History of Woodthorpe House
Incorporating the oldest building in Sherwood from Farm Cottage to Mansion
Now Sherwood Community Centre
Sherwood Community Centre is based in Woodthorpe House, a Grade II listed building which has been built in several stages over more than 250 years. During this time it has been the home of many important families, before being requisitioned by the War Office in 1940, and later acquired by Nottingham City Council for use as a Community Centre. Woodthorpe House has always had close associations with Lace and Hosiery, and those who lived in the house were trustees and donors to various charities. Sherwood Community Centre continues these traditions as the base for various charities and support groups, as well as a wide range of Arts, Crafts and other activities.
Before 1750
Before 1750, there was only one building in Sherwood, a small cottage, standing well back from the lonely and dangerous “King’s Road” through Sherwood Forest which was known to exist at the time of the Domesday Book (1086). The cottage is still here.
1774 – 1800
1774 – The cottage can be seen on Chapman’s map, on the edge of common land and rough land.
1792 – The Inclosure map clearly shows the shape of the building as it was after a three-storey extension was built in the 1750s. In the image above, we can see the three-storey extension in the middle (garret windows not visible). The floors/windows on the left were originally the same level as those on the right, but floor levels were adjusted in the 1800s.
1800s
1800s – There were several extensions in the early 1800s, so that by the 1820s it had become an elegant mansion with beautiful bay windows, a conservatory and loggia (image above).
1850s – By this time, the land belonging to the owner of Woodthorpe House extended down Mansfield Road from Edwards Lane (and included what is now known as Sausage Island) as far as the Day Brook (by the parks next to Valley Road), up to what is now the wall of Nottingham Prison and from there, along Perry Road and Edwards Lane/Magnus Road. The triangle between Subway/Tesco Express and Woodthorpe Drive and the area now occupied by Elmswood Gardens (formerly Hooley Street), The Rise and Trevose Gardens.
1940s – An Officers’ Mess (now the Small Hall – far left with flat roof) was added by the War Office during World War II on the site of the former loggia
1977 – Annexe (over the courtyard, seen on the earlier cottage photo).
1979 – Hall – originally a separate building
1983/4 Coffee Bar and Foyer linking the Hall to the House.
Woodthorpe House has some beautiful architectural features, such as the entrance portico with Doric columns, dentilated cross-beams and arched niches. Meeting Rooms 1 and 2 have carved and fretted wooden pelmets and beautiful plasterwork, including an anthemion border in the former Drawing Room, and grapes and vines in the former Dining Room. Some rooms still have folding internal wooden shutters.
In 2020, an unusual feature was discovered behind a locked door in the former Dining Room, which led to under the stairs where there was a window at the back of the kitchen (previously an external wall) which may have been a serving hatch where food etc could be placed on a trolley and pushed through to the dining room.
There is also an unusual curved mahogany door. A former County Architect considered the building to have some of the finest woodwork in Nottinghamshire.
Who lived at Woodthorpe House?
1827 – The property was known as Mr Hooley’s Farm. It is unlikely that James Hooley was living here at this time and, as when he died in 1830, his home was on High Pavement, attached to his warehouse known as James Hooley and Co and he owned more than 100 Stocking Frames situated in homes and workshops of workers as far apart as Sutton-in-Ashfield, Keyworth, Breaston. He was also an Acting Deputy Lieutenant. The house failed to sell at auction in 1833 and 1834 and was advertised for private sale in 1835. The advertisement for the sale described Woodthorpe House as a Mansion House, Stables, Coach House, Vinery, Walled Garden, Plantation and around eighty acres of land.
1829 – Martin Roe, a Draper and Junior Councilman, was renting the house from James Hooley. He appears to have lived there until at least 1835 or until his death in 1836.
1841 – John Fox , a prominent local Solicitor, is known to have been living at Woodthorpe House in 1841 and 1844.
