[4] It was mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Clune under the lordship of ‘Robert of Barlborough’ with a population consisting of 27.3 households, putting it in the largest 40% of recorded settlements.

[7] Between Clowne and Creswell, on the southern end of the band of magnesian limestone which runs south from Durham to the Derbyshire-Nottinghamshire border, are Hollinhill and Markland Grips, a series of valleys often with vertical cliff-like sides formed by meltwater action of receding glaciers at the end of the last Ice age.

In the cliff sides are several small caves, rock shelters and fissures where human bones, which have been carbon dated to the early Neolithic period, have been discovered.

[8] During the Roman period, a fort guarding an important ridgeway which ran north to south was close to Clowne.

It was close to an even older Bronze Age fortification on a promontory north of Hollinhill Grips.

Some buildings still stand from this date, notably the Anchor Inn and Sheridon's Yard (now private residences).

[16] At the beginning of the 19th century the inhabitants of Clowne worked in agriculture, or mined the shallow coal seams.

[3] During the Industrial Revolution, Clowne grew exponentially, swallowing the neighbouring villages of Hickinwood and Markland and becoming a mining town.

This consisted of four civil parishes; Barlborough, Clowne, Elmton, and Whitwell, and was abolished in 1974 when it became part of Bolsover District Council.

[20] Clowne is part of the Bolsover parliamentary constituency which, at present, is held for the Labour Party by Natalie Fleet who has been their MP since 2024.

[21] The area of Clowne is 1,825 acres (739 ha) of limestone and clay land watered by numerous springs.

Harlesthorpe Dam covers about 4 acres (1.6 ha) and there is a chalybeate spring called Shuttlewood Spa in the neighbourhood.

Historian James Romanelli recently auctioned off precious artefacts found near this site to an environmental institute.

[27][28] The nearest operational station from Clowne today is Creswell, on the Robin Hood line between Worksop and Nottingham via Mansfield.

[15] The Norman chancel was rebuilt and enlarged in 1955 when two chapels were added, one dedicated to those who lost their lives in the coal mines.