Since the mid eighteenth century the development of this ancient Market Town has been based on farms, closes, orchards, yards, and infill. Mills, blacksmiths, wheelwrights and other trades grew up along with shops and services to support an agricultural economy. The rural industry of framework knitting was widespread and by 1845 there were 58 stocking frames in the town; it declined quickly after 1860. The railway opened in 1850 and Victorian infill provided a range of villas for locals and early commuters to Nottingham. Development gathered pace after 1960 and a succession of housing estates has spawned the modern dormitory town.

The present grid like plan of the older part of town probably betrays a degree of medieval town planning. A walk around the areas of the town listed below will be enhanced by reference to our historical descriptions of them (follow the links below for each group of streets - a leaflet is also available at the Old Court House or the library), and indeed by reference to our series of comparisons of old and new views of some particular locations.
Early buildings tended to face south with small windows and larders on their north side. Almost every street has examples of buildings from the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries, demonstrating the degree of infill that has occurred over that time.
Bingham has no really architecturally impressive buildings, but there are many architectural details of different brickwork, architectural decoration, windows and eves to be seen.
Few extant buildings are pre-1700. BHTA has been fortunate in being allowed access to a number of sets of deed documents revealing the history of many buildings in the town.

The water supply to most pre-1920 houses was from a well (usually with a wood enclosed pump) and a soft water cistern fed from the gutters. Many are still in evidence but few can be seen from the road. Many buildings have boot scrapers that predate the paving of the town in the 1870s. Residents of Bingham are invited to let us know of any additions or amendments they feel would enhance the material on this part of the web site. In particular we should like to hear from anyone who has documentary material such as house deeds, interesting photographs, billheads etc they would like to contribute to make the web site an even more useful resource and add to its interest. Deed documents tend to date only from the point at which a property passed out the estate, so there is often little historical information for many of the older houses.

From the 16C Bingham was largely owned by The Earls of Chesterfield and in the late 19C the estate passed by marriage to the Earls of Carnarvon, one of whom was involved with the excavation of Tutankhamen in 1923. He sold many freeholds in 1920 and what remained passed the Crown in 1925 in lieu of death duties. The family names of both earls are recalled in street and other names - Stanhope Way, Porchester Road, Chesterfield Avenue, Carnarvon Place, The Chesterfield Arms, Porchester Farm, and Carnarvon School. We have researched the derivation of all street names in the town.
Bingham has grown significantly since about 1950 when major slum clearance programme was implemented. BHTA has traced the physical development of the town through successive generations.

These web pages complement and extend the information in BHTA's Built Heritage trail leaflet and in some cases update the leaflet using newly researched information. Research is ongoing and further information, offer of deeds for examination etc will be gratefully received - contact BHTA.