Newark-on-Trent
 Castles |
There is considerable archaeological evidence both for an ancient settlement at Newark dating back to the Saxon period, and for a later invasion and occupation of the site by Danes. Newark, by the time of the Domesday Survey in 1086, was an established township on the River Trent - its name, a corruption of 'New Work', is perhaps a reference to the Danish rebuilding programme.
Newark Castle, constructed in the 12th century, is a massive greystone edifice, occupying a strong defensive position beside the River Trent - here it is that King John drew his last breath in 1216. Occupied originally by the Bishops of Lincoln, and after the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1536/9 by a succession of nobles, Newark Castle continued to flourish for many more years, its structure improved upon with each new occupant.
The onset of the Civil War in the 17th century, however, witnessed its demise, for Newark remained staunchly Royalist throughout this bitter conflict. Such was the strength of the castle that it withstood three fiercesome sieges by the Parliamentarians before succumbing, principally due to plague, which devastated the defending populace. Despite Cromwell's order for its absolute destruction, the west wall of the castle still remains standing to the present day, providing the visitor with panoramic views across the surrounding countryside from its yawning windows.
The 'Queen's Sconce', a small fortified earthwork situated on the southern outskirts of the town, built by the Royalists to guard the strategic crossing point of the River Trent, is still in evidence today, some 350 years after its construction.
The spire of the Church of St Mary Magdalene, 252ft in height, dominates Newark town and is embellished with magnificent medieval carvings. Much of the church structure dates from the 14th and 15th centuries, but the crypt is even older, surviving from the early 12th century.