Newark - Ancient History

Newark Castle

The Castle, though now in ruins, still presents an august appearance. The north front, overlooking the river, is the most perfect, having a large square tower at the north-east angle, and another in the centre. The general outline of the building is square, and its dimensions very great. The nuber of storeys appears to have been five, but within the exterior walls very little now remains. In 1845, Public Baths were established by eighty £5 shareholders, of which Mr James Taylor is superintendent, and a part is made into a convenient cattle market.

The vestiges of the great hall show evidently that it was built in later times. Indeed, its handsome projecting window must have been inserted after all the ancient modes of defence had gone out of use. Under this hall is a most curious arched vault or crypt, supported by a row of pillars in the middle, and having loops and embrasures towards the river, in which were planted cannons in the civil wars. At one end are some remains of the entrance to a subterranean passage, said to have gone a great way under ground.

The other parts of the ruins exhibit a curious specimen of the odd mixture of old Norman architecture, and of that which Bishop Gundulph first introduced at Rochester Castle. The Castle and its Liberty (1,138 acres) are in the parish of East Stoke, which is distant more than four miles from newark, but their inhabitans vote at elections for members of parliament, as belonging to the borough, though they have no voice in the choice of church-wardens or other parochial officers.

The wall and gates, which formerly enclosed the town, have entirely disappeared, though two of the archways, viz. North Gate and East Gate, were standing in the latter part of the last century, the former being removed in 1762 and the latter in 1784. The vicinity of Newark was much cut up by military works in the civil wars, many traces of which still remain. Since the reigns of the Charleses, Newark has displayed its loyalty and patriotism by the formation of a troop of Yeomanry Cavalry in 1794, under the command of Captain Chaplin, and a regiment of Volunteers in 1804, under the command of Lieut. Col. Thoroton. The castle precincts is included in the borough of Newark, and still belongs to the crown.

[Last updated: Sunday 19th October 1997 - Clive Henly]