Bestwood | |
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Former BC&IC's offices |
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Bestwood shown within Nottinghamshire | |
OS grid reference | SK5645 |
Shire county | |
Region | |
Country | England |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Police | Nottinghamshire |
Fire | Nottinghamshire |
Ambulance | East Midlands |
EU Parliament | East Midlands |
Bestwood is an area in the Gedling district of Nottinghamshire. It is part of the civil parish of Bestwood St. Albans. A small part of the village falls within the Ashfield district council area. There have been several new housing estates built recently including the redevelopment of the former Bayles and Whylie factory site which was a former glue mill. It is to the east of Hucknall and north of Bulwell. It is neighboured to the North by the village of Papplewick. It is also close to the Bestwood Park Estate which is in the City of Nottingham.
It was once a colliery village but is now considered a more affluent area of the Nottingham conurbation.
Bestwood Mill Lakes are an attractive park in the village, the lakes having been constructed for use by now-defunct water mills.
Bestwood Country Park is an area of heath, grassland, wetland and formal garden which can be accessed from the village. The volunteer group "The Friends of Bestwood Country Park" are involved in improving the park and its wildlife & habitats.
Bestwood Lodge was built in the Gothic style for the Tenth Duke of St Albans in 1862–65 by the architect Samuel Sanders Teulon. The current Bestwood Lodge was completed in 1885. Edward, Prince of Wales, often visited incognito to spend a quiet time with his friends, and many old residents remember seeing him walking up from the station by himself. In 1878 he visited with Princess Alexandra for the opening of the Nottingham Castle Museum and both planted a tree at Bestwood. Many signatures were written in the visitor's book, including Disraeli, Gladstone, and Tennyson.
In the last century, Sir Frank Bowden, head of Raleigh bought Bestwood Lodge and later it became the headquarters for the Army during World War II. It remained Ministry of Defence property until the mid-1970s when it was converted into The Bestwood Lodge Hotel.