Castle Donington

infobox UK place
country = England
latitude= 52.8405
longitude= -1.3370
official_name= Castle Donington
map_type= Leicestershire
os_grid_reference= SK446272
population = 7000
shire_district= North West Leicestershire
shire_county = Leicestershire
region= East Midlands
constituency_westminster=
post_town= Derby|postcode_district = DE74
postcode_area= DE
dial_code= 01332

Castle Donington is a large village almost considered a town, with a population of around 7000 in the North West of Leicestershire, close to Derby and Nottingham and on the edge of the National Forest. It is the closest village to East Midlands Airport and DHL which are major employers. East Midlands Airport is served by several major airlines including bmi, Ryanair, EasyJet and many others. Castle Donington is also home to the world famous Donington Park motor racing circuit.Castle Donington stands on the former Nottingham to Birmingham trunk road. The village is a mix of the old and new, with modern shops mixed with dignified Georgian and Regency houses. Several timber framed houses dating from the 17th century and earlier survive along the main road.

Local History

King's Mill, Castle Donington the nearby crossing on the River Trent is mentioned in a charter agreed by Æþelræd Unræd (King Ethelred the Unready) in 1009 regarding the boundaries of Weston-on-Trent. [Weston - Charter of Æthelred, The Great Council, 1009, accessible at Derby records] "Dunintune" or "Dunitone" is mentioned twice in the Domesday Book of 1086 as having land belonging to Countess Ælfgifu and land assigned to Earl Hugh."Domesday Book: A Complete Translation". London: Penguin, 2003. ISBN 0-14-143994-7 p.632 & 648]

Donington Park was the original venue for the Monsters of Rock heavy metal festivals through the 1980s and 1990s, and is now the home of the annual Download Festival. It also hosted a Formula One Grand Prix in April 1993 which was won by Ayrton Senna and which is widely recognised as one of Senna's greatest ever wins. The circuit also hosts the Donington Grand Prix Collection, the world's largest collection of Formula One and Grand Prix vehicles.

Castle Donington also had its own power station later operated by Powergen from 1990, which when originally built in 1958 was one of the largest coal fired power stations in Europe. However, this was closed in September 1994 and demolished in 1996.

Castle Donington has two primary schools, St Edwards and Orchard Primary School, each serving roughly one half of the village. A high school — Castle Donington Community College, which celebrated its 50th anniversary on 10 September 2007 — takes students from ages 10-14.

Donington also hosts one of the best amateur football teams in the local area, Castle Donington Town FC, who won the Leicestershire County Cup in the 2005/6 season.

Economy

BMI (British Midland), an airline, is headquartered in Castle Donington." [http://www.flybmi.com/bmi/en-gb/planning-and-information/customer-service/contact-us.aspx Contact us] ." "BMI". Accessed September 23, 2008.]

Events

Once a year on May bank holiday Monday a medieval market is held on the main shopping street in Castle Donington. This event comprises local stalls selling various kinds of produce and goods accompanied by dancing and music.

Usually during the last week of October each year the village hosts a travelling fair, known locally as Donington Wakes.

On the second Saturday of every month a farmers market is held on the playground of St. Edwards CofE primary school.

A very large market known as Donington Sunday Market takes place virtually every Sunday at Donington Park.

References

External links

* [http://www.cd-mc.co.uk/ Castle Donington Methodist Church]
* [http://www.castledonington.net Castle Donington on the net]
* [http://www.clubwebsite.co.uk/castledoningtontownfc/ Castle Donington Town FC]
* [http://www.eastmidlandsairport.com/ East Midlands Airport]
* [http://www.donington-park.co.uk/ Donington Park Race Circuit ]
* [http://www.doningtoncollection.com/ The Donington Grand Prix Collection]