Newark Civil War TrailDistance:1.5km

Time:45 minutes. Easy trailOS Map reference:SK 79700 - 54050

Start:at the Newark Bronze Map inthe Castle Grounds

Finish:at the Town Wharf Wheelchair & pushchair friendly

NewarkCivil War Trail

During the English Civil War 1642-46, themarket town of Newark played a role outof all proportion to its size. Troops loyalto the King swelled its population manytimes over and, from the safety of itsdefences, they would launch attacks onlocal Parliamentarians - hence the town’smotto Deo fretus erumpeor “Trust in Godand sally forth”. Newark was besieged onthree occasions and finally surrenderedonly when ordered to do so by the Kingafter his own surrender.

Start the walk at the Bronze Plan ofNewark in theCastle grounds (1).Straight in front you will see the CastleGatehouse (2)This is the best-preserved Norman castle gatehouse inBritain. Walk towards the gatehouse andlook under the archway. The stoneworkis still blackened by the gunpowder thatParliamentary forces used in 1646 whenattempting to destroy the castle after thetown’s Royalist garrison had obeyed KingCharles’s order tosurrender. In later yearsmuch of the castle’sstone was removed bylocal people to repairhouses damaged duringthe siege.

height, were caused by ballsfrom Parliamentary cannon of thetype known as a ‘Robinette’. These gunshad a calibre of 4cm (1.5in) and the ballsweighing about 700g (1.5lbs). They wereperhaps fired periodically to harass anyonetrying to unload boats. Larger irregularscars on the wall at 2-3metres (8ft to 9ft)height were caused by 9cm (3.5in) cannonballs weighing 8kg (16lbs). The heightsuggests that the aim was splintering the

stone to injure rather than to kill.

Now continue to follow thepath around the castle,crossing over the woodenwalkway and turning left upthe path onto the main road.

Turn right, walk for 50m and cross thezebra crossing. Walk down Stodman St(to your left) to the Woolpack which isthe 6th building on the right. Cross overto get a better look.

The Prince Rupert (4)Now a pub, itwas built around 1452 as a rich merchant’shouse, and would have been about 200years old at the time of the Civil War. Theroomy building would have provided idealaccommodation for soldiers. Originallythe Prince Rupert had 3 bays, with theupper floors jettied forward, as may beseen in the surviving right-hand bay. Theleft hand bay was removed at some pointafter the siege as it could have beendamaged beyond repair.

Continue along Stodman St until youcome to the Nat West Bank.

Opposite is theGovernor’sHouse (Greggs 5)another richmerchant’s house (1474), itscopious timber framing indicatedhigh status. This, together with

its position close enough tomilitary headquarters in the castle to

permit speedy access, meant it wascertain to be commandeered by theRoyalist forces. Also, its proximity to theParish Church ensured that a place forworship and observation of the enemy(from the steeple parapet) wasconveniently close. It was used as TheGovernor’s House for the duration of theCivil War.

The Nat Westbuilding nowstands on the siteof Hercules Clay’shouse. The plaquehigh on the wallgives details.

Walk back around the side of thegatehouse following the path down to

the riverside. Turn left and follow thelength of the castle wall. Can you

see the small depressions in thewall?Curtain Wall, Riverside(3)Small circular depressions inthe wall here, mostly at head

This short walk around the

town centre takes in many

of the sites and buildings

that relate to the

Civil War period.

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6

4

1

3

2

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

D&P 11.12/EXT/4626

Printed on 80% recycled paper

Registered Charity Number: 1015046

Newark Town Council

Newark Civil War TrailDistance: 1.5km

Time: 45 minutes. Easy trailOS Map reference: SK 79700 - 54050

Start: at the Newark Bronze Map inthe Castle Grounds

Finish: at the Town Wharf Wheelchair & pushchair friendly

NewarkCivil War Trail

During the English Civil War 1642-46, themarket town of Newark played a role outof all proportion to its size. Troops loyalto the King swelled its population manytimes over and, from the safety of itsdefences, they would launch attacks onlocal Parliamentarians - hence the town’smotto Deo fretus erumpe or “Trust in Godand sally forth”. Newark was besieged onthree occasions and finally surrenderedonly when ordered to do so by the Kingafter his own surrender.

Start the walk at the Bronze Plan ofNewark in the Castle grounds (1).Straight in front you will see the CastleGatehouse (2) This is the best-preserved Norman castle gatehouse inBritain. Walk towards the gatehouse andlook under the archway. The stoneworkis still blackened by the gunpowder thatParliamentary forces used in 1646 whenattempting to destroy the castle after thetown’s Royalist garrison had obeyed KingCharles’s order tosurrender. In later yearsmuch of the castle’sstone was removed bylocal people to repairhouses damaged duringthe siege.

height, were caused by ballsfrom Parliamentary cannon of thetype known as a ‘Robinette’. These gunshad a calibre of 4cm (1.5in) and the ballsweighing about 700g (1.5lbs). They wereperhaps fired periodically to harass anyonetrying to unload boats. Larger irregularscars on the wall at 2-3metres (8ft to 9ft)height were caused by 9cm (3.5in) cannonballs weighing 8kg (16lbs). The heightsuggests that the aim was splintering the

stone to injure rather than to kill.

Now continue to follow thepath around the castle,crossing over the woodenwalkway and turning left upthe path onto the main road.

Turn right, walk for 50m and cross thezebra crossing. Walk down Stodman St(to your left) to the Woolpack which isthe 6th building on the right. Cross overto get a better look.

