Friday 2nd August 2019 in Newark-on-Trent
As neither of us has ever been to Newark, we decided to spend the day exploring the town so we set off on foot.
Dave and family on "Lynn G" were moored up in front of us and we realised that, in introducing the family yesterday, we had omitted to include ten year old George. Still, he seemed quite relaxed about being missed out.
Just over the bridge is a beautiful building, which looked like it ought to be historic - but was actually only built in 1882 by Viscountess Ossington in the Tudor style as a temperance coffee house to lure people away from pubs and alcohol. In 1978, it was sold and completely renovated with apartments upstairs and a (licensed) restaurant downstairs. Workmen complained of ghostly happenings, which they put down to the Viscountess' displeasure at there being alcohol on the premises. So much so, that the workmen refused to work on the house after dark! A good wheeze to get home early?
The castle and its gardens are open to the public and both are free. A rare find these days! We paused to admire this model of the town with all the names repeated in Braille.
The castle looks very imposing from the riverside, but only the curtain wall and gate house remain. The royalist castle was captured by Cromwell's troops and he ordered it destroyed - but for reasons unknown, it was left intact - until the locals used it as a quarry and removed most of it stone by stone to build their houses.
The castle and gardens were opened to the public in 1887 as part of Queen Victoria's Jubilee celebrations and the gardens were refurbished in 2000 including the installation of an elegant bandstand.
Two splendid trees in the garden stand out. The first is a magnificent Linden tree whose broad limbs afford welcome and shady seating.
The second is a beautiful Tulip tree planted to celebrate the coronation of HM Queen Elizabeth II.
Within the gardens is Newark's Registrar's office and today there was a wedding - of a couple that had been together for 27 years before deciding to tie the knot. Clearly not a couple to rush into things!
The gatehouse and tower contained an excellent exhibition on the history of the castle, including the fact that "Bad" King John died in the gatehouse tower at midnight on 18th/19th October 1216. He is buried in Worcester Cathedral and we visited his grave last year, so we have come full circle.
We could look down on MM and Lynn G from the empty windows of the castle.
The town centre proved to be a delight. The canal guide books describe it as the loveliest town on the Trent - and rightly so. Most of the centre is pedestrianised and full of little winding lanes, stylish arcades and small shops, with very few "chain stores" in evidence.
In the centre is a large market square, with a market of some kind held six days a week. The square is overlooked by the church spire of St. Mary Magdalene - a very large and imposing building.
However, one sight that you don't often see is a School of Violin Making and Repair!
Cream Tea in the Old Bakery was a must. A teacake and capuccino for R and a warm scone (with home-made lemon curd!) and a pot of Darjeeling tea for M.
The perfect way to round off a lovely day.
Today: MM took a rest!
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