Regional Info

Geography

The East Midlands is a fabulous combination of rolling, rural countryside with grassland and grazing livestock as well as the vibrancy and employment opportunities available in the cities of Nottingham, Leicester and Derby.  It offers a plethora of lifestyle choices and better value for money than can be found in the more traditional London commuter destinations and is a wonderful place to live.

The region is punctuated by 2 significant cities, Nottingham and Leicester and yet has a largely rural landscape with the Vale of Belvoir at its heart, Sherwood forest to the north and Rutland water to the south. It is precisely because of the accessibility of the cities that makes the east midlands so popular as it is possible to live in the countryside and still be able to enjoy the shopping, recreational and cultural aspects of city life. Furthermore, the central location within the UK and the excellent road and rail network means that it is relatively easy to travel to all other parts of the Country.

Rutland is England’s smallest county nestling equidistant between York and London. At the centre of the county lies Rutland Water, the horseshoe shaped man-made reservoir created in the 1970s, where people can enjoy fishing, sailing, cycling, bird watching and water sports.

Cities and Towns

Nottingham is a city rich in heritage, entertainment, education, sport and leisure. Nottingham is famous for Robin Hood, DH Lawrence, Brian Clough, Sir Paul Smith, Torvill & Dean, Sir Jesse Boot and Goose Fair to name but a few. King Charles 1 on 22nd August 1642 raised his royal standard and started the Civil War in Nottingham; the Raleigh “Chopper” bike was developed in Nottingham in 1969; and Ibuprofen was discovered in Nottingham.  The villages of Colston Bassett & Cropwell Bishop in Nottinghamshire are famous as the producers of Stilton Cheese.

Leicester is a thriving university city dating back to Roman times and has a diverse multi-cultural and multi-ethnic population. It is home to the rugby league team “Leicester Tigers” and the National Space Centre.  Melton mowbray in Leicestershire is famous for its pork pies and Loughborough University is specifically renown for its sporting faculty.

Oakham is a pretty market town with its own set of “stocks” adjacent to the Castle in the Market Place and home to Oakham School founded in 1584.

Stamford is a small market town 100 miles north of London boasting a wealth of 17th century classical and georgian properties, constructed in old lincolnshire limestone, giving the town its distinguished appearance. Stamford is also the home of one of the finest Elizabethan houses in England, Burghley House, built in the 16th century by William Cecil. The famous three day event, Burghley Horse Trials is held within Burghley Park every September.

Grantham has its roots in the old stagecoach route from London and today is popular for the fast rail link to London kings Cross (1hr 15 mins), making it popular with commuters. It is also where Lady Margaret Thatcher grew up and spent her formative life.

Lincoln in 300AD was the major centre and capital of the Roman province covering most of eastern England. Lincoln’s castle was William the Conqueror’s first castle and is currently home to one of four original surviving copies of the Magna Carta. Lincoln Cathedral was established in 1072 by William and is an important example of early english gothic architecture and was used as a location for the film the “Da Vinci Code” in August 2005. Lincoln University was only recently established in 1996.

Retford is a market town 31 miles from Nottingham city centre where in 1607 the founding Pilgrim Fathers left to start their new life in Holland.

Newark is a picturesque town on the River Trent overlooked by the ruins of Newark Castle dating back to the early 12th century. During the Civil War the town came under seige three times until May 1646 when Charles 1 ordered the town to surrender. It also holds the biggest antiques fairs in Europe six times a year at the nearby County Showground.

Communications

Train Services – Mainline train services operate to St Pancras International or London Kings Cross from stations all over the region as follows: East Midlands Parkway, the new rail link just off jn 24 of the M1 (1hr 35 mins); Nottingham (2 hrs); Leicester (1hr 30 mins); Loughborough (1hr 35 mins); Grantham (1hr 15 mins); Lincoln (2 hrs); Stamford (1hr 30 mins); Retford (1hr 35 mins); Newark (1hr 20mins); Melton Mowbray (1hr 50 mins); Oakham (1hr 45 mins).
Road Travel – The region is particularly well serviced by road links. The M1 and A1 ( the old Great North Road) to the north and south, the A52 east and west and the A46 Roman road, the “Fosse Way”, obliquely.
Air Travel – East Midlands Airport is situated at Castle Donington, just off junction 24 of the M1; Robin Hood Doncaster Sheffield Airport is a short distance north of Retford and Birmingham International Airport is easily accessible off the M42 and M6.

Properties

The type of property available differs widely within the region ranging from ultra modern apartments in the city to traditional Georgian country houses. Construction is mainly red brick but there are also many stone built properties including the striking old lincolnshire limestone and roof coverings vary mainly between pantile and slate with the occasional thatched cottage. Throughout the countryside there are numerous working farms with outbuildings still intact set within their own acreage and an abundance of wildlife habitat.

Economy

The majority of inhabitants in the region work in the area.  However, being centrally positioned the widespread road and rail network, commuting to London or anywhere in the UK is easily manageable.  Grantham to London only takes 1 hour 15 minutes and East Midlands Parkway rail service 1 hour 35 minutes.  It can take equally as long commuting from the Vale of Belvoir to Derby in rush hour traffic.

Schools

There are some very good, primary and secondary state schools available in the region. For further information see:
www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk
www.leicestershire.gov.uk
www.lincolnshire.gov.uk
www.rutland.gov.uk

There are an excellent choice of independent pre-primary, primary and secondary day and boarding schools in the area. For further information see: www.iscis.co.uk

Leisure

There is a huge diverse range of recreational actitivies available in the region. Being largely rural there is a significant emphasis on country field sports and the area is home to 4 major hunting packs: the Quorn, South Notts, Belvoir and Cottesmore with whom visiting patrons are always welcome and hirelings available. Shooting enthusiasts are also well served with both clay pigeon and live bird shoots on offer and there are numerous opportunities for anglers to pursue their passion.

The National Watersports Centre in Holme Pierrepoint and Rutland Water provide extensive opportunities for any non-land based activity and the large canal network linking across the region gives walkers endless options to pursue.

The region is steeped in history and culture from country houses and castles to museums and theatres, as well as offering excellent shopping facilities in both the town centres and retail outlets.

The National Exhibition Centre is easily accessible and offers a multitude of events annually from concerts to lifestyle shows.

Donington Park is already home to music festivals and the race circuit to motor racing events and is scheduled to host the British F1 Grand Prix in 2010 provided the funding is available.

Links

www.millfieldnurseryschool.co.uk
www.colstonbassettschool.com
www.ratcliffecollege.com
www.oakham.rutland.sch.uk