district, administrative and historic county of Nottinghamshire, England. The district occupies the northern quarter of the county. The name Bassetlaw previously applied to the parliamentary constituency that covers much the same area and earlier still was the name of one of the English wapentakes, or territorial divisions, through which law was administered and defense organized. The court of this wapentake met on a hill called Bassetlaw. Area 246 square miles (637 square km). Pop. (2001) 107,701.