Lowdham


Lowdham is a village and civil parish in Nottinghamshire between Nottingham and Southwell. It is in the Newark and Sherwood district, and at the 2001 census, had a population of 2,832, increasing to 3,334 at the 2011 Census. There are two main roads slicing through the village: the A6097 south-east to north-west dual carriageway, and the A612 between Nottingham and Southwell.

History

This seems to be an Old English masculine personal nickname, Hluda, + hām, village, a village community, a manor, an estate, a homestead., so"Hluda's homestead or village". However, the name Lowdham points also to a Danish origin.
Relics of the Middle Ages remaining are an alabaster slab and a figure of a knight in armour, in the chancel of the church, inscribed to the memory of Sir John de Loudham. The dog at the feet of the effigy suggests that Loudham was a warrior. According to one source, "Many of the Crusaders are represented with their feet on a dog, to show that they followed the standard of the Lord as faithfully as a dog follows the footsteps of his master."
The old church and the castle mound are to the west of the bypass. St Mary's Church dates back to before the 14th century. In 1826 a Wesleyan Methodist Chapel was built in Ton Lane, and in 1844 an Independent Primitive Methodist Chapel appeared in the Main Street. The Ton Lane chapel closed in 1986. The Bottom Chapel continues in use as an Independent Methodist church.
To the north-east of the bypass is Lowdham Mill. There is now little sign of the frame knitting industry that was important in this area in the 19th century. In 1844 there were 94 stocking frames working in Lowdham.

Notable people

In birth order:
is on the Nottingham to Lincoln Line. Two miles from the railway station is HMP Lowdham Grange.
Village pubs are the Railway, the Magna Charta, the World's End, and the Old Ship. All have open lounge/bar layouts and are situated near the centre of the village.
The retail services include two general stores, a sub-post office, several take-away eating places, a filling station and a bookshop.

Bus services

Nottingham City Transport
AOT Coaches