It has a village green and a maypole, which is still in use. The parish church of St Swithin is 12th century, which was restored, with a new chancel, in 1878–9. On the east and south sides of the village are the remains of a defensive ditch, which originally encircled the village. To the south is the deserted medieval village of Grimston, which now forms part of the Manor of Wellow. To the north east is Jordan Castle, a Norman ringwork consisting of a circular earthwork surrounded by a bank and ditch.[4]
Wellow also has, in Wellow Park, the largest remaining example of ash-wychelmwoodland in Nottinghamshire.
History of The Lordship of the Manor of Wellow
The manors of Wellow and Grimston have anciently been held by the lords of Jordon Castle, and the lords of the manor of Wellow
In 1290 Richard Foliot, Knight of Jordon Castle had the rights of Stallage of the market and fair on St. Swithuns day valued at 40s yearly in Wellow.
There was an assize in the time of King John, between the Abbot of Rufford, and William, son of Robert, and others, concerning Common of Pasture in Wellow and Grimston, The Abbot pleaded that they could not claim nor have any common of pasture in the pasture of the said Abbot, nor he in theirs, because the said lands and pastures were granted from lands of divers Baronies (or lordships) viz. of the Barony of Robert de Cauz, and the Barony of Gilbert de Gant, and that bounds were made between them, that neither Barony could have Common of Pasture in the other, and produced the letters of King John, which testified to these facts.[8]
Wellow is reputed to have the second largest acreage of registered common land north of Watford, over parts of which the Wellow toftholders still have grazing rights.[9]
The village is associated with Robin Hood. An historian has claimed Robin Hood was a pseudonym by which the ancient Lords of Wellow were once known.[10]
^Pevsner, Nikolaus. 1979. The Buildings of England:Nottinghamshire. page 372-373.Harmondsworth, Middx. Penguin.
^John Throsby (1796). "Welley, Grymston". Thoroton's History of Nottinghamshire: volume 3: Republished with large additions by John Throsby. Institute of Historical Research. pp. 199–203. Retrieved 26 February 2013.
