Toton
Encyclopedia
Toton is a small suburb of Nottingham
. It forms part of the Greater Nottingham
urban area, and is in the Borough of Broxtowe
. The inhabited area is contained within the electoral ward of Toton and Chilwell Meadows. In 2001, the population of this ward was 7298, in 2913 households.
Until 1974 Toton was part of Beeston and Stapleford Urban District, having been in Stapleford Rural District
until 1935. The border with Derbyshire
is immediately to the west.
It is predominantly residential, although it does have a large Tesco
store and one of the main entrances to Chetwynd Barracks (also known as Chilwell Depot), which forms a boundary to the east
, with the Midland Railway
and Toton sidings as a boundary to the west
.
times, little is known of its history. It is known that Toton parish at one time encompassed a much larger area than is now apparent, including much of what is now Attenborough
village, and shared a church (probably on the site of St. Mary's, Attenborough) with neighbouring Chilwell
parish, an arrangement that was unusual for the times.
The village itself was for most of its history, small and dominated by agriculture. It then grew principally because of Toton Sidings (see Toton Traction Maintenance Depot
), a huge marshalling yard of the Midland Railway
, where coal
from the Nottinghamshire Coal Field would be sorted before being sent to the rest of the United Kingdom
. Also, the area's population grew substantially during World War I
when most of the area of level ground between Chilwell
and Toton was occupied by the National Shell Filling Factory No. 6 and the original direct route between Chilwell and Toton became a gated military road, now known as Chetwynd
Road. This site is now known as Chetwynd Barracks.
In the twentieth century the nature of the village therefore changed drastically. Almost all the agricultural land (mostly orchards) to the north of the A6005 was converted into housing. A few of the old orchard trees were retained in some gardens. Most of the old farmhouses were demolished, and perhaps twelve buildings remain that are pre-1900. Almost no visible traces remain of Toton’s agricultural past.
The Toton Sidings site is popular with railway enthusiasts, who can often be seen with camera
s and binoculars
, viewing the sidings from the nearby A52
, and the nearby Toton Bank, which gives a view of most of the depot.
and its overflow channel, and stretching up along Toton Bank. These areas are managed collectively as Toton Fields Local Nature Reserve
.
Toton Washlands is a nature reserve created by the Environment Agency
to the west of Toton Sidings, that serves as flood defence for the River Erewash
and sits to the east of the Erewash Canal
. Although it is within the boundaries of Toton, due to the presence of the sidings it is only possible to access the area from neighbouring Long Eaton
.
'The Manor' is also a pub sited on Toton corner, near to Nottingham Road
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
. It forms part of the Greater Nottingham
Greater Nottingham
The Nottingham Urban Area is an area of land defined by the Office for National Statistics, consisting of the city of Nottingham and the adjoining urban areas of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, in the East Midlands of England...
urban area, and is in the Borough of Broxtowe
Broxtowe
Broxtowe is a local government district with borough status in Nottinghamshire, England, west of the City of Nottingham. It is part of the Greater Nottingham metropolitan area...
. The inhabited area is contained within the electoral ward of Toton and Chilwell Meadows. In 2001, the population of this ward was 7298, in 2913 households.
Until 1974 Toton was part of Beeston and Stapleford Urban District, having been in Stapleford Rural District
Stapleford Rural District
Stapleford was a rural district in Nottinghamshire, England from 1894 to 1935.It was formed under the Local Government Act 1894 from part of the Shardlow rural sanitary district in Nottinghamshire, and consisted of the parishes of Bramcote, Chilwell, Stapleford and Toton...
until 1935. The border with Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
is immediately to the west.
It is predominantly residential, although it does have a large Tesco
Tesco
Tesco plc is a global grocery and general merchandise retailer headquartered in Cheshunt, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest retailer in the world measured by revenues and the second-largest measured by profits...
store and one of the main entrances to Chetwynd Barracks (also known as Chilwell Depot), which forms a boundary to the east
East
East is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography.East is one of the four cardinal directions or compass points. It is the opposite of west and is perpendicular to north and south.By convention, the right side of a map is east....
, with the Midland Railway
Midland Railway
The Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 to 1922, when it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway....
and Toton sidings as a boundary to the west
West
West is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography.West is one of the four cardinal directions or compass points. It is the opposite of east and is perpendicular to north and south.By convention, the left side of a map is west....
.
History
Although the village of Toton has existed since at least NormanNorman conquest of England
The Norman conquest of England began on 28 September 1066 with the invasion of England by William, Duke of Normandy. William became known as William the Conqueror after his victory at the Battle of Hastings on 14 October 1066, defeating King Harold II of England...
times, little is known of its history. It is known that Toton parish at one time encompassed a much larger area than is now apparent, including much of what is now Attenborough
Attenborough, Nottinghamshire
Attenborough is a village and a suburb in the Broxtowe borough of Nottinghamshire. It forms part of Greater Nottingham, and is to the southwest of Nottingham, between Long Eaton and Beeston...
village, and shared a church (probably on the site of St. Mary's, Attenborough) with neighbouring Chilwell
Chilwell
Chilwell is a residential suburb of Greater Nottingham, in the Borough of Broxtowe of Nottinghamshire, west of Nottingham city. Until 1974 it was part of Beeston and Stapleford Urban District, having been in Stapleford Rural District until 1935.-History:...
parish, an arrangement that was unusual for the times.
