This article is taken from the Spring issue of BN Magazine, delivered to members' doorsteps and available to download online in early March. If you are not a member and would like to receive a copy it's easy to join now!
Nottingham Sun Club, located in the historic Sherwood Forest, is accessed down private roads in the stunning grounds of Newstead Abbey Park. Many visitors have commented that NSC is one of the loveliest of all naturist clubs: Some have even said our grounds and position are unique. Newstead Abbey is the former home of Lord Byron, who was once described as “Mad, bad and dangerous to know”. Things have changed since the 1800s.
Historically, we can trace our roots back to1939 when Percy Wilford rented five acres of bracken covered land, including a chalet aptly named ‘Wood Nook’. Adjoining this land another five acres were rented by the newly formed Society. The birth of the Society on their rented ground was 19 April 1939, with the current entity being formed in 1946. Percy seems to have been something of an evangelist for Naturism. We believe he started four clubs in and around the Midlands area. After a while he found it too much to cycle the 25 miles from his home in Newark to Ravenshead, and so started another club nearer home. That is what you call commitment! Some of our members still recall him, and an abiding memory is of him striding out of a chalet with a long beard, resplendent in long johns. I take no responsibility for the picture in your head right now!
The club was originally known as Nottingham Sun and Air Society. This was shortened to Nottingham Sun Club in the 1970s as it was thought to be too cumbersome. A grass area was cleared in front of the ‘new’ pavilion where netball and cricket were played. Two sand courts were constructed where tenequoits were played. The club was featured in the Summer 1941 edition of Sun Bathing Review. The article mentions “a well-run camp … and although there is an enormous amount of work still to be done, they have found themselves a very pleasant corner in Sherwood Forest and already made it comfortable and attractive”. It is interesting to hear that in the middle of wartime there was still the chance to enjoy naturism. The article also says, “The people themselves have that happy spirit of comradeship that always animates those who have shared the initial work and overcome the inevitable difficulties together.”
In 1946, the land owner decided to sell 50 acres of land which included that rented by the Society. The owner offered the Society five acres of land for £500. On a summer Sunday in 1948 the membership gathered in a chalet to vote on the formation of Tabramhill Estates Ltd. Present was a very embarrassed solicitor, dressed in pinstripe trousers and a black jacket, among a throng of nude bodies. What price a photograph of that event! The first construction on site was a corrugated iron pavilion lined with stained match boarding purchased second hand, which had previously stood in the yard of Shire Hall, Nottingham. This was of rather peculiar proportions, appearing to have been designed for the accommodation of giraffes rather than humans. In the middle stood a large cast iron stove and on winter evenings this would glow red hot from top to bottom.
The pavilion was moved from the old site to the new and work began on clearing the new site. Miniten came to the Club via a single lady member who had been on holiday at a club in the Isle of Wight, and who came back full of enthusiasm for this new game. The sand courts lasted many years until the Club was able to afford asphalt and concrete courts. In January 1960, we became the proud owners of a rusty Nissen hut, and the job of de-rusting and painting began. In May another arrival, a prefabricated building, was delivered and the shell erected by the members. A week after final completion a member came up on his own and lit the coke stove, went out for a drink leaving the draught door open; when he returned the roof lining around the chimney was nicely alight. Fortunately, with admirable foresight, the interior had been painted in fire resistant paint, and a fire extinguisher was at hand. The offending member left a note of apology and we never saw him again. Not a great start!
Nottingham Sun Club was one of the original signatories to the charter setting up the Central Council for British Naturism in 1964, although we cannot find documentary evidence to support this. The club has been a member of British Naturism in the past and was involved in many inter-club sports tournaments, as evidenced by a full trophy cabinet in the small pavilion.
An open-air swimming pool was installed in 1966. Not without incident! We began filling the pool from a small-bore water supply which just about trickled into the pool but greatly reduced the water pressure to our neighbours, including Newstead Abbey whose owners, Nottingham City Council, were not best pleased. Their storage tanks were emptying and we had to stop. As a consequence, the secretary was summoned to appear before the powers that be at the council offices and got his knuckles severely rapped. Whoops! The solution came from the local fire service, who were persuaded to fill the pool as a storage facility for water should any incident require it. Several firemen returned to the club, as guests, to swim and play volleyball. At least one fireman and his family became members.
