Rufford, Nottinghamshire

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Rufford
Village and civil parish
Rufford Abbey (geograph 3674622).jpg
Rufford Abbey
Rufford, Nottinghamshire
Parish map
Nottinghamshire UK location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Rufford
Location within Nottinghamshire
Area12.91 sq mi (33.4 km2)
Population536 (2021)
•  Density 42/sq mi (16/km2)
OS grid reference SK 64358 64675
•  London 120 mi (190 km)  SSE
District
Shire county
Region
Country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town NEWARK
Postcode district NG22
Dialling code 0115
Police Nottinghamshire
Fire Nottinghamshire
Ambulance East Midlands
UK Parliament
List of places
UK
England
Nottinghamshire
53°10′30″N1°02′13″W / 53.175°N 1.037°W / 53.175; -1.037

Rufford, in the Newark and Sherwood district of Nottinghamshire, is the site of two villages whose inhabitants were evicted in the 12th century. Cistercian monasteries were established and the monks wished to ensure their isolation. [1] [2]

Contents

The area is centred around Rufford Abbey, a large country estate, [3] and adjacent Rufford Country Park, a leisure amenity run by Nottinghamshire County Council. [4] The population count was 536 residents at the 2021 census. [5]

A small portion of Bilsthorpe village falls across the eastern boundary. Other local features include Clipstone forest which is part of the Sherwood Pines Forest Park. There is also a holiday village to the north of the parish.

Mill and ford

Vehicle crossing the ford with normal water level Ford, Rufford Lane, Rufford Mill - geograph.org.uk - 235491.jpg
Vehicle crossing the ford with normal water level
Raised plateau with side pinch points created by kerbed build-outs at the start of Station Road, Ollerton with the junction to the A614 beyond Ollerton - Station Road junction with A614 - geograph.org.uk - 1207822.jpg
Raised plateau with side pinch points created by kerbed build-outs at the start of Station Road, Ollerton with the junction to the A614 beyond

Rufford Mill ford is located within the settlement on Rufford Lane. [6] The mill pond is fed by Rainworth Water.

Rufford Lane was closed to through-traffic by Nottinghamshire County Council in December 2022, at a point near to the old mill, using a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO), [7] partly due to having become a spectator-attraction with a regular social media following particularly during flooding, [8] exacerbated by vehicles drawn to the area to create a wash for filming. [9]

Nottinghamshire Police made the request for closure after one casualty was reported, a motorcyclist who attempted to cross the watersplash at an inappropriate speed, who afterwards confirmed a mental-health episode, stating "...I'm that one idiot who went through the ford at 50mph on a motorbike". [10] In December 2023, the council expressed a preference for making the closure permanent, but had to undertake a four-week minimum consultation, [11] starting on 5 February 2024, [10] ending 4 March. [12]

In May 2024, a further 18-month closure was announced "to allow the council time to consider the public’s responses to the consultation". The order will run consecutively, starting from the June expiry of the initial closure period. [13]

Rufford Lane is a link between the A614 and A616 main roads. Due to through-road closure, in early 2024 the BBC reported increased traffic levels and dangerous driving with vehicles short-cutting away from the main 'A' roads, using instead Station Road, in nearby Ollerton.

Closed-circuit television shows vehicles mounting the footways, and narrow-misses of residents themselves. The village street has long-standingtraffic calming measures, [14] using raised, textured plateaux and pinch points. [15]

A 2023 Nottinghamshire County Council report quoted a detour-length of four miles. [16]

In late 2024, an eel ladder, constructed by Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust with funding from Severn Trent Water, was created to assist in the upriver journeys of European eels, an endangered species, as they climb towards the mill-pond at the weir section. [17] [18]

See also

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References

  1. ↑ "Rufford Country Park (part)". Local Nature Reserves. Natural England. Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  2. ↑ "Map of Rufford Country Park". Local Nature Reserves. Natural England. Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  3. ↑ "A history of Rufford Abbey and Country Park". 3 October 2009. Archived from the original on 3 October 2009. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
  4. ↑ Country Parks Nottinghamshire County Council. Retrieved 5 February 2024
  5. ↑ UK Census (2021). "2021 Census Area Profile – Rufford (Newark and Sherwood) parish (E04007939)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics . Retrieved 5 February 2024.
  6. ↑ Sanderson, David. "Online videos of wild drivers lead Nottinghamshire county council to close Rufford ford". The Times . ISSN   0140-0460 . Retrieved 11 January 2023.
  7. ↑ "No easy options" for Rufford Ford's future as new bridge deemed too expensive Nottinghamshire Live , 18 December 2022. Retrieved 14 December 2023
  8. ↑ TikTok car-fishing craze leads to closure of ancient Rufford ford TheGuardian.com , 7 January 2023. Retrieved 14 December 2023
  9. ↑ Life next to Rufford Ford where 'dangerous driving' forced closure Nottinghamshire Live , 6 December 2022. Retrieved 1 February 2024
  10. 1 2 Rufford Ford: Consultation begins on closure of infamous ford BBC News , 5 February 2024. Retrieved 7 March 2024
  11. ↑ County council recommends permanent closure of Rufford Ford on safety grounds Nottinghamshire County Council, 4 December 2023. Retrieved 14 December 2023
  12. ↑ TRO3368 - RUFFORD LANE, RUFFORD - PROPOSED PROHIBITION OF DRIVING - PUBLIC ADVERT Nottinghamshire County Council. Retrieved 7 March 2024
  13. ↑ Nottinghamshire County Council extend closure of Rufford Ford to consider consultation responses Newark Advertiser , 16 May 2024. Retrieved 7 June 2024
  14. ↑ A614/A6097 Major road network junction improvement package Nottinghamshire County Council, December, 2020. Retrieved 5 February 2024
  15. ↑ Rufford Ford: Is ford loved by TikTokers a danger or harmless fun? BBC News , 4 February 2024. Retrieved 5 February 2024
  16. ↑ Rufford Lane Ford: Options Report Nottinghamshire County Council, 4 December 2023. Retrieved 7 June 2024
  17. ↑ New pass installed to support endangered eels BBC News , 22 December 2024. Retrieved 31 December 2024
  18. ↑ Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust constructs new eel pass at Rufford Mill to support the critically endangered migrating European Eels as part of The Three Rivers Restoration Project Newark Advertiser , 20 December 2024. Retrieved 31 December 2024
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