The village itself was for most of its history, small and dominated by agriculture. It then grew principally because of Toton Sidings (see Toton Traction Maintenance Depot
Toton TMD
Toton Traction Maintenance Depot is one of the largest rail depots in the United Kingdom. Toton TMD is bordered by Long Eaton and Sandiacre in Derbyshire and Toton in Nottinghamshire...
), a huge marshalling yard of the Midland Railway
Midland Railway
The Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 to 1922, when it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway....
, where coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
from the Nottinghamshire Coal Field would be sorted before being sent to the rest of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. Also, the area's population grew substantially during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
when most of the area of level ground between Chilwell
Chilwell
Chilwell is a residential suburb of Greater Nottingham, in the Borough of Broxtowe of Nottinghamshire, west of Nottingham city. Until 1974 it was part of Beeston and Stapleford Urban District, having been in Stapleford Rural District until 1935.-History:...
and Toton was occupied by the National Shell Filling Factory No. 6 and the original direct route between Chilwell and Toton became a gated military road, now known as Chetwynd
Godfrey Chetwynd, 8th Viscount Chetwynd
Godfrey John Boyle Chetwynd, 8th Viscount Chetwynd CH was a British peer and industrialist.Chetwynd was the second son of Captain Henry Weyland Chetwynd and his wife Julia . On 12 April 1893, he married Baroness Hilda von Alvensleben-Rusteberg...
Road. This site is now known as Chetwynd Barracks.
In the twentieth century the nature of the village therefore changed drastically. Almost all the agricultural land (mostly orchards) to the north of the A6005 was converted into housing. A few of the old orchard trees were retained in some gardens. Most of the old farmhouses were demolished, and perhaps twelve buildings remain that are pre-1900. Almost no visible traces remain of Toton’s agricultural past.
The Toton Sidings site is popular with railway enthusiasts, who can often be seen with camera
Camera
A camera is a device that records and stores images. These images may be still photographs or moving images such as videos or movies. The term camera comes from the camera obscura , an early mechanism for projecting images...
s and binoculars
Binoculars
Binoculars, field glasses or binocular telescopes are a pair of identical or mirror-symmetrical telescopes mounted side-by-side and aligned to point accurately in the same direction, allowing the viewer to use both eyes when viewing distant objects...
, viewing the sidings from the nearby A52
A52 road
The A52 is a major road in the East Midlands, England. It runs east from the junction with the A53 at Newcastle-under-Lyme near Stoke-on-Trent via Ashbourne, Derby, Stapleford, Nottingham, West Bridgford, Bingham, Grantham, Boston and Skegness before terminating on the east Lincolnshire coast at...
, and the nearby Toton Bank, which gives a view of most of the depot.
Parks and open space
Manor Park (built on the site of the old Manor Farm) is a popular council park, with well maintained cricket and football pitches, tennis courts and a bowling green. This joins onto Banks Road Open Area, an extended strip of land along and between the banks of the River ErewashRiver Erewash
The River Erewash is a river in England that flows roughly southwards through Derbyshire, close to its eastern border with Nottinghamshire.-Etymology:...
and its overflow channel, and stretching up along Toton Bank. These areas are managed collectively as Toton Fields Local Nature Reserve
Local Nature Reserve
Local nature reserve or LNR is a designation for nature reserves in the United Kingdom. The designation has its origin in the recommendations of the Wild Life Conservation Special Committee which established the framework for nature conservation in the United Kingdom and suggested a national suite...
.
Toton Washlands is a nature reserve created by the Environment Agency
Environment Agency
The Environment Agency is a British non-departmental public body of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and an Assembly Government Sponsored Body of the Welsh Assembly Government that serves England and Wales.-Purpose:...
to the west of Toton Sidings, that serves as flood defence for the River Erewash
River Erewash
The River Erewash is a river in England that flows roughly southwards through Derbyshire, close to its eastern border with Nottinghamshire.-Etymology:...
and sits to the east of the Erewash Canal
Erewash Canal
The Erewash Canal is a broad canal in Derbyshire, England. It runs just under and has 14 locks. The first lock at Langley Bridge is actually part of the Cromford Canal.-Origins:...
. Although it is within the boundaries of Toton, due to the presence of the sidings it is only possible to access the area from neighbouring Long Eaton
Long Eaton
Long Eaton is a town in Derbyshire, England. It lies just north of the River Trent about southwest of Nottingham and is part of the Nottingham Urban Area...
.
Schools
Toton has three schools: Banks Road Infants, Bispham Drive Juniors and Chetwynd Road primary school which was originally housed in a world war one hospital.Churches
Toton has three churches: St. Peters (Church of England), The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon) and a Methodist HallScout groups
Toton has two scout groups which are First Toton, held at St Peters church and Second Toton, held at Greenwood Community Centre.Pubs
'The Cornmill' is a modern pub on Swiney Way, between Chilwell and Toton.'The Manor' is also a pub sited on Toton corner, near to Nottingham Road