Hill Road

Hill Road was originally a drovers’ road, then a bridlepath from Gotham village, via Cuckoo Bush Hill to Court Hill, the site of the Anglo-Saxon meeting place for the Rushcliffe Wapentake. The bridleway continued to West Leake, Zouch and Hathern.

With the opening of the gypsum workings on and under Cuckoo Bush Hill in 1870 the pathway became extremely busy. In the early days of the Gypsum mine the ashes from the boilers were used to strengthen and repair the path, subsequently it became known as the cinder track.

Gypsum rock was transported by horse and cart down the track to Kegworth for processing. The carts returned loaded with coal for the mines. With the coming of the railway branch line in the 1900s this method of transportation ceased. About this time houses were built alongside the track and it became known as Hill Road.

Subsequently J A King & Co from London built a factory alongside the track to produce plaster slabs for the building industry.