Clarborough

Clarborough is listed in the 1086 Domesday Book as "Claueburch" or "Claureburg." The chief value of the village was its land. Because of the village's geographical position, being at the foot of Clarborough Hill, land was useful for agriculture, including grazing.{{cite web|title=Nottinghamshire History|url=http://www.nottshistory.org.uk/piercy1828/retford15.htm|publisher= A P Nicholson|accessdate=19 April 2012}} Being close to the increasingly important centre of Retford and with its parish boundary actually towards the centre of the town, Clarborough became an important local source of products.

Since the 1960s, with development of power stations in the area and improved communication links, Clarborough (along with Retford) had significant population increases with associated housing developments.

A post windmill was located on Clarborough Hill. It was standing in 1753, but burnt down in 1896.Pevsner, Nikolaus (1979); The Buildings of England:Nottinghamshire. Harmondsworth, Middx. Penguin.{{page needed|date=January 2015}}

File:St.John the Baptist's church, Clarborough - geograph.org.uk - 78974.jpg

{{main|St John the Baptist Church, Clarborough}}

The parish church is dedicated to John the Baptist.{{cite web|title=Clarborough and Welham Church|url=http://www.cwchurch.btck.co.uk/|publisher=Clarborough and Welham Church|accessdate=26 April 2012}}

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An elementary school was extant by 1 May 1871 and extracts from its Log Books{{cite web|title=Primary School History|url=http://www.clarborough-welham.org.uk/html/primary_school_history.html|publisher=Clarborough & Welham IT Group|accessdate=2 November 2012}} suggest that the school might have been in existence before that date.

The school's capacity proved inadequate by the late 1950s. Initially this was addressed by an expansion of the Victorian buildings adjacent to the church of St. John the Baptist on Church Lane. However, as the village continued to expand through the 1960s, this too proved inadequate such that Nottinghamshire Councty Council initiated a proposed 2-phase development. The first phase, on newly created Hillview Crescent just off Main Street (the A620), was opened in 1970 and accommodated the junior classes – the Victorian building continuing to house older pupils. Phase 2 of this development was never carried forward as economic conditions of the early 1970s made it unaffordable.{{citation needed|date=January 2015}}

By the 2000 conditions in both the Hillview Crescent building and the expanded Church Lane site made redevelopment a priority such that Nottinghamshire County Council announced plans to create a new building adjacent to the Hillview Crescent site as a single centre for primary education in Clarborough. The plans would see the demolition of the 1960s building and sale of the Church Lane site (still not accomplished in late 2013).{{citation needed|date=January 2015}} The plans for the new building needed significant modification following serious flooding of that part of the village in July 2005, but the building was opened in September 2008 to accommodate all pupils of the school.{{citation needed|date=January 2015}}

Plans were approved in 2018 for a two-classroom extension to the school.

Transport links to and from Clarborough have always been few, because of the insignificant need to invest in major links, with such a small number of inhabitants moving regularly through the village.{{citation needed|date=January 2015}}

The main changes in transport for Clarborough occurred in 1777, when the Chesterfield Canal was opened, providing navigation to the River Trent. This was the beginning of a period where Clarborough was being brought into the wider communication network, with and upgraded national road network, and the introduction of turnpike highways which allowed transport from Clarborough to larger towns such as Retford. One highway (1824–76), ran from Spital Hill at Retford to Clarborough, providing better links to nearby villages and towns.{{cite web|title=Clarborough History|url=http://www.clarborough-welham.org.uk/html/clarborough_history.html|publisher=Clarborough & Welham IT Group|accessdate=19 April 2012}} The new highways, and the canal, might have moved the centre of gravity of the village, today away from the church and towards the main roads.{{citation needed|date=January 2015}}

A railway line was by 1849 running at the southern side of the village through the neighbouring hamlet of Welham. The railway allowed links to Lincolnshire and cities such as Manchester and Sheffield.

With the increase in motor transport in the 20th century, the main road through Clarborough and Welham (A620) was improved although low bridges on the already established railway line gave problems for traffic. The alternative route around the village (Tiln Lane/Smeath Lane) is not suited to heavy vehicles which use it.{{citation needed|date=January 2015}}

• Listed buildings in Clarborough and Welham

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• {{Commons category-inline|Clarborough}}

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Category:Villages in Nottinghamshire

Category:Bassetlaw District