Newark-on-Trent or Newark is a market town in Nottinghamshire. It stands on the River Trent, the A1 (on the route of the ancient Great North Road), and the East Coast Main Line railway. The origins of the town are possibly Roman as it lies on an important Roman road, the Fosse Way. The town grew around Newark Castle, now ruined, and a large marketplace, now lined with historic buildings, and was a centre for the wool and cloth trade. In the English Civil War, it was besieged by Parliamentary forces and had to be relieved by Prince Rupert in a battle known as the Relief of Newark.
The estimated population in 2007 was 26,330, increasing to 27,700 at the 2011 census.
The origins of the town are possibly Roman due to its position on an important Roman road, the Fosse Way. In a document which purports to be a charter of 664, Newark is mentioned as having been granted to the Abbey of Peterborough by Wulfhere. An Anglo-Saxon pagan cemetery, used from the early 5th to the early 7th centuries, has been found in Millgate, in Newark, close to both the Fosse Way and the River Trent in which cremated remains were buried in pottery urns.
In the reign of Edward the Confessor Newark belonged to Godiva and her husband Leofric, Earl of Mercia, who granted it to the monastery of Stow in 1055, who retained its incomes even after the Norman Conquest when it came under the control of the Norman Bishop Remigius de Fécamp. After his death it changed to, and remained in the hands of, the Bishops of Lincoln from 1092 until the reign of Edward VI. There were burgesses in Newark at the time of the Domesday survey, and in the reign of Edward III, there is evidence that it had long been a borough by prescription. The Newark wapentake in the east of Nottinghamshire was established during the period of Anglo-Saxon rule (10th to 11th centuries AD).
Newark Castle "was originally a Saxon fortified manor house, founded by King Edward the Elder. In 1073, Robert Bloet, bishop of Lincoln founded an earthwork motte and bailey fortress on the site. From 1123–33, Bishop Alexander the Magnificent completely rebuilt the castle, when founding a prominent stone structure of ornate construction." The river bridge was built about the same time under charter from Henry I, also St. Leonard's Hospital. He also gained from the king a charter to hold a five-day fair at the castle each year. He gained a charter under King Stephen to establish a mint in the town.
The town became a local centre for the wool and cloth trade, certainly by the time of Henry II a major market was established. Wednesday and Saturday markets in the town were established during the period 1156–1329 when a series of charters granted to the Bishop of Lincoln made them possible. King John died of dysentery in Newark in 1216. Following his death as Henry III tried to bring order to the country the mercenary Robert de Gaugy refused to yield Newark Castle to the Bishop of Lincoln, its rightful owner, leading to the Dauphin of France (later King Louis VIII of France) laying an eight-day siege on behalf of the king, ended by an agreement to pay the mercenary to leave. Around the time of Edward III's death, and excluding beggars and clergy, in "1377 – Poll tax records show adult population of 1,178 making Newark one of the biggest 25 or so towns in England".
In 1457 a flood swept away the bridge over the Trent and, although there was no legal requirement for anyone to replace it, the Bishop of Lincoln, John Chaworth, financed the building of a new bridge, built of oak with stone defensive towers at either end.
Following the break with Rome in the 16th century, the subsequent establishment of the independent Church of England, and the Dissolution of the Monasteries, Henry VIII had the Vicar of Newark, Henry Lytherland executed when he refused to acknowledge the king as head of the Church. The dissolution affected Newark's political landscape heavily, and even more radical changes came in 1547 when the Bishop of Lincoln exchanged ownership of the town with the Crown. Newark was incorporated under an alderman and twelve assistants in 1549, and the charter was confirmed and extended by Elizabeth I.
Charles I, owing to the increasing commercial prosperity of the town, reincorporated it under a mayor and aldermen, and this charter, except for a temporary surrender under James II, continued to be the governing charter of the corporation until the Municipal Corporations Act 1835.
During the English Civil War, Newark was a mainstay of the royalist cause, Charles I having raised his standard in nearby Nottingham. It was attacked in February 1643 by two troops of horsemen, but beat them back. The town fielded at times as many as 600 soldiers, and raided Nottingham, Grantham, Northampton, Gainsborough, and others with mixed success, but enough to cause it to rise to national notice. At the end of 1644 it was besieged by forces from Nottingham, Lincoln and Derby, the siege was only relieved in March by Prince Rupert.
