D&P/02.12/EXT/7015

Printed on 80% recycled paper

This is the final leaflet in a series of eight and the and the full range may be viewed on our website www.newarkcivictrust.org.uk

This trail was made possible by the following organisations:

Co-authors: Mick Gill, George Wilkinson and Rupert Vinnicombeof Newark Civic Trust

Registered Charity Number: 1015046

Newark Curiosities TrailDistance:2.2km

Time:1 hour 15 minutes. Easy trailStart/Finish:at the bronze model of Newark

in the Castle GroundsWheelchair & pushchair friendly

In compiling the Newark Trail leaflets itwas inevitable that some buildingsassociated with a particular title wouldhave to be omitted due their locationand/or distance constraints. Similarly, thereare many points of interest which have notfallen readily within the scope of a title butwhich, nevertheless, are part of Newark’srich heritage and deserve attention.

This, the final Newark Trail in this series,draws together some of the more unusualpoints of interest to be found around thetown and which are often passed un-noticed. Each has its own unique story totell and each its own history. The points ofinterest are not exhaustive and it is hopedthat those included will spur on visitors andtownsfolk to look for others and, perhaps,undertake their own research.

In seeking a title for the Trail the words“extraordinary”, “odd”, “surprising“,“unexpected”, and “unfamiliar” all came tomind. However, it was decided to use theterm ‘Curiosities’, a word whichencompasses all and others besides.

The authors hope that you will enjoy thisTrail.

Start the walk at theBronze Model ofNewark (1)in the Castle Grounds,provided by the Rotary Club of NewarkCastle in 2006 to mark the centenary ofthe foundation of the movement in 1905.

Leave the Castle Grounds via the irongates, turn right, cross the pedestriancrossing, keep right and continue alongCastle Gate to reach Barker Maule & Co.

Retrace your steps and look for theMosaic Coat of Arms (5)set into thecobbles, a gift from Emmendingen, one ofNewark’s twin towns. Note the parishpump and bear baiting post nearby.

Turn towardsthe centre ofthe MarketPlace and lookfora double rowof brass studsand stone plaqueset in the

ground. The studs mark Alderman’sWalk (6)which connects Stodman Streetto the south porch of the parish church.An Act of 1585 provided for paving but thiswas not laid down until 1621.

Retrace your steps and continue aheadinto Church Street.A Roundel (7)set inthe road commemorates the 1995gathering of the Newarks of the World,the firsttimethis hadbeenheldoutsidetheUSA.

The entrance to the right is Coach andHorses Yard (2). Look for the low,

sloping, grooved-top projection. Acomplaint in an 1846 newspaperabout the “state of the publicpassage” leading to the Coach and

This short walk mainlyaround the towncentre, takes insome of themany curiositiesaround Newark.

Horses public house may have led to thisbeing installed as a deterrent to stop menrelieving themselves.

Continue through the yard, turn left intoMiddle Gate, cross the road and enterChain Lane (3). Although a pedestrianwalkway, in 1962 the driver of an AustinMini attempted to go through the narrowtunnel. The car became firmly stuck. Atthe time signs stated cycling was prohibitedbut there was no such mention for cars.

Pass through into the Market Place.Turn right by the Town Hall and look forNewark’s ‘thinnest house’ (4). Thisdates only from 1902 when an earlier bankand adjacent premises were demolishedleaving only one bay of the latter over theentrance to the rear of the Town Hall.

NewarkCuriosities Trail

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D&P/02.12/EXT/7015

Printed on 80% recycled paper

This is the final leaflet in a series of eight and the and the full range may be viewed on our website www.newarkcivictrust.org.uk

This trail was made possible by the following organisations:

Co-authors: Mick Gill, George Wilkinson and Rupert Vinnicombeof Newark Civic Trust

Registered Charity Number: 1015046

Newark Curiosities TrailDistance: 2.2km

Time: 1 hour 15 minutes. Easy trailStart/Finish: at the bronze model of Newark

in the Castle GroundsWheelchair & pushchair friendly

In compiling the Newark Trail leaflets itwas inevitable that some buildingsassociated with a particular title wouldhave to be omitted due their locationand/or distance constraints. Similarly, thereare many points of interest which have notfallen readily within the scope of a title butwhich, nevertheless, are part of Newark’srich heritage and deserve attention.

