The area of the medieval town showing locations of excavations (the excavation extents are derived from the Nottingham City Historic Environment Record, maintained by Nottingham City Council).

A new study from a University of Nottingham archaeologist has revealed surprising insights into the city's medieval past, which challenge long-standing views on the impact of the Black Death and how the population of Nottingham changed between the 14th and 16th centuries.

Scott Lomax, a Ph.D. researcher in the Department of Classics and Archaeology, has analyzed the Nottingham borough court records and tax lists alongside archaeological evidence and found that the town's population was growing well into the 1330s—later than previously thought.

Although the Black Death of 1349 then caused devastating losses, with mortality likely to have been approximately 60% of people, the study—recently published in the journal Continuity and Change—shows that Nottingham rebounded faster than historians have previously assumed, thanks to significant migration.

Nottingham attracted new inhabitants in the aftermath of the Black Death and continued to do so, on an intermittent basis, especially during the late 14th and 15th centuries, with major expansion taking place during the early 16th century.

"This study gives us a more accurate picture of medieval Nottingham. Previous studies of urban population change have examined tax records from 1377 and the 1520s and suggested a simple story of catastrophic decline after the Black Death, but my research shows a more complex reality. This challenges long-standing views of archaeologists and historians on post-Black Death urban stagnation and decay in Nottingham and instead demonstrates resilience," said Lomax.

Areas like Narrow Marsh expanded significantly, showing that parts of the town thrived—even after the devastation of the plague—indicating the growth of leatherworking, especially tanning, at this riverside location.

Archaeological and documentary evidence also demonstrates the emergence of Narrow Marsh as a suburb of the town in the second half of the 14th century, and a booming one by the early 16th century.

Growth here, and apparent continuity and growth in the eastern periphery, especially at Barker Gate and Goose Gate, where the urban poor and migrants appear to have found homes in cottages, following the arrival of plague, challenges the traditional narrative and proves that areas of the town were more densely occupied than previously thought, especially during the late 15th and early 16th centuries.

The research not only rewrites a part of Nottingham's history, but it also has implications for our understanding of population change in other English towns and cities, and is crucial for interpreting urban development and economic shifts.

More information: Scott C. Lomax, Understanding late medieval population change in English towns: an alternative approach, Continuity and Change (2025). DOI: 10.1017/S0268416024000213

Provided by University of Nottingham