Lenton Times

The Magazine of Lenton Local History Society

This site was originally the Poplars and recreational facilities used by Council departments were based here.  However the Council sold the land to Thomas Cork who had this warehouse and office complex built in the 1980s.  Thomas Cork later became Cork International.  In 2004 the company got into financial difficulties and ceased trading.  The 'For Sale' notice on Lenton Lane has now changed to 'Sold' - who the new occupants has yet to be announced (August 2004).

Proving that appearances can be deceptive - this is Lenton's latest addition to its list of ecclesiastical buildings.  The church, known as Trent VineYard, had the premises purpose-constructed and are one of the most recent arrivals on Lenton Lane.  

 The Lenton Heliport - Lenton Lane 1956

In the mid 1950s BEA decided to operate a regular helicoptor service between Nottingham and Birmingham, calling at Leicester on the way.  A site off Lenton Lane (where Willow Road is now situated) was acquired and an area of tarmac laid for a landing strip. The service began in 1956 but was destined to be short lived and only ran for a matter of months.  BEA failed to attract enough paying customers and were not prepared to operate the service at a loss.  These particular photographs were taken by Ada Marriott, who lived nearby on Gregory Street.  They show passengers getting on the helicoptor and in the middle a number of locals, including her own mother, Sarah Wesley, posing for their photograph in front of the aircraft.  An article about the Lenton Heliport can be found in Lenton Times No.10.

 Views of Birdcage Walk, Lenton Lane - 1987

As is evident in this sequence of photographs this walk way and steps were situated on the southern side of the railway and provided pedestrians with access to the footpath which ran alongside the Ordnance Factory and ultimately came out on Queens Drive.  When this was designated as part of the city's network of cycle paths a metal trough was erected into which cyclists could place their bicycles as they went up or down the steps.  The City Council later created a new access to this footpath which removed the need for this structure and so the steps and walkway and metal trough were all subsequently demolished.

 We are not entirely sure quite how and when we acquired this photograph showing a train coming under Birdcage Walk and entering the main Nottingham to Derby line.  If anyone can provide us with more details of its provenance do get in touch.

A 1982 view of the metal trough in use.