley is Échirolles in France and Grugliasco in Italy. [cite web|title=Twin Towns|url=http://www.twinning.org.uk/uk_twinnings.htm]

Kimberley is currently noted as being amongst the best value places to live in Nottinghamshire, providing a high standard of living with good access to local facilities and major transport routes, but with house prices close to half that of many other parts of Nottingham. fact|date=October 2007

Kimberley Brewery has recently been taken over by Greene King, another major brewer in a multi million pound deal which marks the end of the traditional Kimberley Ales as ale brewing will now cease and there will only be a distribution centre in the area.

The Kimberley Brewery has within its boundaries a geological Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). It is listed under the title of "Kimberley Railway Cutting" [cite web|title=Kimberley Railway Cutting|url=http://www.english-nature.org.uk/special/sssi/sssi_details.cfm?sssi_id=1000862] as an important location for Permian Gymnosperm fossils. The Permian - Carboniferous unconformity can be found in the Kimberley Railway Cutting.

Since 1974, Kimberley has been part of the Borough of Broxtowe. From 1894 to 1974, however, it was part of Basford Rural District Council

Famous residents

Notable residents include the British Superbike Champion, 1992, 2001 and 2004, John Reynolds.

Sport

*Kimberley Town F.C. and Kimberley Miners Welfare are the local football teams.
*Kimberley Institute Cricket Club is the town's cricket team.
*Awsworth - Kimberley & District Rifle Club

References

Further reading

*
*cite book |last= Ottewell|first= David|title= Old Kimberley|origdate= |edition= |date= 2001|publisher= Stenlake Publishing|isbn= 1-8403-3155-0
*cite book |last= Lee|first= John.M.|title= A Brief History of Kimberley|origdate= |edition= First|date= 2001|publisher= |isbn=

See also

*Kimberley Railway Stations

External links

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