Wollaton Park

St Mary

Nottingham Archdeaconry

Nottingham South Deanery

Introduction

St Mary’s, Wollaton Park, sits just off Derby Road, behind the old entrance to Wollaton Park, Lenton Lodge (designed by Sir Jeffry Wyatville, 1823-5).

When Wollaton Park was sold by the Middletons to Nottingham Corporation a garden suburb was created in this area (sitting opposite the Queen’s Medical Centre, and split by Middleton Boulevard).

The corporation had also obtained land (now the Lenton Abbey estate) centred on a large house still known as Lenton Abbey (now owned by the University of Nottingham). As a result it owned land from the Drill Hall at the top of Derby Road, west towards what became Woodside Road, and as far as Trent Side (North Wilford). Residential building in this area led to the need for new churches. Two were built, St Barnabas to serve the new Lenton Abbey estate, and St Mary's in Wollaton Park.

St Mary's was designed by the Nottingham architect T.C. Howitt, in 1937-9, who worshipped at the new church, together with a church hall and vicarage.

In 2013 it was a very vibrant church community, attracting people of all ages and backgrounds with a variety of styles of worship.

Particular thanks to Barbara Worrall for research on this entry and to Doug Fletcher for the photographs.