It lies a few miles west of Nottingham, in the borough of Broxtowe on the border with Derbyshire.

The belching chimneys and slag heaps of an ironworks to the west dominated the village.

Morrison responded to hostile questions in the House of Commons that Trowell was "the type of English village where the old rural life is passing away and where an industrial community has been superimposed", "[i]t was chosen merely as an example of modern social problems in a village", and its selection would "encourage places which are not conventionally beautiful ... to have a go at improving their amenities".

Trowell celebrated its selection with several events: a cricket match played in Victorian dress, awards for the best back and front gardens, a performance of Sir Edward German's comic opera Merrie England, and cleaning the church clock.

[4] Trowell village's main attraction and largest employer is Trowell Garden Centre & Coffee Shop which is located on the Nottingham Canal, Erewash Valley Trail and Broxtowe Nature Reserve where you can still see the original lock keepers cottages and grade 2 listed Swansea Bridge built in 1794–96 The parish church is St Helen.