Newark and Sherwood

Newark and Sherwood is a local government district and is the largest district in Nottinghamshire, England. The district was formed on 1 April 1974, by a merger of the municipal borough of Newark with Newark Rural District and Southwell Rural District. The district is predominantly rural, with some large forestry plantations, the ancient Sherwood Forest and the towns of Newark-on-Trent, Southwell and Ollerton. The council is based at Castle House, adjacent to Newark Castle Railway station, having previously used Kelham Hall in the nearby village of Kelham as its headquarters. Newark-on-Trent, together with Balderton, forms the largest urban area in the district. Newark-on-Trent has many important historic features including Newark Castle, St Mary's Magdalene Church, Georgian architecture and a defensive earthwork from the British Civil Wars. Other important towns in the district include Ollerton and Southwell which is home to Southwell Minster and Southwell Racecourse. The village of Edwinstowe is claimed to be the birthplace of Robin Hood where he was born and was married at Church of St Mary. The south-eastern settlements are home to people who commute to Nottingham, Mansfield, Derby and Leicester. The north-eastern settlements are home to people who commute to Lincoln, Sleaford and Grantham. The north-western settlements are home to people who commute to Worksop, Retford, Gainsborough, Scunthorpe, Chesterfield, Sheffield, Rotherham and Doncaster. Other settlements in the district include: Averham Balderton, Bathley, Bilsthorpe, Blidworth, Boughton, Brough Carlton-on-Trent, Caunton, Clipstone, Collingham, Cromwell Eakring, Edingley, Edwinstowe, Egmanton Farndon, Farnsfield, Fernwood, Fiskerton Gunthorpe Halam, Halloughton, Hawton, Hockerton Kelham, Kirklington, Kirton, Kneesall Laxton, Little Carlton, Lowdham Maplebeck, Morton North Muskham, Norwell Ossington, Oxton Perlethorpe Rainworth, Rolleston South Muskham, Sutton-on-Trent Thurgarton Upton Walesby, Wellow, Weston, Winkburn The district council has been controlled by the Conservatives since 2007, with David Lloyd being leader of the council since 2018.