This, the final Newark Trail in this series,draws together some of the more unusualpoints of interest to be found around thetown and which are often passed un-noticed. Each has its own unique story totell and each its own history. The points ofinterest are not exhaustive and it is hopedthat those included will spur on visitors andtownsfolk to look for others and, perhaps,undertake their own research.

In seeking a title for the Trail the words“extraordinary”, “odd”, “surprising“,“unexpected”, and “unfamiliar” all came tomind. However, it was decided to use theterm ‘Curiosities’, a word whichencompasses all and others besides.

The authors hope that you will enjoy thisTrail.

Start the walk at the Bronze Model ofNewark (1) in the Castle Grounds,provided by the Rotary Club of NewarkCastle in 2006 to mark the centenary ofthe foundation of the movement in 1905.

Leave the Castle Grounds via the irongates, turn right, cross the pedestriancrossing, keep right and continue alongCastle Gate to reach Barker Maule & Co.

Retrace your steps and look for theMosaic Coat of Arms (5) set into thecobbles, a gift from Emmendingen, one ofNewark’s twin towns. Note the parishpump and bear baiting post nearby.

Turn towardsthe centre ofthe MarketPlace and lookfor a double rowof brass studsand stone plaqueset in the

ground. The studs mark Alderman’sWalk (6) which connects Stodman Streetto the south porch of the parish church.An Act of 1585 provided for paving but thiswas not laid down until 1621.

Retrace your steps and continue aheadinto Church Street. A Roundel (7) set inthe road commemorates the 1995gathering of the Newarks of the World,the firsttimethis hadbeenheldoutsidetheUSA.

The entrance to the right is Coach andHorses Yard (2). Look for the low,

sloping, grooved-top projection. Acomplaint in an 1846 newspaperabout the “state of the publicpassage” leading to the Coach and

This short walk mainlyaround the towncentre, takes insome of themany curiositiesaround Newark.

Horses public house may have led to thisbeing installed as a deterrent to stop menrelieving themselves.

Continue through the yard, turn left intoMiddle Gate, cross the road and enterChain Lane (3). Although a pedestrianwalkway, in 1962 the driver of an AustinMini attempted to go through the narrowtunnel. The car became firmly stuck. Atthe time signs stated cycling was prohibitedbut there was no such mention for cars.

Pass through into the Market Place.Turn right by the Town Hall and look forNewark’s ‘thinnest house’ (4). Thisdates only from 1902 when an earlier bankand adjacent premises were demolishedleaving only one bay of the latter over theentrance to the rear of the Town Hall.

NewarkCuriosities Trail

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Take the path to the right of thechurch, pass the south porch to theseating area. This is the site ofIronmonger Row (8). First mentionedin 1367, the row was destroyed on thenight of 23 December 1891 when firebroke out in a drapers shop in theMarket Place. Note the chimney erectedin 1854.

Pass into the Market Place and turnleft into Bridge Street. Above thearched windows of the bank are ElectricInsulators (9) which date to the 1920swhen businesses relied on privatelygenerated sources of electricity. Theseexamples are associated with the supplyfrom Pratt & Gelsthorpe, now a motorvehicle business.

Continue along Bridge Street, crossCarter Gate and walk down BaldertonGate until you reach Belshaw’s shop(10) at the corner of Guildhall Street.Look to the right above the shop windowto see a brick inscribed “T. Wilde MP /21st May”. This commemorates thevictory of Serjeant Thomas Wilde, aLiberal, in the general election of 1831.Wilde enjoyed a high profile careerbecoming Lord Chancellor.

Cross the road, return towards thetown and take the path to the left ofthe large Georgian house to reachBeaumond Gardens. Walk to theJubilee Arch (11), commissioned by theTown Council to mark the Golden Jubileeof HM Queen Elizabeth II in 2002. Thearch, with half-pediments incorporatingvarious aspects of Newark, was finallyerected here after much controversy.

Continue towards London Road toreach Beaumond Cross (12). Movedhere in 1974, it dates from about 1300but its origins are obscure.

Go to London Road and cross at thepedestrian refuge, turn right and thenleft into the entrance signed to NewarkTown Bowls Club, the oldest bowlingorganisation in the county. The greenopened in 1809. Its Regency gothicclub-house (13) is one of the town’sgems and has the totally appropriateinscription “Let no man be biassed”.

