History of Nottingham

Knowledge organiser

What does the word chronology mean to you?

Chronology

The arrangement of events or dates in the order of their occurrence.

Timelines help us arrange events or dates in the order of their occurrence.

Today’s enquiry question: What caused Nottingham to be set up and develop?

Follow the presentation and make notes about how Nottingham developed in Saxon and Viking times:

• Who the first settlers were and when they settled.

• Where they settled.

• The origins of the name and how it evolved.

There is evidence of human settlement in Nottinghamshire dating back thousands of years. Excavations at Creswell Crags, a group of limestone caves near Worksop, have revealed continuous human occupation from 40,000 - 28,000 BC.

It is possible that the Romans (43 – 87 AD) also had settlements in the area as they built the Fosse Way, linking Leicester and Lincoln.

Saxon NottinghamIn the 6th century, when the Anglo Saxons (410 – 1066 AD) colonised Nottinghamshire they established a small, fortified settlement called Snottaingaham on a steep sandstone outcrop (visible exposure of bedrock). The settlement was on high and dry ground, overlooking a shallow crossing point of what is now known as the River Trent. The settlement is now thought to have been in the Lace Market area of the city.

The Anglo-Saxon word ham meant village or homestead. The word inga meant 'belonging to' and Snotta was a man (probably a Saxon Chieftain). So its name meant the village was owned by Snotta. Gradually, its name changed to Snottingham, then the Normans dropped the s and it became Nottingham.

Viking NottinghamSnottaingaham was captured in 867 by Danish Vikings who had conquered North East and Eastern England. They turned Nottingham into a fortified settlement or burgh. It became one of the Five Burghs – or fortified towns – of The Danelaw.

King Alfred defeated the Vikings in AD 878

and divided the country in two. The area north of the divide was ruled by the Vikings and called

the Danelaw.

Under Viking rule, the town had a ditch around it and an earth rampart with a wooden palisade on top. The settlement flourished in this time with homes, grazing lands and orchards being developed.

In 920, the English king recaptured Nottingham and he built a bridge across the Trent. By the 10th century, Nottingham was a busy little town with a population of several hundred. The western limit of the town stood roughly where Bridlesmith Gate is today. From the 10th century, Nottingham also had a mint (a place where money is coined, under authority).

In 1067, William the Conqueror built a wooden castle to guard Nottingham. (It was rebuilt in stone in the 12th century).

Show you knowWho were the first settlers?

When did they appear in history?

What did they call their settlement?

What did this mean?

How did the name evolve?

Over to youUse information sheets and the knowledge organiser to complete your research into the history of Nottingham and how it developed over each time period.

For each time period, research and make notes about:• Population figures• Trade• Key developments to the city (public buildings, amenities,

transport, leisure etc).• Key people and events that impacted the city and its people.

Here are some examples of how you could publish your research:

What is the most effective format and why?

Time to publish

Remember to:• Present your research in chronological order.• Use key dates, factual language and illustrations. • Write neatly and joined.