wysall village history...

Wysall is a small picturesque village in Nottinghamshire, steeped in history and heritage and nestled in beautiful countryside just eleven miles south of Nottingham. Located in the broad valley of the Kingston Brook, for most of its history Wysall has been a self-contained agricultural village accessible only by minor roads. According to the 2001 census, Wysall had a population of three hundred and twenty one. The historic Holy Trinity Church in Wysall is of Norman origin. The Church's tower and spire as well as the wooden ladder leading up into the bell chamber date back as far as the thirteenth century, with the addition of the chancel a little later in the fourteenth century.

Wysall is linked with the neighbouring village of Thorpe in the Glebe both of which are run by the Parish Council. The large village of Keyworth which offers some excellent amenities sits to the north of Wysall, with Widmerpool to the east, Willoughby on the Wolds to the south east, Wymeswold to the south and Costock to the south west.

As one of the 41 Thankful Villages that did not suffer any fatilities during the Great War of 1914 to 1918, Wysall believes in encouraging a strong village community and hosts many regular village activities and special events including the very popular Strawberry Fair amongst others. The local village pub, The Plough Inn is also a popular meeting point for catching up on village life.

September 2021

LOOKING BACK INTO OUR HISTORY -- No 1.

Wysall village hall, today very well used by not only parish residents but others from surrounding villages, began its life in 1871 as the village school. And then exactly 100 years later closed its doors for that purpose and eventually became the public building it is today – the village hall.

Records show that building work on what was to become the school began two years before it welcomed its first pupils.

Actual construction work was completed in 1871 and at that time a scheme was prepared by the Education department of Notts County Council for the new facility to be held on Charitable Trust as a freehold building with the premises being united with the National Society by deed, with the instructions on its use being given to Church of England principles.

The school contained two classrooms with accommodation for 50 pupils. One classroom, the junior, covered around 400 sq. ft while the room used for the infants covered barely 200 sq. ft. For many years after its had opened, the school still lacked waterborne sanitation, and it had outside Elsan toilets which had to be emptied every week by a visiting tanker.

The Education Authority ceased to maintain the school at the end of the Summer Term 1971 when the new premises of Costock Church of England school --now also the village hall in that parish—came into use and to where the pupils from Wysall C of E were transferred.

October 2021

Looking Back into our History -- No 2.

The website takes a look back in time for the parish council by displaying here the minutes of its very first meeting way back in the year 1952, the year that our present Queen Elizabeth II came to the throne.

Minutes of the first meeting of Wysall with Thorpe in the Glebe Parish Council held at 9pm, 25th February 1952 at Wyn Lodge, Wysall, Notts.

Present: Councillors: Messrs J. D. Walker, E. M. Trafford, J. Henstock, E. D. Sleigh, V. Duncan, J. W. Derrick, E. Eggleston and J. Sleigh.

Clerk: M. B. Lovett

Councillor: H. C. Carlton J. P.

Election of Chairman: Proposed and seconded that Mr J. D. Walker be elected Chairman of the Council until the election in May 1952. Meeting unanimous and Mr Walker accepted Chairmanship.

Vice Chairman: Mr E. Eggleston was proposed by Mr E. D. Sleigh and Mr J. D. Walker.

Election of Clerk: Proposed and seconded that Mr M.B. Lovett be elected Clerk to the Council. Meeting unanimous and Mr Lovett accepted nomination.

Forms of Acceptance of Office: These were duly signed and witnessed by each councillor.

Declaration of Expenses of Election: Nil returns were signed by each councillor and witnessed by Mr Harry C. Carlton in his capacity as a Justice of the Peace.

Proposed closing of the Village School: This was discussed. Mr Carlton explained the position and it was decided that the course of action to be taking should be decided at the next meeting, and followed up at the next parish meeting to be held in March 1952.

A Vote of Thanks was proposed and seconded to Mr Carlton for his services at the meeting.

It was decided that the next meeting should be held on Monday, March 3.

Proceedings then terminated.

John D Walker, Chairman

3. 52

in the news...evening post 2004

Following the 90th anniversary of the start of the first world war in 2004, researchers were trying to determine which English villages can claim the unusual title of a 'thankful village' - those villages which welcomed back every single man they sent to war between 1914 and 1918.

Famous Notts writer Arthur Mee, in his book on the county first published in 1938, included Wysall writing '17 men went out to war and came home again: it is one of three thankful villages in the county'. The other 2 thankful Notts villages are Cromwell and Wigsley.

...down you way 1972

A village record dated 1884 states that the parish contained 379 inhabitants and had 1360 acres principally belonging to 5 landowners. It also gives details of when the land was enclosed in 1800 and mentions the princely sum of £6 paid to the village schoolmaster for teaching poor children in the parish.

...down you way 1970

Referred to in the Domesday book as Wisoc, Wysall like most 1000+ year old settlements is built around the focal point of its church Holy Trinity which dates back to the 13th century and still dominates the village despite the stumpiness of its 600+ year old spire.