Lenton, Nottingham

The remains of a stone column from the priory

Lenton Priory was founded in the village by William Peverel at the beginning of the 12th century. A Cluniac monastery, the priory was home to mostly French monks until the late 14th-century when it was freed from the control of its French mother-house, Cluny Abbey. From the 13th-century, the priory struggled financially and was noted for "its poverty and indebtedness". The priory was dissolved in 1538, as part of King Henry VIII's dissolution of the monasteries.[1]

Following dissolution, the priory was demolished and its lands passed through private hands. The Priory Church of St. Anthony is thought to incorporate elements of the chapel of the priory's hospital.[2]

In 2005, Lenton celebrated the 900th anniversary of the foundation of the Priory. The centrepiece of the celebrations was a special festival held in the grounds of the Priory Church of St. Anthony, on 21 May 2005.

King Henry II granted permission for the priory to hold an annual fair on The Feast of Saint Martin: 11 November. Lenton Fair originally ran for 8 days before being extended to 12 days. The fair caused numerous disputes with the mayor and burgesses of the town of Nottingham as no markets could be held within Nottingham during the period in the Lenton fair. In return, the people of Nottingham were given special rates to hire booths at the fair.[1] The Fair continued after the demise of the Priory, though its length was gradually reduced. Its emphasis slowly changed and, in 1584, it was described as a horse-fair when servants of Mary, Queen of Scots attended.[3] By the 17th century, the Fair had acquired a reputation as a great fair for all sorts of horses. In the 19th century, it was largely frequented by farmers and horse dealers. The Fair finally ceased operating at the beginning of the 20th century.

From the closure of the priory in 1538 until the late 18th century, Lenton was primarily a rural agricultural village.[4]

In the 1790s, the Nottingham Canal was constructed, passing through the village. This led to industrialisation and population growth, with a number of factories built and the population increasing from 893 to 3077 between 1801 and 1831. The area known as New Lenton was developed on agricultural land separate from the village, to accommodate the expanding residential and industrial needs both from the village and the neighbouring town Nottingham. As with many other villages surrounding Nottingham, many of the residents were involved in the manufacture and trade of lace.[4]

Originally a separate village, Lenton became part of the town of Nottingham in 1877, when the town's boundaries were enlarged.[4] Nottingham became a city as part of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations of Queen Victoria in 1897.

Both the University of Nottingham and Queen's Medical Centre are within Lenton.[4] This has increased the amount of student accommodation available, hence making the location heavily populated with students.

In 1891 the parish had a population of 10,957.[5] On 26 March 1897 the parish was abolished and merged with Nottingham.[6]

• Dunkirk to the south and west
• Radford to the north
• The Park Estate to the east

The Marcus Garvey Ballroom is a local West Indian community centre managed by West Indian Cavaliers, and located on Lenton Boulevard. Named after Marcus Mosiah Garvey, this venue is famous for its large music hall, the Ballroom, which has a capacity of around 1000. Events include clubnights run by students from the universities, including Firefly, Detonate, Misst, and also specialises in live acts, it also houses the legendary C.P.H sound system.

The Marcus Garvey Day Care Centre also hosts day care facilities for African Caribbean elders, with a wide range of activities including bingo, raffle, needlework, dominoes, arts and crafts and a prayer meeting held on Friday mornings. Fresh meals are available for a small charge. The centre has a library, an organ, music system, TV and video facilities. The building is wheelchair accessible.

This building was formerly part of the Raleigh bicycle company's development in Lenton, now largely demolished to make way for a new University of Nottingham campus. For much of the twentieth century, it was the largest bicycle factory in the world.[7]

The Lenton Centre in Willoughby Street is a local community centre with gym and swimming pool. Previously a council facility, it was bought by local residents in 2004 for £10 when it was threatened by closure.[8]

Holy Trinity Church

• Lenton is home to the Queen's Medical Centre, one of the largest teaching hospitals in Europe.
• Holy Trinity Church, Lenton
• Priory Church of St. Anthony, Lenton
• William Woodsend Memorial Homes
• Albert Ball Memorial Homes
• Lenton Methodist Church
• Savoy Cinema, Nottingham
• The Crocus Cafe, Church Square Lenton