Parliament commenced a new siege towards the end of January 1645 following more raiding, but this was relieved by Sir Marmaduke Langdale after about a month. Newark cavalry fought with the king's forces which were decisively defeated in the Battle of Naseby, near Leicester in June 1645.
The final siege began in November 1645, by which time the town's defences had been greatly strengthened. Two major forts had been constructed just outside the town, one, called the Queen's Sconce, to the south-west and another, the King's Sconce to the north-east, both close to the river, together with defensive walls and a water filled ditch 2¼ miles in length, around the town. In May 1646 the town was ordered to surrender by Charles I, which was still only accepted under protest by the town's garrison. After the surrender most of the defences were destroyed, including the castle which was left in essentially the state it can be seen today.
Around 1770 the Great North Road around Newark (now the A1) was raised on a long series of arches to ensure it remained clear of the regular floods it experienced. A special Act of Parliament in 1773 allowed the creation of a town hall next to the Market Place. Designed by John Carr of York and completed in 1776, Newark Town Hall is now a Grade I listed building. In 1775 the Duke of Newcastle, at the time the Lord of the Manor and a major landowner of the area, built a new brick bridge with stone facing to replace the dilapidated one next to the castle. This is still one of the major thoroughfares in the town today.
A noted advocate of reform in the late 18th century at Newark was the local-born printer and newspaper owner Daniel Holt (1766–1799). He was imprisoned for printing a leaflet advocating parliamentary reform and selling a Thomas Paine pamphlet.
In the milieu of parliamentary reform the duke of Newcastle evicted over a hundred tenants at Newark whom he believed supported directly or indirectly the Liberal/Radical candidate (Wilde) rather than his candidate (Michael Sadler, a progressive Conservative)at the 1829 elections. See the report in Cornelius BROWN 1907, ii, 243 following; and the report in the Times for 7 October 1829. A report in the Times of 10 September 1832 lists ten of the evicted people by name and address.
J.S. Baxter, who was a schoolboy in Newark from 1830 to 1840, contributed to The hungry forties: life under the bread tax (London, 1904), a book about the Corn Laws: "Chartists and rioters came from Nottingham into Newark, parading the streets with penny loaves dripped in blood carried on pikes, crying 'Bread or blood.'"
During the Victorian era a lot of new buildings and industry were established, such as Independent Chapel (1822), Holy Trinity (1836–37), Christ Church (1837), Castle Railway Station (1846), Wesleyan Chapel (1846), the Corn Exchange (1848), Methodist New Connexion Chapel (1848), W.N. Nicholson Trent Ironworks (1840s), Northgate Railway Station (1851), North End Wesleyan Chapel (1868), St. Leonard's Anglican Church (1873), Baptist Chapel (1876), Primitive Methodist Chapel (1878), Newark Hospital (1881), Ossington Coffee Palace (1882), Gilstrap Free Library (1883), Market Hall (1884), Unitarian Chapel (1884), the Fire Station (1889), Waterworks (1898) and the School of Science and Art (1900). These changes and the other industrial expansion that went with them saw the population of the town grow from under 7,000 in 1800 to over 15,000 by the end of the century.
During the Second World War there were a number of RAF stations within a few miles of Newark, from many of which operated squadrons of the Polish Air Force. A special plot was set aside in Newark Cemetery for RAF burials and this is now the war graves plot, where all but ten of the ninety Commonwealth and all of the 397 Polish burials were made. The cemetery also contains 49 scattered burials from the First World War. A memorial cross to the Polish airmen buried here was erected in the plot and was unveiled in 1941 by President Raczkiewicz, ex-President of the Polish Republic and head of the wartime Polish Government in London, supported by General Sikorski, head of the Polish Armed Forces and wartime Polish Prime Minister. When both men subsequently died, General Sikorski in 1943 and President Raczkiewicz in 1947, they were buried at the foot of the memorial. General Sikorski's remains were returned to Poland in 1993, but there is still a memorial to him at Newark.
The clothing, bearings, pumps, agricultural machinery, pine furniture making and sugar refining were the main industries in Newark in the last 100 years or so. British Sugar still has one of its sugar beet processing factories to the north of the town near the A616 (Great North Road). There have been several factory closures, especially since the 1950s. Breweries in the town in the 20th century included James Hole and Warwicks-and-Richardsons.
