"Selston is a parish and large village in Basford Union containing, by the census of 1861, 2628 inhabitants, and 2330 acres; in the No. 1 deanery and archdeaconry of Nottingham, diocese of Lincoln, north division of Broxtowe hundred, North Nottinghamshire, 4 miles south-east from Alfreton, 12 north-west from Nottingham, and 143 from London"
[From Morris & Co.'s Directory of Nottinghamshire 1869]
The parish of Selston lies on the western edge of Nottinghamshire, separated from Derbyshire by the river Erewash. The Domesday book records it as Salestune, which the Dictionary of English Place-names suggests means 'farmstead of a man named Sele, or Seli'. The Domesday book also records that the land was split into three manors, held at the time by Ulmer, Gladwin and Ulvric, and those manors covered 3 bovates (approx 48 acres) There was also a church and three acres of meadow.
The parish includes the village of Selston and the hamlets of Underwood, Bagthorpe, Jacksdale and Westwood.
Whilst agriculture was the main occupation in earliest times, coal mining also had a great part to play in Selston's history, as the parish is located over an area where coal was found on or very near the surface. In fact, at least sixteen seams of coal were known to be exposed at the surface, within the boundaries of the parish.
Landowners who discovered coal on their lands soon found that they could supplement their incomes by leasing out mining rights. The original lease for coal in Selston is said to date from 1206, while in the 15th century the monks of Beauvale Priory leased mining rights in Greasley and Selston.
The will of Sir Charles Morrison in 1597 states that he had a Coal Mine at Selston, which may have been aquired from Beauvale, and that he had intended to set up Iron Mills there.
In the 18th century, Thomas Walker and Thomas Barber also took out coal leases on land in Selston parish (as well as in other local areas), eventually forming the Barber, Walker Co. Ltd. By the 1870's this company opened other mines nearby, including one at Underwood. Mexborough Colliery was opened in 1858 and it was worked until 1896. Pye Hill Colliery opened in 1874.
Wansley Hall was mentioned as early as 1337 in the parish of Selston, being held by Wm. de Gretton.
Selston Hall was built in the 16th century, and was occupied by the Pusey family, the Willoughby family and the Dixie family.
In 1776, the three Lords of the Manor were recorded as Lord Melbourne, Sir W. Dixie and the Earl Mexborough, and of these three Lord Melbourne was the largest landowner by some way; running an estate of thirty-eight farms over an area of 1331 acres. The previous holder of Lord Melbourne's estate was Sir Robert Sutton.
In 1879, Selston was the last parish in Nottinghamshire to have its common land enclosed under the Enclosure Acts.
In 1881, Earl Cowper and the Earl of Mexborough were recorded as joint Lords of the Manor, while Earl Cowper and the Dixie Family were the principal landowners.
