Laxton

About

Laxton – England’s Last Open Field Village

Laxton is a small village situated in the north of Nottinghamshire. It is the only village in England that still operates the medieval ‘open field’ farming system whereby the three fields are divided into strips. These strips are worked by the farmers of the village under the jurisdiction of a Court Leet and jury.

The court ensures that the three year crop rotation continues and that the farmers maintain the boundaries of their strips.

On the northern edge of the village is a very well preserved motte and bailey castle dating from the late 11th century. Panoramic views of the village, the open fields and the surrounding woodlands can be seen from the summit.

Standing in a prominent position in the village is the church of St Michael the Archangel. The nave and the pillars are amongst parts of the church which have been dated to about 1190.

The village visitor and heritage centre can be found in the grounds of the village pub, The Dovecote. It has displays showing the history of the open fields system, aerial shots of the village, a description of how the system is operated and suggestions as to why it still exists in Laxton.

Full details can be found on http://www.laxtonvisitorcentre.org.uk