The Square

The Square, sometimes known as Church Square, was always considered the centre of the village. It was originally a village green with a majestic old elm standing in the middle with a seat around its girth. Here in the autumn evenings the village youth played games and courted the lasses. It was to here too that the village carrier returned from his weekly trips to Nottingham.

The Sun on the north corner of the Square dates from before 1840 and used to be a coaching inn. Stephen Sharpe was the victualler of the Sun Inn from 1851 to 1882. As the owner of a freehold house and land he was one of a few villagers entitled to vote.

On the east side of the Square is Clifton House and Farm. On the south side is St Lawrence churchyard and the west side is the village pump originally a hand pump. Earl Howe, then lord of the manor, first brought piped water to the village square from the Weldon Spring. Because this spring tended to dry up in summer another supply was subsequently piped from the present golf course. At this time a pump shelter was built in 1885 at a total work cost of £500.

Although no longer operating as a water supply point after 1932 when mains water was supplied it still retains the Pump identity as a meeting place.