The pool remained uncovered until 1997, when a half-domed steel and canvas structure was erected to provide swimming facilities for times when the sun wasn’t shining. Financing for this was by a very generous donation by a member. This was quite an ambitious project that was again undertaken by our ever-willing and able members. Block paved flooring was installed at the same time, and this now gives another covered area to enjoy in times when the sun shines but the outside temperate is too cool for naked comfort. It continues to be an asset for the club and is a great selling point for new members. Over the years since we have added two new pavilions, one large one small, inventively named the large pavilion and small pavilion. I guess the naming took a lot of discussion. The small pavilion includes a sauna, showers, lounge and kitchen area which we have redeveloped to bring up to current catering standards. In 2020 we found leaks from the pool so set about refurbishment, but subsequently found it was beyond repair so that a full rebuild was required. A mammoth task, again achieved solely by our members. This is a much-used facility by members and guests alike. Many members bring grandchildren for a fun splash about, others use it to improve their fitness with a regular swim or for a lazy cool down on hot days, when we get them!
On our camping fields we can accommodate visitors with tents, trailer tents, folding caravans (unfortunately not full size caravans) and motorhomes (max 8.5m on one part of the site and max 5.5m on another). Each pitch has a 6 amp electrical supply. We also have a (members run) trailer tent that is available for hire for visitors’ overnight stays. By design we have limited the cooking facilities in the trailer tent, with extensive cooking facilities available in our small pavilion kitchen. There is free use of our communal gas barbeques, one of which is reserved for vegetarian/vegan food.
We have 43 member-owned chalets, two camping fields, toilets and showers, a covered heated swimming pool, gym equipment, sauna, tennis and miniten courts, shuffleboard, volley ball and boules areas plus extensive lawns for sunbathing. Regular competitions are held which are always fun. When the weather is not kind the two heated pavilions provide indoor space to socialise in, with pool table, table tennis, many board games and darts board. Naked darts … what could possibly go wrong?
We hold numerous events throughout the year, all run by the members. These include meals, quizzes, discos and ceilidhs, breakfasts, coffee mornings and afternoon teas as well as many different themed evenings, both on and off site. An Indian Banquet, again all catered by members, is always a winner. Members are encouraged to invite friends and relations to come and join us for these events, when numbers allow.
Over the years we had had many members who brought individual skills and talents with which to entertain our members. A number of pantomimes and variety shows have been written, produced, directed and performed by these gifted people to the delight of members and visitors alike.
Locally we are ideally placed for visitors to discover Sherwood Forest and the famous Major Oak. Many stately homes including Chatsworth House, Hardwick Hall and the peak district are an hour away, as is historic Lincoln, and of course Newstead Abbey is literally on the doorstep. The Abbey itself is set in extensive grounds which provide excellent walks, clothed unfortunately. The Abbey also hosts many events which members regularly attend such as ghost walks, outdoor theatre, musical evenings and weekend concerts.
Locally we are well served with supermarkets, pubs and restaurants, many within walking distance. All this, and only 10 miles from Nottingham, with amongst other attractions Nottingham Castle and Wollaton Hall – featured in a Batman movie as “Wayne Manor”.
We are looking to build on our history, developing and promoting our club, to meet the expectations of current and future naturists. In 2024 we took part in “The Great British Skinny Dip”, raising a significant amount of money for The British Heart Foundation.
To raise local awareness of our club an article recently appeared in a local newspaper, both promoting the club and extolling the virtues of Naturism and its health and welfare benefits. This exposure (pun intended), was followed by an excellent interview on Radio Nottingham with some of our members, with the reporter and the radio van coming to our site and broadcasting live.
We welcome new members and visitors to share our truly unique and tranquil space and become involved in, and write, the next chapter in our development. There is nothing that compares to enjoying naturism in the safety and privacy of a friendly, well run naturist club. From the moment you drive in through the gates you leave all your cares and your worries behind you. Spending your leisure time just lying in the sun reading, having a swim, playing tennis etc or just exploring the local area. What could be better!