Sutton-in-Ashfield is a market town in Nottinghamshire, England, with a population of 48,527 in 2019. It is the largest town in the district of Ashfield, four miles west of Mansfield, two miles from the Derbyshire border and 12 miles north of Nottingham. Geography For demographic purposes Sutton-in-Ashfield is included in the Mansfield Urban Area, although it administratively forms part of the separate council district of Ashfield, which is based in Kirkby-in-Ashfield. To the north is Teversal, Skegby and Stanton Hill. Landmarks Sutton-in-Ashfield is home to what was the largest sundial in Europe. It is located in the middle of Portland Square, adjacent to the Idlewells Shopping Centre and Sutton Community Academy. The sundial was unveiled on 29 April 1995. The former site of Silverhill Colliery, close to the scenic village of Teversal on the north-west edge of Ashfield, has been transformed from the colliery to a woodland, which features several walks for all abilities and also features the highest point in Nottinghamshire. At the highest point stands a monument to all the miners who have worked in the area's coalfields. King's Mill Hospital is between Sutton-in-Ashfield and Mansfield, next to the A38. The town has an Asda that in April 1999 held the first blessing ceremony and reception to take place in a UK supermarket. It had been unable to get a wedding ceremony licence. The Sherwood Observatory is located on the B6139 and is run by the Mansfield and Sutton Astronomical Society. History Saxons The area was first settled in the Saxon times and the Saxon suffix "ton" means "an enclosure or fenced in clearing". The town appears in the Domesday Book in 1086 as "Sutone". There are also documents from 1189 showing that Gerard, son of Walter de Sutton, gave two bovates of land and the church at Sutton to Thurgarton Priory. Churches The Sutton-in-Ashfield area was first settled in Saxon times and the first records of a place of worship in the area date from Norman times (1170). As the population of the settlement grew so the variety of religious denominations represented increased. This was particularly true during the industrial expansion of the nineteenth century. The following is a list of the churches that still have a presence in Sutton, together with brief historical details. Church of St Mary Magdalene This Anglican church, situated off Lammas Road and built in local stone, contains a few parts that