NOTTINGHAM AND ITS REGION 29 



from the Trent. The character of the Buater Pebble Beds thus played a 

 leading part in determining the site and form of the old town and still 

 provides some of the most typical features of the local environment. 

 Northwards the sandstone outcrop widens to form a belt of territory 

 several miles wide which stretches throughout the rest of the county. 

 The thin dry soil of this region encouraged neither cultivation nor settle- 

 ment and was accordingly left to support the heath, bracken and scattered 

 woods of oak and birch which comprised much of Sherwood Forest. 

 At one time the forest extended southwards to the gates of Nottingham 

 and to this day a few ancient trees within the city, as at Woodthorpe and 

 Thorneywood, survive as relics of these historic woodlands. 



Another local factor of importance was the River Leen. The lower 

 course of this stream, after turning eastwards near Lenton (i.e., Leen-ton), 

 followed closely along the foot of the sandstone cliff for a distance of 

 nearly two miles before making its final turn towards the Trent. Access 

 to Nottingham from the south therefore involved crossing both the main- 

 stream and the Leen, whilst between the two rivers the floodplain was 

 marshy and traversable only by means of an elevated causeway. Thus 

 the town formerly presented a sharply defined and easily defended margin 

 to the south. Parts of the modern city which cover the floodplain here 

 are still known as Broad Marsh, Narrow Marsh and the Meadows. 

 Despite its protective value, the Leen gave direct access to the town for 

 small craft sailing up the Trent, an advantage which served commercial 

 interests from time to time until the age of canals. Recently an old-time 

 landing stage was discovered near the foot of the Castle Rock. The Leen 

 formerly provided sites for watermills which in turn developed into village 

 settlements spaced at intervals of little more than half a mile along the 

 main section of its course. Such was the origin of Bulwell, Basford, 

 Radford and Lenton, all of which have later been absorbed into the body 

 of the city. The marked concentration along the banks of the Leen of 

 bleaching, dyeing and finishing-works connected with the modern textile 

 manufacturing shows how the value of these centres persists. 



Historical Development 



The full significance of the site of Nottingham is more clearly shown, 

 perhaps, if the broad facts of its historical development are outlined. 

 Beyond occasional finds of Bronze Age and New Stone Age implements 

 there is Uttle evidence of human occupation in pre-Roman times, though 

 an ancient salt way which crossed the Trent hereabouts suggests the likeli- 

 hood of ancient settlement in the District and the practice of moving 

 salt along this route confirms an early recognition of the river-crossing. 

 Whatever the origin of the first permanent community to the north of the 

 Trent in this district, the strategic value of its position in relation to the 

 river and to the sandstone gave it considerable advantage over other sites. 

 Admittedly the nearest Roman station so far identified was at Margi- 

 dunum, an armed camp on the Fosse Way, near East Bridgford, some 

 twelve miles from Nottingham. The Fosse Way itself at no point between 

 Leicester and Newark approached within five miles of the present position 

 of Trent Bridge, whilst another road, directed towards Little Chester near 



