The place-name Clipstone seems to contain an Old Norse personal name, Klyppr, with tun (Old English), an enclosure or farmstead, so 'Klyppr's farm or settlement'.

[10] The National Mapping Project data as provided by English Heritage shows a number of cropmarks recorded from aerial photography in the northern quarter of Clipstone parish, representing rectilinear field systems associated with smaller stock enclosures and perhaps domestic sites.

Typologically, and from their orientation, it is assumed that these are part of the brickwork plan field system from the late Iron Age, which stretches across the Sherwood Sandstones.

[11] Pottery of the period is known from Clipstone due to Philip Rahtz's excavation in 1956[12] and Trent and Peak Archaeology's watching brief and fieldwalking in 1991,[13] however the context of the finds has never been understood.

[15] Four pieces of late Saxon shelly ware pottery were recorded in 1991[13] during fieldwalking of Castlefield, although it is unlikely that these represent anything more than a background scatter associated with the manuring of the open fields.

These four pieces of pottery are actually Potterhanworth Ware, dating to the 13th–15th century[16] Prior to Domesday, the two manors of Clipstone were held by Osbern and Ulsi and the value was set at 60 shillings (£3).

As the Duke of Portland was at the time involved in making the place more profitable for himself, and so impacting on the timber rights of the commoners, this may have been the cause of the riots.

On the southern edge of the village is Vicar Water Country Park, developed from Vicar Water and the former spoil tips from the colliery, forming a landscape of hills and ponds with a controversial 'Golden Hand' sculpture, said to represent the village's mining heritage.

[30] The camp had segregated 'lines' for whole individual battalions, self-contained with sleeping quarters, cook houses, mess rooms and parade grounds.

[29] Following the armistice troops from the Queens Royal West Surrey 4th/5th Reserve Battalion and the York and Lancaster Regiment were involved in a mutinous riot at the camp, following disquiet at the slow rate of being demobilised.

[34] During September 2014, an epetition was submitted to the British government, to raise public support and awareness, which ran until March 2015.

[37] In 2022, ITVX show Without Sin, starring Nottinghamshire actress Vicky McClure, was partly filmed in Clipstone.