Mansfield Tourist Information

Mansfield is a large town in Nottinghamshire, second in size only to the city of Nottingham. Its name comes from the River Maun which runs through it.

It was mentioned in the Doomsday record in 1086 and is close to Sherwood Forest.

Mansfield was an important town in the brewing industry. For many years Mansfield Brewery was the largest independent brewer in Britain. In 1999 it was taken over by the Wolverhampton and Dudley Breweries and production was moved away from the town.

In 1819 the town had a horse-drawn plateway, an early tram on rails. It became one of the first lines of the Midland Railway.

At one time Mansfield has two railway stations. The LNER line which from the early 1950s only carried freight and the LMSR line (formerly the Midland) which closed in the 1970s. Mansfield then had the dubious honour of being the largest town in Europe not to have a railway station.

The Robin Hood Line opened in the 1990s and now runs a local service between Nottingham and Worksop.

Present Day Mansfield

The town of Mansfield is arranged around the large market square. The centre includes an indoor market, a museum, pubs and restaurants and the Palace Theatre. The town is known for its thriving music scene and is home to the World Champion Cantamus Girls Choir.

Shopping is centred on the Four Seasons Shopping Centre which has many national branded stores. The Old Library now houses an arts centre with sports, leisure and entertainment.

Mansfield is close to the M1 and is the end of the A38 which starts in Cornwall and is the longest A class road in England.

Famous people connected with Mansfield include the singer Alvin Stardust, TV presenter Adam Kingswood and professional golfers Greg Owen and Oliver Wilson.

Mansfield Town FC is now part of the Conference National after 77 years playing in the Football League. Their rivals are Chesterton FC and there is bitter rivalry between the two teams.

Things to Do Around Mansfield

Mansfield is a stone's throw from the huge Sherwood Forest. It has miles of walks and trails within the country park. Start your visit at the Visitor Centre and make sure you see the Major Oak, over 800 years old and reputedly the principal hideout of Robin Hood.

There are some award-winning areas of parkland in the area including Carr Bank and Titchfield Park. Party in the Park is a huge summer festival held at Titchfield Park and has live music acts and open-air concerts. It is part of the Summer in the Streets Festival which has a fairground and events in Market Square from June through August.

Other leisure activities can be enjoyed at the well-equipped swimming pool and leisure centre. Mansfield Woodhouse Golf Club is in the Leeming Lane North area of the town and there are other golf facilities within Sherwood forest.

The Sherwood Forest Arts and Crafts Centre is a collection of shops and small retail outlets at Forest Corner.

The award-winning Mansfield Museum was started when wealthy collector William Edward Baily donated his collection to the town in 1903. Since then it has grown considerably and has four galleries and an arcade.