Welcome to Mansfield

Mansfield is located on the River Maun, in the county of Nottinghamshire, approximately 140 miles north-north-west of London and 14 miles north of Nottingham.

The town has a population of around 72,700. Administratively it is the seat of the local government district of Mansfield which covers an area of approximately 77 sq kms and which has a population of around 99,000.

Situated at the western edge of Sherwood Forest, it is an ancient and vibrant market town which has undergone much modern development and urban regeneration. Consequently, it is a thriving commercial centre with excellent shopping, leisure and visitor facilities. There are some notable historic buildings, including the partly Saxon parish church of St.Peter and St.Paul, and it is a good base from which to explore the renowned 'Robin Hood Country'.

The town's history dates from Saxon times and Mansfield was the personal property of the Kings of England until it was sold to the Cavendish family in 1602. However, rock houses carved out of the sandstone and Druid remains show that there has been a settlement here from very early times. Roman artefacts have also been found here. At the time of the Domesday survey in 1086, Mamesfield is mentioned as a royal manor. The town was granted a charter from Henry III in 1227 to hold a market and in 1377 Richard II granted a charter for a fair to be held. Before the mid 18th century Mansfield was an isolated town, surrouned by Sherwood Forest which was full of outlaws; in 1700 most of the route from Mansfield to Nottingham ran through the forest. Improved roads from the mid 19th century meant that industries prospered. In the 1780s the Industrial Revolution arrived in the town.

Historically the town's economy was based upon coal-mining, hosiery and lace but today it has developed as a centre for light industry and a rapidly expanding retail sector.

The name 'Mansfield' has been attributed with different origins. One source suggests that, as stands by the river Maun, it is therefore Mauns-field. However, in the Domesday Book it is spelled 'Mamesfield', and the prefix 'mamm' is Celtic for 'hill', so others consider it to mean 'a hill by a field'.