Newark-on-Trent

Newark-on-Trent is a market town in Nottinghamshire, on the edge of Sherwood Forest, with a population in 2011 of 27,700. It’s best known as the place where King Charles I surrendered during the English Civil War.

Understand
Newark has been a transport hub at least since Roman times. "Fosse Way" swings inland to avoid the Humber but here reaches the River Trent, which is navigable. The town prospered through wool and cloth, and in the early 11th century it was owned by Lady Godiva, she of the legendary naked ride. King John died here in 1216, a year after signing Magna Carta. When the English Civil War broke out in 1642 over the powers of the monarch versus parliament, Newark supported the Royalists. But by 1646 Charles I was defeated across England and surrendered at nearby Southwell village; in 1649 he was beheaded. His son Charles II continued the war until 1651 but then fled into exile, and Britain became a republic. Castles that had resisted parliament were demolished, so Newark Castle became a ruin.

By air
The nearest airport is East Midlands Airport (30 miles, 50 km). This has good connections across West Europe, including Edinburgh, Glasgow and Belfast. For anything further afield, use the London airports.

A shuttle bus connects EMA with East Midlands Parkway railway station, with direct trains to Newark Castle. EMA airport buses also run from Nottingham, Derby, Leicester and Loughborough.

By train


Plusbus is available at both stations.

By road
Newark stands on the A1 some 120 miles (192 km) north of London, at the junction with the A46 and A17. You’ll know you’re close when you see the steaming chimneys and silos of the British Sugar plant at Kelham just west of town. The junction is messy, especially when there’s a big event at the Showground, watch out for standing traffic queueing back onto the A1.

National Express coaches to Newark are suspended, but they intend to restart in 2022. Normally they take just under five hours from London Victoria, one direct (heading for Lincoln and Hull) and one indirect (change at Leicester).

Centrebus 24 runs three times M-Sa from Grantham, taking just under an hour.

Stagecoach Bus 28 runs from Mansfield M-Sa every 30 min, hourly Sunday, taking 90 min via Southwell and Kelham.

Marshall's Fosseway Bus 90 runs M-Sa hourly from Nottingham, taking 50 min; there are only four on Sunday.

Marshall's Bus 37 runs hourly M-Sa from Retford via Tuxford.

The is central, off Lombard Street.

By boat
Newark stands on the River Trent, which is navigable and non-tidal. There is mooring for visiting craft, with two marinas in town and a harbour at the nearby village of Farndon.

Get around
The town is best explored on foot. The countryside around is flat and cyclable, but the roads are busy.

Take Bus 28 / 29 for the Timekeeping Museum, Workhouse and Southwell. You can either ask for “SUH-thell” or “South-well”, both pronunciations are used locally.

Local buses run frequently to Hawtonville, Balderton and the northern industrial estates.

Taxis wait at Northgate station. Operators include Yellow Cabs (+44 1636 705200), James Cabs (+44 1636 708000) and NTS (+44 1636 311441).

For long-stay visitor parking, use the two car parks by Castle railway station.

See

 * Town centre is an attractive redbrick Georgian, centred on Market Square, and well-preserved along nearby Castle Gate and Appletongate. Town Hall Museum remains closed in 2022.
 * is effectively just a municipal garden with a tall old wall along one side, so it's more use for wedding photos than for withstanding a siege. But that's intentional: Newark and many other English castles were partly demolished after 1648, not in the heat of battle, but to prevent them from ever being used again by rebels. (This policy was commemorated by Gracie Fields in her song “I’m one of the old ruins that Cromwell knocked about a bit”.) The castle was partly restored in the 19th century and what's left is the west curtain wall, with a watergate onto the River Trent, and a gatehouse. It's free to access in daylight hours, and occasional tours of the towers, undercroft and dungeons are run.
 * The Governor's House is a fine timber-framed house of 1474 on Stodman Street, but it's nowadays empty, having most recently housed a Greggs which has moved next door.
 * St Mary Magdalene north on Church Walk is Anglican and the largest parish church in the country. It was begun in 1160, mostly built in the 14th / 15th century, and restored in 1855. Local legend has it that a cannonball shot during the Civil War hit the spire and caused the small hole that is visible from just outside the church gardens on Mount Lane. Entry is free.


 * The Queen's Sconce is the last remaining sconce in Newark. Sconces were large earthworks designed as forts during the civil war. the Sconce is preserved in Sconce Hills park, a large open area with several football pitches that see frequent use by Newark Town Football Club, a small orchard, a park and a café. Newark did have two sconces, the other being called the King's Sconce and was where Northgate retail park is now.