1851 – William Cartledge – Lace Thread Manufacturer was living at Woodthorpe House. William’s father, Samuel, had developed a type of cotton thread for use on lace making machinery, which was of great importance to the lace industry. The Cartledge wealth was based on their production of this cotton thread at their factories in Nottingham, Bulwell and Kelstedge.
William died in 1859, followed by his wife 9 years later, the house and land was inherited by their two-year-old granddaughter, Edith who owned until 1896, when she sold it all to Sir Charles Seely.
Edith was the daughter of Mary Jane Cartledge and Henry Smith Wright, who was the grandson of Ichabod and son of Ichabod Charles Wright, well-known bankers who lived at Mapperley Hall. Henry later became an MP.
The property had been held in trust until Edith’s marriage, and in the meantime, it was rented out to various families:
1870s – Louis Augustin Baillon (French Consul and owner of a Lace and Linen factory in Nottingham). Both he and his French-Irish wife Eliza Catherine Blake were from the famous lace making areas of France, namely St Quentin and Valenciennes.
1880s – William Frederick Goodliffe rented Woodthorpe House from 1880 to 1892. He was a hosiery manufacturer (Gascoigne and Goodliffe).
1892 to 1896 – Ann Claridge Howland was the tenant of the house. She was the widow Charles Claridge Howland, a former Licensed Victualler who had died in 1890. They had lived at the Edinburgh Castle Public House, Islington, Middlesex, London, according to the 1881 Census. Mrs Howland seems to have been remarkably rich for the widow of a pub landlord. She was still “living on her own means” in Tunbridge Wells, as late as 1939. Her son owned the Phoenix Brewery in Horncastle. She was mother-in-law to Henry Hanson, who later became Chair of Hardy and Hanson (Kimberley Ales) his family’s business, and another. Another daughter married a Malster.
When Sir Charles Seely bought the house and land in 1896. Mrs Howland was still living there at the time, and local farmer, John Gadsby, was tenant of most of the farmland.
1898 – Captain William Tomasson – later Sir William moved to Woodthorpe House with his family. However, they only purchased the land immediately around the house, which included what is now Woodthorpe Meadow (and the woodland), Old Lodge Close, and the former Play Centre (behind the Community Centre). Captain Tomasson had previously been an Army Officer, and had fought in the Anglo-Zulu War in 1879. In 1881 he was a Police Superintendent in Mansfield, but had become Chief Constable of Nottinghamshire in 1892. When Sir William died in 1922, the house passed to his wife, Lady Eliza, and later to their son, Major James Frederick Hugh Tomasson who lived there with his family until they moved to Newstead by 1939. Sir William’s daughter, Katherine Tomasson (Kitty), wrote “The Jacobite General” a biography of Lord George Murray, and “The Battles of the ’45. She was also a keen artist and Sherwood Community Association has photographs of three self-portraits as well as drawings of her aunt, the family pets and many other pictures from her portfolio.
- – Sir Charles Seely died in 1915, and in 1919, his sons sold the surrounding farmland to Nottingham Corporation, The Sherwood Estate was built, with the first of the houses being occupied from 1922. The Estate celebrated its Centenary in September 2022, with a picnic on the Estate itself and an evening celebration at Sherwood Community Centre.
1939 – The Tomasson Family had moved to Newstead in March of that year and the Nottingham Evening Post reported that the land was to be sold, and the house demolished to make way for new homes. Had it not been for World War II, this part of Sherwood would have looked very different.
1940 – The War Office requisitioned the house and it was used as the Regimental H.Q. of 161st and later 172nd Mixed Heavy A.A. Regiments along with the ATS. Nissen huts were put up in the grounds and the Officers’ Mess was built on the site of the former loggia. The Army remained on site until 1948 or later.
1947 – Nottingham City Council agreed to a Compulsory Purchase Order to acquire Woodthorpe House and its grounds from Major Tomasson, with the intention that it could be used for various educational purposes including a Nursery School and a Community Centre, The purchase price was agreed in 1948, and in 1949, the Council received compensation from the War Office due to the dilapidated state in which the Army had left the property. Even so, many original features still remain.
