Visit Bulwell Places

Welcome to Visit Bulwell Places
The Walkfo guide to things to do & explore in Bulwell

  

Bulwell Places Overview: History, Culture & Facts about Bulwell

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Bulwell history

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Early settlers

The earliest documented settlements in Bulwell appeared around 800 AD, and were most likely built around the same time as the first local bridge across the River Leen. The bridge created a rare direct road to Nottingham from the north-west, introducing regular traffic to the area for the first time. The travellers were an almost captive market, and the abundance of sandstone made it easy to build dwellings.

1100–1600

Bulwell sandstone is a dull yellow-orange magnesium limestone similar to Bunter sandstone under Nottingham Castle. The strong, easily worked and durable rock offered a building material easy to quarry. Coalmines in the area around Bulwell were among the first in the county to operate on a commercial basis.

1600–1900

In 1667, George Strelley “built a school for the educating and teaching [of] young children of the said Parish”, a building that survives to this day, along with many other houses built at the time. An 1852 act of Parliament allowed a gas pipeline from Basford and the south to be extended. The earliest supply of mains water did not arrive until 1877, replacing many local springs, wells and the river.

1900 to the present

Snape Wood and Sellers Wood were parts of a swathe of woodland that bordered the landfill site to the north-west of Bulwell, stretching down to the farmland that became Hempshill Vale estate to the south-west. Both woods were protected under Royal Warrants dating back to the 12th century, but the drastic housing shortage in Bulwell in the 1960s and 1970s led to the protection being set aside. A token remnant of Snape Wood in the middle of the new estate amounts to little more than a fenced copse with three pathways leading through it.

Bulwell geography / climate

“Greater” Bulwell has an area of some 3.5 square miles, though many argue its catchment area still includes the Bestwood, Bestwood Park, Heathfield and Leen Valley estates of the past. As designated by the City Council it includes Top Valley, Heron Ridge, Crabtree Farm, Bulwell Hall, Snape Wood, Sellers Wood, Highbury Vale and Bulwell Forest.

Bulwell Bogs

The centre of Bulwell lies in a valley along the River Leen. The Bog area beside the Leen, known for over 900 years as “Bulwell Bogs”, has been set aside as a place for children to play, paddle and fish. The whole Bogs area was set to be demolished in 2002 to make way for a road bridge and transport interchange.

You can visit Bulwell places with Walkfo Bulwell to hear history at Bulwell’s places whilst walking around using the free digital tour app. Walkfo Bulwell has 71 places to visit in our interactive Bulwell map, with amazing history, culture & travel facts you can explore the same way you would at a museum or art gallery with information audio headset. With Walkfo, you can travel by foot, bike or bus throughout Bulwell, being in the moment, without digital distraction or limits to a specific walking route. Our historic audio walks, National Trust interactive audio experiences, digital tour guides for English Heritage locations are available at Bulwell places, with a AI tour guide to help you get the best from a visit to Bulwell & the surrounding areas.

“Curated content for millions of locations across the UK, with 71 audio facts unique to Bulwell places in an interactive Bulwell map you can explore.”

Walkfo: Visit Bulwell Places Map
71 tourist, history, culture & geography spots

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Bulwell historic spots	Bulwell tourist destinations	Bulwell plaques	Bulwell geographic features
Walkfo Bulwell tourism map key: places to see & visit like National Trust sites, Blue Plaques, English Heritage locations & top tourist destinations in Bulwell

  

Best Bulwell places to visit

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Bulwell has places to explore by foot, bike or bus. Below are a selection of the varied Bulwell’s destinations you can visit with additional content available at the Walkfo Bulwell’s information audio spots:

Nottingham Weather Centre Nottingham Weather Centre is located 5.6 miles (9.0 km) from the city centre of Nottingham . It is the closest weather station to Nottingham with observations .

Christ Church, Cinderhill Christ Church, Cinderhill is a Grade II listed parish church in Radford, Nottingham. It was built in the 1930s and is situated in Cinder Hill, a grade II listed church. It is located in the centre of Radford and is on the outskirts of Nottingham.

Church of St Mary the Virgin and All Souls, Bulwell The Church of St Mary the Virgin and All Souls, Bulwell is a parish church of the Church of England. The church is Grade II listed by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport as it is a building of special architectural or historic interest.

Shipstones Brewery James Shipstone & Sons was a brewery in New Basford, Nottingham, England, that opened in 1852 and closed in 1991. The brewery opened in 1852 and was closed in 1991.

Godley Toll Bar railway station Godley Toll Bar was a short-lived station between Manchester and Hyde on the Woodhead Route. It was replaced by Godley East which closed in 1995.

Bestwood Country Park Bestwood was a hunting estate owned by the Crown from the medieval period until the 17th century. King Charles II gave it to his mistress, Nell Gwyn, and their son. In the Victorian era, the location of a coal mine closed in 1967. It was established as a country park in 1973.

Visit Bulwell plaques