 * five miles southwest of town has a splendid Norman minster, Gothic east and Romanesque west as they built in stages while dismantling the Saxon predecessor. The Bishop's Palace was wrecked in the Civil War but the Great Hall has been restored. The minster is open M-Sa 8:30AM-6:30PM, Su 8AM-4:30PM. Southwell village is charming redbrick Georgian, pity about the traffic. Here, rather than at Newark, is where King Charles I surrendered; he was then taken to nearby Kelham Hall.
 * five miles southwest of town has a splendid Norman minster, Gothic east and Romanesque west as they built in stages while dismantling the Saxon predecessor. The Bishop's Palace was wrecked in the Civil War but the Great Hall has been restored. The minster is open M-Sa 8:30AM-6:30PM, Su 8AM-4:30PM. Southwell village is charming redbrick Georgian, pity about the traffic. Here, rather than at Newark, is where King Charles I surrendered; he was then taken to nearby Kelham Hall.
 * five miles southwest of town has a splendid Norman minster, Gothic east and Romanesque west as they built in stages while dismantling the Saxon predecessor. The Bishop's Palace was wrecked in the Civil War but the Great Hall has been restored. The minster is open M-Sa 8:30AM-6:30PM, Su 8AM-4:30PM. Southwell village is charming redbrick Georgian, pity about the traffic. Here, rather than at Newark, is where King Charles I surrendered; he was then taken to nearby Kelham Hall.

Do

 * Cinema: the Odeon is at 23 London Rd. Paragon Cinema on Middle Gate remains closed in 2022. The Showgrounds occasionally have drive-in movies.
 * Fitness: Anytime Fitness are within Castle Gate Leisure Centre. Active4Today are a mile south on Lord Hawke Way.
 * Golf: local courses are Newark Golf Centre towards the Air Museum, Newark Golf Club at Coddington, and Southwell GC, Orchards and Norwood all near Southwell.
 * Skydive Langar is one of the biggest and best equipped centres in the UK. It's 20 miles south of Newark at Langar NG13 9HY, near Grantham. The usual approach for a beginner is a “tandem” – strapped to an instructor, so minimum training and fitness are needed, but you do need decent weather. Email info@skydivelangar.co.uk or call +44 1949 860878. There’s another big centre at Hibaldstow north of Lincoln.
 * Southwell Racecourse is an artificial all-weather track with year-round flat-racing and jumps races in winter. It's five miles southwest of Newark: nearby Rolleston station has trains every couple of hours between Newark Castle, Nottingham, Derby and Matlock.
 * Newark Showground has frequent events, the biggest being the International Antiques & Collectors Fairs held about once a month, see the website for calendar and prices. The Nottinghamshire County agricultural show is held here in mid-May. The showground is in Winthorpe just northeast of the A1, about 3 miles from Newark town centre, on Lincoln Road NG24 2NY.
 * GTSF is "Gate to Southwell Festival", held in late June/early July at Kirklington.
 * Southwell Music Festival is held in the minster, held in late Aug.
 * Truckfest Original celebrates heavy haulage and monster trucks, at Newark Showground in late September. This was the first of what has become a franchise, with similar events held at seven other locations across Britain.
 * Truckfest Original celebrates heavy haulage and monster trucks, at Newark Showground in late September. This was the first of what has become a franchise, with similar events held at seven other locations across Britain.

Buy

 * Supermarkets include Asda on Lombard St (M-F 7AM-midnight, Sa 7AM-10PM, Su 10AM-4PM), Morrison's on Kings Rd and Aldi on Northgate.
 * Market days are M W-Sa, with a specialty food market first Friday of the month April-Dec.

Eat

 * Cheap eats line Middle Gate, Appletongate and the streets off Market Place.

Drink

 * Breweries are Newark Brewery on William St, Beermats near Southwell, Miilestone north in Cromwell, Tom Herrick's in Carlton-on-Trent and Cat Asylum in Collingham.
 * Breweries are Newark Brewery on William St, Beermats near Southwell, Miilestone north in Cromwell, Tom Herrick's in Carlton-on-Trent and Cat Asylum in Collingham.
 * Breweries are Newark Brewery on William St, Beermats near Southwell, Miilestone north in Cromwell, Tom Herrick's in Carlton-on-Trent and Cat Asylum in Collingham.
 * Breweries are Newark Brewery on William St, Beermats near Southwell, Miilestone north in Cromwell, Tom Herrick's in Carlton-on-Trent and Cat Asylum in Collingham.
 * Breweries are Newark Brewery on William St, Beermats near Southwell, Miilestone north in Cromwell, Tom Herrick's in Carlton-on-Trent and Cat Asylum in Collingham.
 * Breweries are Newark Brewery on William St, Beermats near Southwell, Miilestone north in Cromwell, Tom Herrick's in Carlton-on-Trent and Cat Asylum in Collingham.

Sleep

 * Compton House at 117 Balderton Gate is nowadays just self-catering and no longer a B&B.
 * Compton House at 117 Balderton Gate is nowadays just self-catering and no longer a B&B.
 * Compton House at 117 Balderton Gate is nowadays just self-catering and no longer a B&B.
 * Compton House at 117 Balderton Gate is nowadays just self-catering and no longer a B&B.

Stay safe
Newark is relatively safe. Places to avoid at night include Yorke Drive (near Northgate Railway Station), Devon Road (on Hawtonville Estate) and Sconce Hills Park.

Connect
As of May 2022, Newark has 4G with EE and Vodafone, and 5G with O2 and Three.

Go next

 * Sherwood Forest 11 miles northwest was home to the legendary and entirely fictional Robin Hood. What’s factual is that this is the last stand of primeval forest in England. Everything else is a later planting, so the eco-system is unique, with the gaunt ancient oaks.
 * Lincoln is a must-see, with its cathedral and castle enclosing a picturesque historic city centre.
 * Major cities within an hour or so by train include Nottingham, Sheffield, Leeds and York.