A social club had begun during World War II, meeting in members’ houses, and arranging fund raising events and dances in local schools. The first official meeting of Sherwood Community Association took place on 8 March 1947.
1949 – On 1 July, Ivor Bushnell took up his post as Warden of Sherwood Community Centre and he lived in the Lodge which was to the right of the drive. The Sherwood Community Association was given access to some upstairs rooms at Woodthorpe House in August 1949 and started work to refurbish the rooms to be used. Meanwhile, the downstairs rooms were used as an Annexe for Haywood Girls School.
1950 – On 8 July, the Centre was formally opened by the Mayor of Nottingham, Councillor H.O. Emmony J. P. on 8th July 1950, when there was a week of opening events.
For over 70 years, Sherwood Community Centre has been a base for LEISURE, EDUCATION, CULTURAL ACTIVITIES, HEALTH and WELL-BEING groups and many other Community Facilities for all ages from PRE-NATAL to SENIORS. Several CHARITIES and SUPPORT GROUPS have offices within the Centre, or meet here. Christmas Fayres, Summer Fayres, and other events bring the Community together and many regular users attend various different groups and enjoy a meal or other refreshments at our CAFÉ.
Sherwood Playgroup was opened at the Centre in 1961 and is still running today. Other groups have also been running here for many years, and many new groups have moved in.
The Volunteer Trustees of Sherwood Community Association (Charity) now Sherwood Community Association CIO (Charitable Incorporated Organisation) have always run Sherwood Community Centre, with the support of paid staff. There were many committees of volunteers running various activities such as Over 60s clubs, arts and crafts, Café, discussion groups etc. There was a Warden, employed by Nottingham City Council until the mid-70s, then in the late 70s and 80s there between 2 and 4 Wardens, who later became Community Development Workers who were based on-site and who were responsible for matters relating to the building and supporting various projects, such as Play schemes, Youth Activities, Lunch Club, Care Groups. Eventually Community Development Workers were phased out or given other responsibilities away from the Community Centre.
2020 – Sherwood Community Association CIO had intended organising a celebration of the 70th Anniversary of the opening of the Centre in July 2020. Unfortunately, like everything else the Centre was closed from 23 March 2020. Trustees and Admin Staff continued to work from throughout the first lockdown, until we were able to come in to make the building Covid-19 Safe and prepare for the return of more groups when it became possible. We hope to arrange an event for the 75th Anniversary in July 2025.
From 1 September 2020, Sherwood Community Playgroup, other children’s activities and some exercise groups were allowed to resume (until the next Lockdown).
During the early part of 2021, Support Groups and Offices were allowed to re-open, and from May 2021, more and more groups were able to return to the Centre. From September 2021 new groups were able to start up.
2022 – Our new Cafe opened in April.
An Exhibition on the History can be seen in the corridor of Woodthorpe House, by those attending groups or events in that part of the building.
Guided Tours of Woodthorpe House are arranged from time to time, for a nominal charge, when the Exhibition can also be seen. As a registered charity, Sherwood Community Association CIO relies on fundraising and donations towards decorating and refurbishment.
We would be grateful for any further information and the loan of photographs related to the History of Sherwood Community Centre and would be particularly interested in any information concerning the activities which took place here during the Second World War. Please contact us if you are able to provide any information.
Resources:
- Sherwood Community Centre Archives
- National Archives
- Nottinghamshire Archives
- Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Libraries
- Findmypast.com and Ancestry.co.uk
- Joan Baillon Wood: FAMILY PHOTOS.
- A local resident: ABSTRACT OF TITLE 1924
- Terry Fry: HISTORY OF SHERWOOD a Nottingham Suburb, ARTICLE ON WOODTHORPE HOUSE – CIVIC SOCIETY OF NOTTINGHAM NEWSLETTER No 140.
- OLD NOTTINGHAM SUBURBS, THEN AND NOW; MEN OF NOTTINGHAM AND NOTTS by Robert Mellors
- Various Websites