Clifton, Nottinghamshire facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Clifton |
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Village and Suburb | |
![]() Clifton Centre |
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Area | 4.150 km2 (1.602 sq mi) |
Population | 22,936 (2021 Census) |
• Density | 5,527/km2 (14,310/sq mi) |
OS grid reference | SK5534834415 |
Unitary authority | |
Ceremonial county | |
Region | |
Country | England |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Post town | NOTTINGHAM |
Postcode district | NG11 |
Dialling code | 0115 |
Police | Nottinghamshire |
Fire | Nottinghamshire |
Ambulance | East Midlands |
EU Parliament | East Midlands |
UK Parliament |
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Clifton is a lively suburb and historic area in the city of Nottingham, England. It's located in Nottinghamshire. In 2021, about 22,936 people lived here.
Clifton has different parts, including Clifton Grove and Clifton Village. These areas are right next to the River Trent. For many centuries, a powerful family called the 'de Clifton' (later 'Clifton') family lived here. Their main home was Clifton Hall. Today, Clifton is well-known for its large council estate and old buildings like St. Mary's Church.
You can also find the Nottingham Trent University Clifton Campus in Clifton.
Contents
Clifton's Past: A Look at History

Clifton is mentioned in the Domesday Book from 1086. This old record shows it had a church and a mill. For 700 years, the Clifton family owned the land and lived in Clifton Hall. Their old family papers are kept at Manuscripts and Special Collections, The University of Nottingham.
Before it became part of Nottingham city, Clifton was a small area with a few houses and farms. This was called Clifton with Glapton. The large housing estate you see today was built much later.
Modern Clifton: Life Today
Clifton's council estate is a big area with many homes. It was first planned for building in 1950. At one point, it was one of the largest council estates in Europe! Many of the houses were built using a special type of concrete. Since the 1980s, many of these homes have been bought by private owners.
Clifton has good transport links, making it easy to get to Nottingham city. You can use the tram or bus, and it takes about 20 minutes. The main road, the A453 road, connects Clifton to Nottingham and the M1 motorway south. This road was made bigger in 2016. A new shopping area called 'Clifton Triangle' also opened in 2018.
Right next to Clifton, a new community called Fairham is being built. It will have homes and businesses. This project started in 2018.
How Clifton is Governed
Local decisions for Clifton are made by Nottingham City Council. This council is a 'unitary authority', which means it handles all local government matters.
Clifton is divided into two main areas for local elections:
- Clifton East: This area covers most of the original Clifton Council Estate.
- Clifton West: This part includes areas like Wilford, Silverdale, Clifton Village, and the Nottingham Trent University campus.
For national elections, Clifton is part of the Nottingham South area.
Learning in Clifton: Schools and University
Clifton has several primary schools, including The Milford Academy, Glapton, Whitegate, Highbank, Dovecote, and Blessed Robert Widmerpool.
The main secondary school for the area is Farnborough Spencer Academy. There is also Nethergate School, which is a special school for all ages.
Nottingham Trent University has a big campus in Clifton. This modern campus has teaching rooms, student housing, sports facilities, cafes, and shops. Over £20 million has been spent to improve it. The campus offers courses in subjects like engineering, healthcare, and sport.
Sports and Fun in Clifton
Clifton is home to several football teams, including Clifton All Whites and Clifton Aces. Some famous footballers like Viv Anderson, Jermaine Jenas, and Darren Huckerby are from Clifton.
The Clifton Leisure Centre is a modern place for sports and activities. It has a swimming pool, gym, and sports halls. You can get there easily by tram or bus. The Professional Kickboxing Association (PKA) also holds kickboxing classes here every week for different age groups.
If you enjoy running, there's a weekly parkrun event held on Clifton Playing Fields. It's a 5-kilometre run for everyone.
Getting Around: Transport in Clifton
Tram Service
Clifton is the end stop for Line 2 of the Nottingham Express Transit tram system. This tram line opened in 2015. It connects Clifton to Wilford, Nottingham City Centre, and Phoenix Park in the north. Trams run often throughout the day.
Here are some tram stops in or near Clifton:
- Southchurch Drive
- Rivergreen
- Clifton Centre
- Holy Trinity
- Summerwood Lane
- Clifton South
Bus Services
Clifton has many bus services that connect it to different parts of Nottingham and beyond.
Bus operator | Line | Destination(s) | Notes |
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Nottingham City Transport | 1 | Nottingham → Railway Station → Trent Bridge → Wilford Lane → NTU Clifton Campus → Clifton → Gotham → East Leake → Loughborough | |
1A | Nottingham → Railway Station → Trent Bridge → Wilford Lane → NTU Clifton Campus → Clifton | ||
1B | Nottingham → Railway Station → Trent Bridge → Wilford Lane → NTU Clifton Campus → Clifton | ||
1E | Nottingham → Railway Station → Trent Bridge → Wilford Lane → NTU Clifton Campus → Clifton → Gotham → East Leake | ||
3 | Nottingham → Railway Station → Wilford Lane → Ruddington → Clifton (Farnborough Road, Southchurch Drive, Crusader Roundabout) | ||
3A | Nottingham → Railway Station → Wilford Village → Silverdale → Clifton (Farnborough Road, Southchurch Drive, Green Lane, Crusader Island) | ||
4 | NTU City Campus → Nottingham → Railway Station → Trent Bridge → Wilford Lane → NTU Clifton Campus | Line serves during NTU term only. | |
48 | Nottingham → Railway Station → Meadows → Electric Avenue → Clifton Bridge → Clifton (Southchurch Drive, Nobel Road) | ||
48X | Nottingham → Railway Station → Meadows → Queen's Drive → Clifton Bridge → Clifton (Southchurch Drive, Nobel Road) | ||
53 | Arnold → Daybrook → City Hospital → Basford → Western Boulevard → Jubilee Campus → QMC → Showcase Cinemas → Clifton | ||
53B | Clifton → Showcase Cinema → QMC | ||
54 | Arnold → Daybrook → City Hospital → Basford → Western Boulevard → Jubilee Campus → QMC → Showcase Cinemas → Clifton | ||
54B | Clifton → Showcase Cinema → QMC | ||
N4 | NTU City Campus → Nottingham → Railway Station → Trent Bridge → Wilford Lane → NTU Clifton Campus | Line serves at night and during NTU term only. | |
Trentbarton | Skylink Express | Nottingham → Clifton → East Midlands Airport | |
University Hopperbus | 901 | Nottingham (Weekends) → University Park → Showcase Cinemas → Clifton Lane → Sutton Bonington |
Famous People from Clifton
Many talented people have come from Clifton, including:
- Jake Bugg, a musician
- Brendan Clarke-Smith, a politician
- Karl Collins, an actor
- Samantha Morton, an actress
- Jayne Torvill, an ice skater and Olympic gold medallist
- Viv Anderson, a footballer
- Darren Huckerby, a footballer
- Jermaine Jenas, a footballer
- Graham Dury, a comic creator