Return to London Road, turn left, walkto the traffic lights and keep left toreach the former Hole’s BreweryOffices (14). Built in 1881, the grandeurof the building is reflected in themagnificent carved mural of NewarkCastle within the pediment above themain entrance. Look for the monogram

“CH”, the initials of the original ownersCaparn & Hankey. The offices andbrewery are now apartments.

Return to the traffic lights, crossLondon Road, turn left and head forthe Pillar Box (15) at the end of CarterGate. This modern box stands on thesite of the town’s first ‘iron receiving box’erected in 1856, a tapering, fluted stylebox with a vertical aperture.

Walk along Lombard Street until youreach the service road to the shoppingprecinct. Look up to see an OrnateSculpture (16) carved for the newfactory erected in Clinton Arms Yard in1889 for the noted gunsmiths CharlesSmith & Sons. It was moved to itspresent position in 1976.

Retrace your steps and turn left intoCarter Gate. Look for SportsDirect(17) with stone quoins and part chimneybreast remaining from a demolishedbuilding. Similarly, an incomplete plainashlar pilaster at the right of JohnAnthony Shoes is all that remains of theC17 Warburton Temperance Hoteldemolished in the 1960s. This was thebirthplace in 1698 of William Warburton,Bishop of Gloucester 1760 - 1779.

The premises to the left of the nearbycarriageway entrance housed Newark’sPost Office from 1887 to 1908 and thesingle storey building (18) to the rearthe sorting office. For many years thiswas Wilson’s banana warehouse.

Turn around and walk through TheArcade (19). Built in 1897, thebrainchild of the brothers George andFrederick Atter, it became a fashionableshopping place. Note the curvedwindow at the Market Place end. Thiswas once part of Stanley Noble’s smallbakery shop known as Pie Corner.

Walk along the south side of theMarket Place and note the Saracen’sHead Bust (20) and information plaqueon the former hotel. Continue to theformer Clinton Arms Hotel but note thatthe reference to the King’s Arms on itsinformation plaque is incorrect. Theformer name was The Kingston Arms.

Continue into Stodman Street andpause by the entrance to Haart’s (21).This was originally a long, narrow tunnelunder the 4-storey building which led toCawkwell’s Yard and on to LombardStreet. At one time the yard had 30cottages. The boarded door to the left,by the entrance to Greggs, was the entry

to Hardy’s Yard which also linked toLombard Street.

Walk along Stodman Street until youreach Inizio (22). The coggedbrickwork and protruding metal beamclearly show the intention to rebuild theproperty on either side. Note the“Harston’s Yard” name-plaque above theentrance by Atelier’s. The smaller lettersshow that it was made by the“Wellington Foundry, Newark”, probablyin 1863. Similar original yard and streetname-plaques can be seen around thetown.

Continue to the end of the street andlook across at the Corn Exchange(23). Designed in the Italian style byLondon architect Henry Duesbury with aprominent date-stone for 1847, it wasnot opened until 1848. The large statuesrepresent Commerce and Agriculture.The glass roundels in the tower wereintended to house faces of a clock but themoney to pay for it was not forthcoming.

Turn left, go to the pedestrian crossingand cross Castle Gate. Turn right andwalk past the Corn Exchange until youcome to the open area by the entranceto the Castle Grounds.

Walk down the steps or ramp to reachthe riverside beneath the castle. This isCuckstool Wharf (24), the site of thetown’s cuckstool or ducking stool, apopular medieval punishment. It wasusually reserved for women who werestrapped into a chair, swung out over theriver and ducked the ordered number oftimes. ‘The Cuckstool’ is recorded in1565 with the last use in 1801.

Return to Castle Gate and walkthrough the Castle Grounds to theGilstrap Centre. If the Centre is opengo in and look at the elaborately carvedRomanesque Arch (25). Thought tohave been the entrance a chapel withinthe Castle, it was erected here by theFriends of Newark Castle in 2009.Reputed to have been either unearthed inthe Castle Grounds and recovered fromthe river, it lay in the Castle undercroftfor some 50 years.

Regain the Castle Grounds from theGilstrap Centre or from Castle Gate toend the walk.

FINISH START