Estimated population (mid-2007, via NSDC Stats & Info) is 26,330 for the Newark Parish. Newark is 93 per cent white British, according to the 2011 census. It is also prosperous: 77 per cent of people are employed, according to the latest ONS data, compared with the national average of 72 per cent, and earnings are 7 per cent above those in the surrounding East Midlands.
Newark's history makes it a great place to visit and I was very keen to see what it had to offer the seasoned ale drinker. It was a beautiful Wednesday when I got the train from Nottingham and arrived in Newark roughly half an hour later. I'd visited the town a couple of times before so knew my way around the periphery of the train station and market place area. Upon leaving Newark Castle station, I knew that my first stop wasn't far away. I crossed the bridge over the River Trent and immediately spotted it, moored on the river itself, the Castle Barge.
During the Second World War there were a number of RAF stations within a few miles of Newark, from many of which operated squadrons of the Polish Air Force. A special plot was set aside in Newark Cemetery for RAF burials and this is now the war graves plot, where all but ten of the ninety Commonwealth and all of the 397 Polish burials were made. The cemetery also contains 49 scattered burials from the First World War. A memorial cross to the Polish airmen buried here was erected in the plot and was unveiled in 1941 by President Raczkiewicz, ex-President of the Polish Republic and head of the wartime Polish Government in London, supported by General Sikorski, head of the Polish Armed Forces and wartime Polish Prime Minister. When both men subsequently died, General Sikorski in 1943 and President Raczkiewicz in 1947, they were buried at the foot of the memorial. General Sikorski's remains were returned to Poland in 1993, but there is still a memorial to him at Newark.
The clothing, bearings, pumps, agricultural machinery, pine furniture making and sugar refining were the main industries in Newark in the last 100 years or so. British Sugar still has one of its sugar beet processing factories to the north of the town near the A616 (Great North Road). There have been several factory closures, especially since the 1950s. Breweries in the town in the 20th century included James Hole and Warwicks-and-Richardsons.
Estimated population (mid-2007, via NSDC Stats & Info) is 26,330 for the Newark Parish. Newark is 93 per cent white British, according to the 2011 census. It is also prosperous: 77 per cent of people are employed, according to the latest ONS data, compared with the national average of 72 per cent, and earnings are 7 per cent above those in the surrounding East Midlands.
Newark's history makes it a great place to visit and I was very keen to see what it had to offer the seasoned ale drinker. It was a beautiful Wednesday when I got the train from Nottingham and arrived in Newark roughly half an hour later. I'd visited the town a couple of times before so knew my way around the periphery of the train station and market place area. Upon leaving Newark Castle station, I knew that my first stop wasn't far away. I crossed the bridge over the River Trent and immediately spotted it, moored on the river itself, the Castle Barge.
Originally a Spillers grain barge plying its trade from Hull to Gainsborough, it was converted into a pub in 1980 and is now moored in the shadow of Newark's famous ruined castle where it is a mainstay of the local pub scene. The outside area includes an outdoor drinking area with a gangplank that allows access to the barge itself. The upper floor is a seating area with the bar down a flight of stairs. As well as the bar, the lower deck still contains many original features from its previous life including the ship's wheel. The bar is tucked into a corner of the long narrow room and this features 4 handpulls, 3 of which are in use during my visit. My first beer choice of the day is between Milestone American Pale Ale, Milestone Hop & Glory and Full Mash Planchette Porter. I opted for the Hop & Glory (4.2%), a delicious light golden ale brewed with New World hops. It's crisp, delicious and an excellent start to the day. I took a seat on a low bench next to the bar and perused the surroundings, which also features a lot of old brewery memorabilia. The soundtrack also caught my attention here as I was treated to Dire Straits 'Sultans of Swing' followed by Eagles 'Hotel California'. Not a bad start at all!
I was determined to do my best to make the most of the spring weather and so I decided to head on to my next destination. Originally, I had intended to make the Royal Oak my next stop however, upon entering, the not-unfriendly Northern Irish landlord informed me that he no longer sold real ale. He was nice enough to direct me to the pub next door, where he said that they usually had 'about 7 on'. That was how I ended up at The Ram.
