COTGRAVE, a parish in the southern division of
the wapentake of BINGHAM, county of NOTTINGHAM,
6 miles (S. E. by E.) from Nottingham, containing 779
inhabitants. The living is a rectory, consisting, of two
consolidated medietjes, the first being rated in the king's
books at £10.7.3., and the second at £0. 14. 9., in
the archdeaconry of Nottingham, and diocese of York,
and in the patronage of Earl Manvers. The church,
dedicated to All Saints, is in the, later style of English
architecture, with a lofty octagonal spire. Here is
a place of worship for Wesleyan Methodists. The
Nottingham and Grantham canal passes through the
parish, and the Fosse-road proceeds along its eastern
boundary. Limestone is plentiful, and gypsum is occasionally
found here. There is a small bequest for
teaching poor children, and for bread for the poor, the
school-house having been erected by a gift from a person
unknown. A court, called the " Court of St, John
of Hierusalem," which was anciently held at Shelford,
under the prior of St. John of Jerusalem, and then
styled the "Master and Lieutenant's Court of Shelford,"
is held here, and has a common seal: its jurisdiction
extends over the extra-parochial liberty of Brewhouse-
Yard, Kneighton, Owthorpe Tollerton, Hoveringham,
Gedling, Barnby in the Willows, Stanford, Ruddingtcn,
Rempstone, Normanton upon Soar, Flintham, Hickling,
Willoughby, Normanton on the Wolds, Cotgrave,W hatton,
Aslackton, Scarrington, Carcolston, Carlton, and
Ratcliff: all wills within the above places are proved in
this court, and charters of exemption from toll throughout
the king's dominions are granted to the tenants in
each of these manors.