In the late 9th century the Danes conquered North East and Eastern England. They turned Nottingham into a fortified settlement or burgh. Nottingham had a ditch around it and earth rampart with a wooded palisade on top.

In 918, King Edward the Elder, the English king, recaptured Nottingham and he built a bridge across the Trent. By the 10th century Nottingham was a busy little town though with a population of only several hundred. From the 10th century Nottingham had a mint.

After the conquest of England by William the Conqueror in 1066, Nottingham was awarded to William Peverel who built a wooden castle on a sandstone bluff overlooking a strategic crossing point on the River Trent. William Peverel was installed as the city�s overlord with half an eye to the river and it�s strategic crossing and half an eye to the thriving Saxon settlement down the hill.

William Peverel�s influence extended outside the city itself and throughout much of the surrounding countryside which became what is called today Nottinghamshire. During the time of William Peverel�s time as the lord of Nottingham much energy was expended building castles, churches and priories. Besides the castle in Nottingham city, there were castles constructed in the surrounding area at Aslockton, Egmarton, Kingshaugh, and Laxton. New churches constructed between 1066 and 1100 were St. Michael and All Angels, Averham; St. Lawrence, Blidworth; Priory Church of St. Mary and St. Martin, Blyth; St. Giles, Carburton; St. John the Evangelist, Carlton in Lindrick; St. Mary the Virgin, Glifton with Glapton; St. Mary, East Leake; St. Mary, Edwinstowe; St. Mary the Virgin, Egmarton; St. Michael, Elton on the Hill; St. Peter, Farndon; Holy Trinity & St. Oswald, Finningley; St. Peter, Flawborough; St. Mary, Greasley; St. Michael, Halam; St. James the Great, Haughton; St. Peter & St. Paul, Mansfield; All Saints, Markham Clinton; All Saints, North Collingham; St. Mary, Norton Cuckney; St. Mary the Virgin, Nottingham - High Pavement; St. Patrick, Nuthall; St. Peter & St. Paul, Oxton; St. Mary, Plumtree; St. Helen, Selston; St. Peter & St. Paul, Shelford; St. Augustine, Sookholme; All Saints, South Leverton; St. Wilfrid, South Muskham; Southwell Minster, Southwell; All Saints, Stanton on the Wolds; St. Mary, Staunton; St. Peter, Tollerton; St. Edmund, Walesby; St. Peter & St. Paul, Warsop; All Saints, West Markham; St. John of Jerusalem, Winkburn; St. Swithin, Woodborough and Holy Trinity, Wysall.

William Peverell also found the time to found the Great Priory of Lenton and endow the Cluniac monks who operated the priory. The priory received its royal charter sometime between 1103 and 1108 from King Henry I. The priory continued it�s work for 430 years and was the richest in the Midlands. Endowment to the Priory of Lenton were numerous and substantial, there being 127 towns and villages in Nottinghamshire, 120 in Derbyshire, besides several in Yorkshre and Leicestershire which paid tribute to the Priory, many of which were controlled by William Peverel.

The Normans under the rule of William the Conqueror and under-lord William Peverel were prolific builders, especially of churches. This was in addition to the work of administering the territories and providing protection from undefeated Saxon princes who continued to make incursions until they were decisively defeated and their lands forfeited to King William in the summer of 1068.