Standing on the site once occupied by a 15th century coaching inn, the building that is now The Ram is a Georgian structure dating to the 18th century. The premises stood empty for many years but has recently been refurbished and rejuvenated, retaining the Georgian elegance with a bespoke and upmarket twist to the interior. The hard work has clearly paid off as pub is very nice indeed. Original Georgian features have been given a modern update in lots of elegant leather furniture, a long well-stocked bar and a large outside area kitted out with round picnic tables. The landlord at the Royal Oak is certainly no liar as I was greeted by 8 handpulls. 2 of these featured real ciders in the form of Thatcher's Big Apple and Barnstormer Pickled Pig. The ale choice is good and I'm left to decide between Flipside Random Toss, Flipside Flipping Best, London Pride, Newark Phoenix, Newark Winter Gold and Cathedral Heights Churchill's Pride Bitter. Unfamiliar with Newark Brewery, I decided on a pint of the Phoenix (4.8%). This is an amber/russet coloured beer with mountains of hops that lift up a deep malt sweetness without being overly bitter. I went and sat outside to enjoy this beer, basking in the warm spring sunshine on what was a lovely day. Summer is definitely in the air and I'm very much looking forward to more time spent in beer gardens with a pint or 6.
My next destination wasn't too much further away and I was excited to get there as it was one of the pubs that I'd highlighted as a must visit whilst I was in the area. Situated down a side street and tucked between some shops, is the Prince Rupert.
Named after the reliever of the siege of Newark, the Prince Rupert was originally built in 1452 and still stands strong on its original timber frame following an 18 month renovation by KNEAD Pubs, who now operate the property. The results of this excellent restoration are impressive, with an internal conservatory, half a dozen dining areas, separated by partition walls, a terraced beer garden, a beautifully decked out bar and a hidden venue upstairs that can be hired out. The aforementioned bar is well stocked for ale drinkers too, as it includes 6 handpulls offering a wide variety: Brain's Reverend James, North Yorkshire Flying Herbert, Cathedral Gold, Oakham JHB, Oldershaw Grantham Dark and Bridestone's Whirley Gig. I went for a pint of Flying Herbert (4.7%), a traditional bitter with a slight toffee aroma and roast malt taste but balanced with fruity berries and hops to balance the strong fruitiness. I found a table in the conservatory at which to enjoy this tasty pint, which was recommended by a very helpful and knowledgeable barman. The atmosphere and feel of the pub is fantastic and it's worth every penny that has no doubt been spent on it. Well done to all those at the Prince Rupert for keeping an important part of Newark's heritage alive and kicking!
It was back out onto the main road now and my next destination was just a little bit further along and one of the few pubs in Newark that I've visited in the past. Yet another pub to benefit substantially from a refurbishment, I had arrived at the Flying Circus.
Reopened in 2014, the Flying Circus has risen from the ashes of the building's previous incarnation as the Crown & Mitre. This is the only pub I've ever seen that is Monty Python themed (hence the name) and the walls are adorned with Python quotes and memorabilia, including a fake stuffed Norwegian Blue parrot. The pub has a strong local reputation for craft beer, including Brewdog, and the bar features 8 handpulls, 4 of which are in use when I'm there. Amongst the 4 are some interesting choices namely Falstaff DNA, Twickenham Grandstand, Abstract Casual and Great Newsome Hops in Spring. I wasn't over familiar with any of these beers so it was very much pot luck. DNA eventually won me over and it proved a good choice. At 4.2% and brewed by Falstaff of Derby, this is a pale amber beer with fruity herbal aromas, rich fruit and hop flavours and a long, well-hopped aftertaste. Pulling up a stool at one of the nearby high tables, I was having a very good day so far and I was excited for it to continue. The music at this pub was decent too as I finally got to hear the new Radiohead single and I can confirm that it's very good indeed!
Speaking of very good indeed, I knew what to expect from my next stop and I was aware that it would be excellent. Opposite the Flying Circus, down a pathway, lies the local micropub, simply known as Just Beer.
