Nottinghamshire Contents

Dunham

Dunham is a considerable village and parish, pleasantly seated on a gentle eminence on the west bank of the River Trent, 6 miles east north east of Tuxford. It comprises 362 inhabitants and 904 acres of land, a great part of which belongs to John Angersteine Esq., the lord of the manor. The other principal owners are Earl Manvers, Thomas Newstead Esq., Frederick Alderson and William Booth. Much of the land in this, as well as the adjacent parishes, has long been subject to inundation from the Trent, to prevent which, an Act has been obtained for raising an embankment, which was completed in the summer of 1844, and is from five to eight feet high.

The broad and shallow ferry which crossed the Trent here, was superceded about 20 years ago by a handsome cast iron bridge of four arches, each 118 feet span. The cost of this noble structure was £18,854 11s 10d, which was raised by a proprietary of £50 shareholders who, according to the Act of Parliament, were to purchase the ferry at a fair valuation. The first stone was laid in March 1831, and the whole was completed in 1832. The iron work, which weighs 900 tons, was cast by Messrs Booth & Co of Sheffield.

The spring tides rise here about four feet, but the common tides seldom flow higher than Gainsborough, which is 12 miles below Dunham. The fair held here on August 12th is well supplied with cattle, cheese &c. A market is held on Friday. A commodious National School for boys and girls, with a house for the master and mistress, was erected in 1844 at a cost of £600, which was raised by subscription, and a grant from the National Society. The Methodist Chapel was erected in 1824. A feast is held on the Sunday after August 12th. A fine old cross which stood in the village was taken down about 50 years ago by Mr Robert Mills.

The church is a small edifice, dedicated to St Oswald, and was rebuilt in 1803, except the tower, which is ancient and lofty. Previous to the reparation, teh chancel has long been in ruins. The living is a discharged vicarage, valued in the King's books at £4 13s 4d, and has now attached to it the parochial chapels of Ragnall and Darlton. The Rev. Frederick Norris is the incumbent, and the Rev. Thomas Cheadle is the curate. The patronage is vested in the Prebendary of Dunham, in Southwell Collegiate Church. At the enclosure of Dunham and Ragnall in 1803, the tithes of those parishes were commuted for the following allotments, viz. in Dunham, 211a 1r 36p to the prebendary and 23a 0r 3p to the vicar; in Ragnall, 21a 1r 13p to the prebendary and 91a 3r 34p to the vicar.

Charities: In 1658, John Addy left land, which at the enclosure was augmented with 3r 27p, and the rents are carried to the poor rates. In 1763, Mrs Hainsworth left £50, for which interest at 5 per cent is paid. Leonard and John Hainsworth, in 1728, left £50 to the poor of Dunham, but it is lost, together with the £50 left to those of Ragnall by one of the Mellish family. The church land consists of 2a 2r 7p, allotted at the enclosure.

White's Directory of Nottinghamshire 1853

[Last updated: Thursday 24th September 1998 - Clive Henly]

© Copyright C.R.G. Henly 1998