RUSHCLIFFE

borough (district), administrative and historic county of Nottinghamshire, central England, immediately southeast of the city of Nottingham. Rushcliffe is a rural agricultural area of open, rolling uplands (wolds) and flat plains. The wolds in the south rise to 200300 feet (6090 metres) in elevation and are an extension of higher areas in the adjacent county of Leicestershire. The valley of the River Trent forms most of the borough's northern boundary, and the Vale of Belvoir is in the northeast; both of these wide, flat plains extend far beyond the borough's boundaries. Wheat, barley, oats, and sugar beets are generally grown at higher elevations in the borough. Dairy cattle are raised, and some beef cattle and sheep are fattened in valley pastures. West Bridgford, a light industrial centre directly across the River Trent from the city of Nottingham, is also the administrative centre of both the county and the borough. A modern coal mine is in operation at Cotgrave in the centre of the borough, and a large thermal power station is located at Ratcliffe-on-Soar in the southwest. The Trent Bridge Cricket Ground at West Bridgford, one of the better-known cricket grounds in Great Britain, is a venue for test (international) matches. The Perpendicular Gothic broach steeple of the All Saints Church at Bingham, in the Trent valley northeast of West Bridgford, is noteworthy for its breadth and for its many buttresses. Area 158 square miles (410 square km). Pop. (1998 est.) 105,900.