Concentrating on real ale, ciders and perries, Just Beer opened in 2010 and prides itself on serving interesting ales from local breweries and breweries all over the world. Awarded CAMRA Newark Pub of the Year in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2016, it reached the milestone of 3000 beers from 1000 different breweries in February this year. This is a small, uncomplicated pub situated in an old warehouse near the river. They offer good conversation, traditional pub games and 3 annual beer festivals! On the small bar in the back corner of the room are 8 handpulls, 7 of which were in use offering a great variety: Milestone Southern Cross, Driftwood Spars Forest Blond, 4Ts English Stout, Bradford Alphin's Black IPA and 3 real ciders (Lilley's Apples and Pears, Lilley's Lemon and Lime, Thatcher's Cheddar Valley). I'm always intrigued by black IPAs so it didn't take me long to decide which beer I wanted. At 5.6%, Alphin's Black IPA packs a hell of a punch, with complex malts and heady aromas combining to produce a big, hoppy finish. The name comes from that of the head brewer's son. Whilst I can't pretend to understand what a black IPA is or how it works, I can easily see why the style has such an appeal. There are big flavours here. Not for the faint hearted!
Leaving this wonderful place seemed a shame but there were other treats in store and my next location gave me a rare opportunity to complete the itinerary of every one of a specific company's pubs. The company in question is Blue Monkey and I completed the set with my visit to Newark's own Organ Grinder.
Previously known as the Horse & Gears, this pub was reopened by Blue Monkey in 2014 as another addition to its portfolio. This is very much a no-nonsense beer drinking pub, which is fine with me, and I'm a big fan of Blue Monkey beers as I'm sure I've mentioned in previous entries. Of the 7 handpulls, 5 were in use and, as expected, they all featured Blue Monkey beers, namely Mild Monkey, Guerrilla, Bonobo, Right Turn Clyde and Infinity. I went for the Right Turn Clyde which was, as always, in excellent condition. These are the kinds of pubs that I will come to again and again. There isn't really any reason not too!
I did get slightly lost upon leaving the Organ Grinder but, after half an hour of catching my bearings, I was back on the right track and on my way to my next stop which, to my surprise, turned out to be a Castle Rock pub. I was happy to have found the Fox and Crown.
Standing on the site of what was originally two shops, the Fox and Crown is Castle Rock's resurrection of the previously closed down Fox & Crown. Now open for 16 years, the pub offers great beer and great service in a friendly and comfortable environment. The bar is located in the left hand corner of the main room and boasts 10 handpulls, 8 of which were in use. Amongst the Castle Rock offerings of Midnight Owl, Harvest Pale and Elsie Mo, were a number of guests, specifically Abbeydale Double Brimstone, Sunny Republic Dune Raider, Oldershaw Ascalon, Abstract Casual and Lincoln Green Archer. I was won over by the Dune Raider (5%), a bitter sweet paradox of sweet malts and punchy American hops. This beer is certainly a mixture of styles being part Vienna amber lager, part English brown and part American brown ale. It's an interesting mix but it definitely works!
I had time for one more pub before it was time to get the train home so it was an opportunity for the somewhat obligatory trip to a local Wetherspoons, this one being the Sir John Arderne.
Named after the first 'true English surgeon' who lived in Newark during 1349-1370, this is an imposing looking building. Arderne himself became particularly adept at treating haemorrhoids, a condition commonly affecting Medieval knights due to long hours spent on horseback in heavy armour. He had achieved the status of 'master surgeon' by the end of his life. The bar is situated at the back of the room and there is ample seating throughout as well as the standard issue upstairs toilets. 10 handpulls reside on the bar, during my visit featuring, Abbot Ale (x2), Ruddles (x2), London Pride, Doom Bar, Old Rosie cider, Nottingham Old Special, Brakspear Oxford Gold and Milestone IPA. For my last beer of the day, I went for a pint of the Old Special, accompanied by a burger as I decided it was finally time to eat. The beer was very nice indeed, smooth and well balanced with a dry finish. It complimented the burger very well and both went down very easily indeed.
I was tired and full now and the day was drawing to a close. All that was needed was to make my way to the nearby train station for the journey. This turned out to be more easily said than done as my train was subject to unspecified delay which meant that it was nearly half an hour late arriving. Still, I made it home eventually happy that it was a job well done for the day. Newark did not disappoint. My suspicions about its real ale credentials were well founded as there wasn't a single pub on my trip that let me down. I cannot recommend a visit here enough, especially given all of the pubs that I did not get time to visit. Newark looks set to be a place to watch, where the real ale revival is very much in full swing. A place where much now exists from where little stood before. Things in this town are moving in a wonderful direction.
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