Harworth


Harworth is a small town in the county of Nottinghamshire, East Midlands of England. It is approximately north of Worksop. Together with the neighbouring mining town of Bircotes, it forms the civil parish of Harworth and Bircotes, with a combined population of nearly 8,000 residents. The population of the civil parish was measured at 7,948 in the 2011 Census. The settlements are part of the modern district of Bassetlaw, which combined the district of Worksop and the district of Retford.
The Harworth coal mine opened in 1921 and produced coal for the power stations on the River Trent. A new pit tower was built in 1989 when the pit was at its peak of production but seven years later the colliery was 'mothballed'. In 2015, it was announced that the pit tower would be demolished and the colliery site would be used for new housing.

Etymology

The town's name is from Old English har "grey" and
worth "". The name was recorded as Herwirth in 1136.

Notable people

The town – once a busy coalmining community – is particularly noteworthy as the home of Tom Simpson, one of Britain's greatest road racing cyclists – World Champion in 1965. Simpson began his cycling career as a club member at Harworth and District Cycling Club. After his death in France, his body was brought back to Nottinghamshire and interred in Harworth's cemetery. A small museum dedicated to Simpson's achievements was opened in August 2001 and can be found in the Harworth and Bircotes sports and social club.
There is also a history of Gurkhas being here during the Second World War.
Author Lindsey Kelk, hails from Harworth and attended North Border Comprehensive School from 1992 – 1999.

Schools

There is one Church of England primary School in Harworth and a Catholic primary school in Bircotes. The village is also served by Serlby Park Academy, a 3–18 school in Bircotes.