Where is Laxton?

The village is in north Nottinghamshire, formerly called Lexington (Lexitune). The village is based around the Church of St Michael and, of course, its hostelry, the Dovecote Inn. Most of the farms are properties which are long and thin and they have "closes" which stretch back from the main street. In medieval times Laxton was very prosperous and on the north side is a well preserved and complex mote and bailey. In the twelfth century this had a timber tower with two fortified enclosures for the protection of people and farm animals. It is on particularly high land and gives an excellent view of the Royal Forest of Sherwood and the surrounding countryside. Laxton, however, is most famous for its ancient field system.

Mark Pierce's map of 1635 shows the extraordinary layout of open field farming.