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Woodborough’s Heritage

Woodborough, a Sherwood Forest Village, recorded in Domesday

Playing Field 335

Combine with cricket club

On Wednesday, 19th January 1955, a Parish Meeting passed unanimously a resolution that a loan of £925 be applied for from the County Council to purchase 3½ acres just below the school on the North side. This will mean an extra 4d. Rate. Mr Taylor, who bought the field when the Manor was sold last September, has generously offered it to the Parish Council. So, I understand, we are almost back full circle to the ground used in Mr Hill’s day.

A vote of thanks was moved at the meeting to the Playing Field Committee and to the Chairman of the Parish Council for their labours. And they certainly deserve it. Mr Dennis Briggs, its Chairman, and Mr Percy Bingham, the Council Chairman, and others have put in some hard work on our behalf. Also coupled in the vote of thanks was the name of Mr Frank Small who has done more than anyone else to get Woodborough this field.

February 1955

The Playing Field Committee has asked that the following information be given:—

The Field now belongs to the Village, the Parish Council having taken over on 16th June. The purchase price with expenses is £971 13s. 0d; a loan has been taken from the Notts County Council.

At the moment no estimate has been received for preparing the field for levelling, the levelling itself and laying out as a sports ground, but obviously it will be a considerable sum. Meanwhile the Committee — Mr J.P. Bingham (Chairman), Mrs Macartney-Filgate, Messrs M. Bingham, H. Hill, C. Levers, W. Raynor, Col. Macartney-Filgate (Treasurer), Rev. A.J. Evans and G. Thompson (Secretary) — have received £16 14s. 6d so far, and any member will be glad to receive donations.

Air Vice-Marshall and Mrs Crisham have kindly lent the garden of Woodborough Hall for a Garden Party in aid of the Fund on Saturday 16th July. Various sideshows have been arranged (there is chance of a pig), and the Village Band will be in attendance.

The Committee hope that this, their first effort for the new Playing Field, will be generously supported.

July 1955

So far what has been published has been chiefly about money. From time to time one is greeted by outsiders with “I saw the scheme for your playing-field in the Guardian.” A beautiful scheme on paper, but translating it into something real depends on support both of people, especially those who will use it, and money.

An estimate given by the surveyor for the scheme shown on the plan, (football, cricket, two hard tennis courts and a bowling green) was £4200, and even the estimate for levelling alone is £800. Towards this a further grant of not more than £300 from the National Playing Fields Association is likely. The rest we must raise ourselves.

The Playing Field Committee intends to co-opt several young people, and also to call a meeting of the youth of the village who comprise most of the intending players.

The sooner the money is raised, the sooner something is likely to happen. Meanwhile, now that the trees are up and almost away, levelling is the next stage.

November 1955

The future of the playing field has now been decided. On 6th September the Parish Council met representatives of the County Council when it was agreed to hand over the major part of the site for the building of a new school, scheduled for 1967-68. In exchange for the site the County Council will be recommended to take over the outstanding loan, at present standing at £838, which was raised for the purchased of the land in 1955. The scheme also provides for the payment of £1000 to the Parish and the provision of a new playing field on land at the rear, which will be sufficient for a football pitch and cricket square. It is an essential part of the transaction that although the freehold of the new playing field will be held by the Parish, the use will be shared with the school and, from the village point of view, an important consideration is freedom from maintenance problems. A section of the existing playing field is to be retained and earmarked as a possible site for a village hall.

October 1966

Parish Council Notes

The next meeting of the Parish Council will be held in the school on Tuesday 6th May 1969, and for the first part will take the form of a parish meeting.

The reason for this is to obtain a formal resolution from the village authorising the transfer of the former playing field land to the County Council for the building of the new school.  The fact that the old playing field has been exchanged for the freehold of a bigger and (eventually) better playing fieldplus the sum of £1000, plus erasure of an outstanding loan of some £830, plus free maintenance by the Education Department Playing Fields staff in consideration of joint-user benefitsdoes not alter the requirement to obtain parish approval. The law makes no distinction between advantageous arrangement of this kind and a simple straightforward sale of land. Incidentally, the village still retains possession of the southern strip of the old playing field on which the replacement tennis courts have been built, and the part fronting onto the road is noted in the layout plan for development if required for village hall purposes.

May 1969

Development of the new playing field, which was to have been levelled and laid out in the spring, has been delayed by exceptionally wet weather. The Council are to meet the architect and contractor on the site to press for early positive action.

July 1969

Planning permission for the new Pavilion is expected at any time now. Quotations are being obtained from a number of contractors. These will be very carefully considered by the Woodborough Parish Council, Football Club, Cricket Club and the architect.

September 1982

Tenders for the building of a sports pavilion were received but not accepted, as at this stage they were considered too high for the funds available, but further consultations are taking place.

October 1982

Six tenders were received for the building of the shell only of the new sports pavilion. The lowest tender had to be accepted and it is hoped that work will have started by the time this newsletter reaches you. The Community Association has very kindly donated the sum of £100 towards the new pavilion fund.

December 1982

The Parish Council have expressed their gratitude for a bequest of £100 from the estate of the late Mrs K.M. Guy towards the cost of the pavilion. Work is progressing on the internal fittings.

March 1983

The Woodborough Community Association has donated £100 towards the cost of the pavilion and the Cricket and Football Clubs are paying for the flooring tiles. Good progress is being maintained in the final stages of building.

June 1983