Mapperley is an area about a mile away from Arnold and three miles from Nottingham City  ,known as the Mapperley Plains Ridge , which is approximately 155 metres above sea level , and overlooks the City of Nottingham.The Mapperley Plains Ridge and the Standard Hill (Carlton Hill)  was used by the Cromwell Troops , in organising attacks on Nottingham City and it's Castle.
 
 

Mapperley in 1901

Woodborough Road in red from Nottingham city centre (bottom left) to Mapperley Plains (top right)

Large green area - Porchester Gardens

Brown Area - Mapperley Brick Works

Small blue square - covered reservoir

Yellow area - buildings of Mapperley Hospital in extensive grounds

 Modern Mapperley covers an area on the north-eastern edge of the city of Nottingham spreading into the adjacent borough of Gedling.Woodborough Road takes you from Nottingham through the centre of Mapperley, becoming Plains Road in Gedling.
 
 

Records tell us that by 1738, several brick kilns had been established in the Mapperley area. Common bricks were sold at 10 shillings per thousand, and dressed bricks at 17 shillings. In summer, bricks were carted down Coppice Road and stored for use in winter, when the brick yards were inoperable. Indeed, if the carts became bogged up, they often had to be abandoned until spring. It was estimated that in the 1850's, annual brick production in the Nottingham area was upwards of 5 million bricks. Overall, more than a thousand million bricks were made - many being transported to London for the construction of St. Pancras Station.

Records tell us that by 1738, several brick kilns had been established in the Mapperley area. Common bricks were sold at 10 shillings per thousand, and dressed bricks at 17 shillings. In summer, bricks were carted down Coppice Road and stored for use in winter, when the brick yards were inoperable. Indeed, if the carts became bogged up, they often had to be abandoned until spring.

It was estimated that in the 1850's, annual brick production in the Nottingham area was upwards of 5 million bricks. Overall, more than a thousand million bricks were made - many being transported to London for the construction of St. Pancras Station.

To celebrate the coronation of King George V on 22 June 1911, a bonfire was held at the Patent Brick Company's premises, being the highest point in the region.

The office at the Brick Company was used in the evenings as a reading room, and on Sundays for religious services until the Wesleyan chapel was built in 1903.
 

The office at the Brick Company was used in the evenings as a reading room, and on Sundays for religious services until the Wesleyan chapel was built in 1903.

Charles Bennett (1832- 1909), a local lad, began work at the brickyards aged 9. He became a workman, a foreman and then Manager of the Works of the Nottingham Patent Brick Company. In his public life he achieved the positions of town councillor, alderman and magistrate. He also gave the land for the Wesleyan chapel on Woodborough Road. His house still stands, at the junction of Bennett Street and Woodborough Road, alongside a row of terraced cottages built for brickyard workers in the 1840's. (photograph soon )
 
 

 The Coppice

For hundreds of years, the town coppice was the source of timber used by theNottingham Corporation for the construction and repair of buildings and bridges.

In the 17th century, the corporation attempted to sink pits beneath the well-established oaks in the search for coal , trying at least twice but without success.
Another major road in the area was Coppice Road (later renamed Ransom Road), a thoroughfare constructed in 1837, as part of a road building and repaving scheme to put labourers with families back to work. Connecting Coppice Lodge to Mapperley Plain, the road passed through the coppice, with toll gates at each end, and a toll house at the bottom for horses and carts. This later became St Annes Well Road Police Station.

Mapperley Hospital
 

The Borough of Nottingham Lunatic Asylum opened (unfinished) on August 3rd, 1880, occupying 125 acres. It had its own farm, bakery and butchery, along with a church and recreation hall. It was designed by local architect George Thomas Hine, son of TC Hine, the designer of the Coppice Hospital. Previously, both Town and County patients were accommodated in Sneinton.

Initially, the hospital was built for 300 patients, but was constantly extended. The population of Nottingham increased from 40,415 in 1821 to 259,942 in 1911.

In 1889 a new wing was added ,but only 12 months later was found to be already overcrowded ,with only 44 patients. In 1896, drawings were produced for further extensions to the wings and a further two storeys were added to the Male Epileptic Dormitory. The female wing was really being  updated it was to have electricity installed !

In order to persuade the Asylum Committee to consider electric lighting throughout the hospital, Hine encouraged them to visit the Dorsetshire County Asylum in 1900, part of which he had designed. Here, they were surprised that none of the doors were locked, noting that this would hardly be safe at Mapperley. In fact, the locked door practice remained until the arrival of Dr. Duncan Macmillan, the medical supervisor from 1942 - 1966. He was famed for his policy of unlocking the wards to create an open hospital.

The hospital finally closed its doors to mentally ill patients in December 1994. the main buildings are now named Duncan Macmillan House.