The Prince Rupert (4) Now a pub, itwas built around 1452 as a rich merchant’shouse, and would have been about 200years old at the time of the Civil War. Theroomy building would have provided idealaccommodation for soldiers. Originallythe Prince Rupert had 3 bays, with theupper floors jettied forward, as may beseen in the surviving right-hand bay. Theleft hand bay was removed at some pointafter the siege as it could have beendamaged beyond repair.

Continue along Stodman St until youcome to the Nat West Bank.

Opposite is the Governor’sHouse (Greggs 5) another richmerchant’s house (1474), itscopious timber framing indicatedhigh status. This, together with

its position close enough tomilitary headquarters in the castle to

permit speedy access, meant it wascertain to be commandeered by theRoyalist forces. Also, its proximity to theParish Church ensured that a place forworship and observation of the enemy(from the steeple parapet) wasconveniently close. It was used as TheGovernor’s House for the duration of theCivil War.

The Nat Westbuilding nowstands on the siteof Hercules Clay’shouse. The plaquehigh on the wallgives details.

Walk back around the side of thegatehouse following the path down to

the riverside. Turn left and follow thelength of the castle wall. Can you

see the small depressions in thewall? Curtain Wall, Riverside(3) Small circular depressions inthe wall here, mostly at head

This short walk around the

town centre takes in many

of the sites and buildings

that relate to the

Civil War period.

5

6

4

1

3

2

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

D&P 11.12/EXT/4626

Printed on 80% recycled paper

Registered Charity Number: 1015046

Newark Town Council

Site of Alderman Hercules Clay’s House(6) The house was destroyed in March 11th1643 by a bomb that was actually aimed atthe Governors House. The Alderman hadthree dreams that his home would bedestroyed and moved his family just in timeto a place of safety. He bequeathed a thankyou offering to the town of £100 and gave£100 to the vicar on condition that hepreached a sermon every year on the 11thMarch - this still continues in Newark today.

You are now in the Market Place – walkalong the right hand side of the square –in the corner of the Market Place you willsee a colourful timber-framed building.This is The Old White Hart (7) The oldestsurviving inn in Newark, The Old WhiteHart dates from the early 14th century, withthe earliest section lying underneath thecarriageway and to the right. The ornatefaçade of the front section (1459) wasextensively restored in the 1980s, but isauthentic in style and colour, as sufficientoriginal material remained for copies to bemade. This large inn would certainly havebeen a billet for soldiers.

Turn around and head towards theopposite corner of the square and up toSt Mary Magdalene Church. At the tallchimney (which was the church’s centralheating boiler), turn right down an alley,onto Appleton Gate. Turn left and leftagain, enter the Garden of Remembranceand walk to the far right hand corner ofthe churchyard. Look up towards thechurch spire and you will see a hole belowthe left hand corner of the uppermostcentral window.

The Church Spire (8)The hole visible in the spiremarks the spot where theshot from a Parliamentariancannon is said to havestruck the church in 1644.

In the centre of thechurchyard there is aMonument - A simpleengraved bronze slabcommemorating the lives ofofficers killed in othersieges of

Newark. The bones hereinterred were removedfrom the Church crypt,which now houses Churchsilver.

If you have time feelfree to explore theinside of the church where you will find aplaque dedicated to Hercules Clay andthe crypt previously mentioned.

To exit the church grounds, walk towardsthe church and turn right following the

path back to the main entrance. EnterKirk Gate on the right which is in front ofyou; walk on the left hand side for 50mup to the black and white timber-framedbuilding which is opposite. This is CharlesI Coffee House. (9) Queen HenriettaMaria stayed here when visiting Newark.Unaccompanied queens were always to bechaperoned but it was deemed fitting on thisoccasion to stay with gentry. The twotimber-framed buildings show differentstructural styles, the 16th century one usingless timber than the more ostentatious 15thcentury one, many of the uprights being fordecorative effect only.

Continue along to the corner of KirkGate and Middle Gate crossing over toget a better look at the shop (10) Thebuilding dates from 1337 and would havemade an ideal billet for Civil War soldiers.Another example of a rich merchant’shouse, but possessing an architecturalfeature unique in Newark - it is jettied ontwo adjoining sides, with part of the diagonaldragon beam which supports the uppercorner post still visible within.

To complete the trail continue down KirkGate turning left at the end and crossingat the zebra crossing. Head towards theWharf, keeping the large brick andtimber-framed building (The Ossington)to your right. At the junction turn rightand walk to the centre of the car park tolook at the stone wall opposite.

The Wharf (11) The curved stonewall,although dating from 1883, follows exactlythe line of the old town wall as it made itsway towards the castle. This would haveformed part of the town’s inner defencesduring the Civil War.

If you wish to extend the trail for anotherhour you can walk 1km (3⁄4 mile) or drivedown, parking at Sconce Hills car park tothe The Queen’s Sconce (12) This wasone of a pair of earthwork fortificationserected to defend the town’s northern andsouthern approaches against Parliamentaryforces, and is probably the most completeCivil War fortification remaining in thecountry. Four raised corner bastions

provided artillery platforms,while the connecting rampartsprotected the lower centralarea. Attackers wouldhave been faced with theformidable bank and ditchobstacles, but thewhole surroundingarea was a killing field

liberally supplied with pitfalls - deep holeswith sharpened stakes at the bottom. Muchimproved access facilities now permit abirds’ eye view, allowing a much betterappreciation of this important monument.

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Map ©Newark and Sherwood District Council