Southwell has claims to be the birthplace of the Bramley apple. The story goes that in the early 19th century two ladies planted some apple pips in their cottage garden in the nearby village of Easthorpe. Nature took its course and one of the seedlings grew into a tree. By this time, Matthew Bramley owned the cottage and the quality of the trees fruit began to excite public interest. Mr Henry Merryweather a local nurseryman persuaded Bramley to let him take a cutting, which he consequently propagated with enormous success. Permission had been granted on the condition that the apples took Mr Bramley's name and not the two ladies!

The now disused railway line from Southwell to Mansfield which was first opened to trains in 1871 is now an attractive footpath known as the Farnsfield to Southwell Trail. As well as the varied plant and wildlife that can be found along the 4 1/2 mile walk there is also plenty of industrial archaeological interest including the Farnsfield Waterworks of 1910, a late 18th century cotton mill and Greet Lily Mill a corn mill on the banks of the River Greet.

Norwood Park is the only one of the four original parks around Southwell which remains today. The property of the Archbishops of York the park remained in the possession of the Church until 1778 and though a house was built here in Cromwell's day the present building dates from 1763.