Cuckney was Cuchenai at the time of Domesday, and is possibly derived from the Old English for "The fast running stream, or brook" which is nearby.

The historic village sits at the foot of Cuckney Hill, close to the Welbeck Estate, the seat of the Dukes of Portland.

The Church of St Mary's has its origins in Norman times, and sits adjacent to the site of the ancient Cuckney Castle, a 12th-century motte and bailey fortress.

The land height ranges from 45 metres (148 ft) in the north of the parish by the Great Lake region, and rises towards the villages and beyond.

Although discrete settlements, these are managed at the first level of public administration by Norton, Cuckney, Holbeck and Welbeck Parish Council.

[6] It extended eastward from Creswell Crags, in Derbyshire, to near Thoresby Park, and was bounded on the north by Welbeck, and on the south by Church Warsop.

The Sitwell family of Renishaw relocated their iron forge from Carburton to the mill west of the village but the real expansion came with William Toplis from Wirksworth.

Toplis had become well known as a textiles merchant in Mansfield from the 1780s and was looking to develop the business, and leased 18 acres of land from Earl Bathurst In 1785.

The school was rewired for electricity In the 1950s and the original apprentices register was found in the roof, which recorded all the children who had worked in the mill.

On 12 July 1844 the mill was closed, the machinery sold and this caused unemployment and hard times to families in the area.

The Duke was keen to provide education locally and so converted the mill into a school, it opened in 1846 catering for nearly 200 pupils.

[13] “The Horse Tiresias” public house was named after a prize Welbeck Estates racehorse from the early 19th century.

It was aimed at the wealthy, whilst their servants and horses were housed at the Packhorse Inn about 100 metres away[13] The main road through the village was moved to its current position as the A60 at the request of the 5th Duke of Portland leaving Norton as a quiet area, but in more recent times it has become an alternative route via Clumber Park to the A1 trunk route.

This was reported in the middle 1800s as a small hamlet ¼ mile east of Norton,[7] but relatively little remains, except for Milnthorpe Lodge which is linked to the Welbeck estate and was built around 1860, which is now a listed building.

A county wide long-distance walking path, the Robin Hood Way passes through the northern area and Norton village, and runs along the east border of the parish.

Over 40 buildings and structures throughout the parish are listed as features of historical interest, including:[16] The remains of the motte and bailey Cuckney Castle, by St Mary's Church is registered as a scheduled monument.