Places features

Wilford Crescent East, The Meadows

The Victorian terraces of Wilford Crescent in the Meadows were built on the former course of the River Trent.

It's believed the River Trent changed its direction because of its tendency to flood, due to its base of sand and gravel, and climate change in the 14th Century.

The early years of the 1300s saw the temperature in England drop, storms became more regular, rivers burst their banks, harvests failed and famine followed.

The change of the river's direction left a flat watery meadow south of the city, which historians believe marked the southern boundary of the city.

The Meadows estate was built on this area in the mid to late 19th century to re-house the working class of Nottingham, who had been living in slums.

Population

The houses were built to cope with industrialisation and population growth. In Nottingham population increased from 28,861 to 239,743 within a hundred years (1801-1901).

Julian Marsh house in the Meadows

Playing fields and Victoria Embankment were created to provide areas for recreation and Arkwight Street became one of the busiest shopping streets in Nottingham.

During the 1970s most of the older properties to the north of Wilford Crescent were demolished and rebuilt.

By the 1980s the Meadows area gained a reputation for being like a "rabbit warren of crime."

Regeneration

Things are looking up for the Meadows.

In July 2009, Nottingham City Council and The Meadows Partnership Trust successfully bid for £200 million to improve housing.

The money will go towards the refurbishment of 520 council houses and 160 flats will be turned into 80 family houses.

There are also moves to cope with climate change in the 21st Century.

Local architect Julian Marsh has developed plans for low energy housing in the Meadows and built his own eco-house on Felton Road.

Also, Meadows Ozone, a community owned energy services company, is aiming to be the first in the UK to start producing energy to sell back to the big energy suppliers.

This article has been created with the help of local historian Chris Matthews.