{{short description|Hamlet and civil parish in Nottinghamshire, England}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}{{Use British English|date=February 2024}}
{{Infobox UK place | country = England | static_image_width = 237px | static_image_caption = Spalford Chapel | coordinates = {{coord|53.21275|-0.74845|display=inline,title|scale:25000}} | official_name = Spalford | shire_district = Newark and Sherwood | shire_county = Nottinghamshire | region = East Midlands | constituency_westminster = Newark | population = 91 | population_ref = (2021 census) | post_town = NOTTINGHAM | postcode_district = NG23 | postcode_area = NG | dial_code = 01522 / 01636 | os_grid_reference = SK 8369 | type = Hamlet and civil parish | static_image_name = Spalford Chapel - geograph.org.uk - 76964.jpg | mapframe = yes | mapframe-zoom = 12 | mapframe-point = none | static_image_2_caption = Parish map | area_total_sq_mi = 1.62 | london_distance_mi = 120 | london_direction = SSE }}
'''Spalford''' is a hamlet and civil parish in the Newark and Sherwood district of Nottinghamshire, England. Spalford was listed in the Domesday Book (1086) as 'Spaldesforde'.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.domesdaybook.co.uk/nottinghamshire3.html#spalford | title= Spalford |publisher= domesdaybook.co.uk | accessdate=11 May 2013}}</ref>
The hamlet is located between South Clifton and Weecar near the county boundary with Lincolnshire, north of Newark-on-Trent.<ref name="OSmap">{{cite book|last=Ordnance Survey|title=Lincoln & Newark-on-Trent|publisher=Ordnance Survey|year=2009|series=OS Landranger Map Series|isbn=9780319227213}}</ref> Spalford was a township in the parish of North Clifton,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/NTT/NorthClifton|title=North Clifton|publisher=GENUKI|accessdate=9 February 2019}}</ref> it became a separate parish in 1866.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10270248|title=Relationships and changes Spalford Hmlt/CP through time|publisher=A Vision of Britain through Time|accessdate=9 February 2019}}</ref>
According to the 2001 census it had a population of 85.<ref>{{cite web| url= http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=3&b=798465&c=Spalford&d=16&e=15&g=479303&i=1001x1003x1004&o=1&m=0&r=1&s=1341940736269&enc=1&dsFamilyId=779| title= Neighbourhood Statistics |publisher= neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk | accessdate=10 May 2013}}</ref> 20 years later, 91 residents were reported at the 2021 census.<ref>{{NOMIS2021|id=E04007944|title=Spalford parish|accessdate=5 February 2024}}</ref>
To the west of the parish is the River Trent, and to the south is the Local nature reserve and Site of Special Scientific Interest known as Spalford Warren. The reserve habitat is made up of blown sand heathland, which is rare in Nottinghamshire.<ref>{{cite web| url= http://www.nottinghamshirewildlife.org/nature-reserves/spalford-warren-sssi// |title= Spalford Warren SSSI Nature Reserve |publisher= nottinghamshirewildlife.org | accessdate=11 May 2013}}</ref>
==Spalford Floodbank== In 1795 during the largest known flood on the Trent, the floodbank which is situated between Spalford and the river was breached. Floodwaters from the breach spread out across the low-lying land, even reaching the River Witham and flooding Lincoln. Some 20,000 acres were flooded for a period of over three weeks. A description of the breach was given as follows:
{{blockquote|The bank is formed upon a plain of sandy nature, and when it was broken in 1795, the water forced an immense breach, the size of which may be judged from the fact that eighty loads of faggots and upwards of four hundred tons of earth were required to fill up the hole, an operation which took several weeks to complete.}}
The flood bank was subsequently strengthened and repaired, following further Trent floods in 1824 and 1852.<ref name=uwidb>{{cite web| url= http://upperwitham-idb.gov.uk/admin/history/ | title= Upper Witham IDB History |publisher= upperwitham-idb.gov.uk | accessdate=11 May 2013}}</ref>
{{gallery |File:Girton floodmarks - geograph.org.uk - 666010.jpg |Flood marker at nearby Girton showing the height of the 1795 flood and others |File:Spalford Warren - geograph.org.uk - 173953.jpg |Spalford Warren}} {{Commons category|Spalford}}
==References== {{reflist}}{{Nottinghamshire|state=expanded}} Category:Hamlets in Nottinghamshire Category:Civil parishes in Nottinghamshire Category:Newark and Sherwood