Town heritage trails

Newark Civic Trust have launched their impressive new website which includes a fascinating series of well designed town trail leaflets that "give a guide to points of interest in and around Newark." Leaflets available so far are:

• Civil War trail
• Medieval timber-framed buildings trail
• Malting and brewing trail

Future topics will include: Art Deco Newark; Georgian Newark; Newark Riverside; and Newark’s Curiosities.

The website also includes online copies of the Trusts' interesting magazine.

• http://www.newarkcivictrust.org.uk/

Mansfield has also published a town trail. It can be downloaded as a printable PDF, an MP3 audio file or a video:

• http://www.mansfield.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=1837

Nottinghamshire Archives online catalogue

At last Nottinghamshire Archives has made a start in putting their computerised catalogue on the Internet.

Collections currently online include:

• Court records (ale house licences, material from the Newark and Southwell Petty Sessions etc)
• Deposited documents (papers from the Hole family of Caunton, Nottinghamshire Living History Archive, papers from the Webb family of Newstead Abbey, Pearson's of Nottingham archives, Shipstones of Nottingham archives etc)
• Non-conformist records
• District council records
• Prints and illustrations

The full list of collections online is here:

http://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/archives/cataloguecoverage

Access the catalogue here:

http://nawcat.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/

New book: "Sherwood Forest and the Dukeries"

Phillimore have just published "Sherwood Forest and the Dukeries" by Adrian Gray.  Adrian starts with the medieval forest, where the hunting rights of medieval monarchs were ruthlessly enforced, through the creation of aristocratic mansions and parks (the Dukeries) and the exploitation of coal in the 19th and 20th centuries and concludes with the impact of tourism.

The book is profusely illustrated with over 100 photographs, engravings and maps (some of which I supplied!) and costs £16.99.

www.phillimore.co.uk

Possible Roman temple discovered in Southwell

Interesting report in the Nottingham Evening Post suggesting that the impressive remains recently discovered on the site of the Minster School in Southwell are of a Roman temple complex. Ursilla Spence, Senior Archaeologist with Nottinghamshire County Council said "it looks as if it could be a pagan Roman temple ..... It is very much a grand building." Watch this space as they say ....

http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/homenews/Historic-Roman-temple-Southwell/article-532523-detail/article.html

Southwell Community Archaeology Group website

A new website has been launched by the Southwell Community Archaeology Group to publicise recent archaeological discoveries in the town. Redevelopment of the former Minster School site to the south-east of the Minster has uncovered more remains of the Roman villa originally uncovered in 1959.

• http://www.southwellarchaeology.org.uk/

Roman gold votive object found in Clifton

Nottinghamshire Coronor, Nigel Chapman, has declared that a small gold votive object found by a metal detectorist back in March near Clifton is Treasure Trove.

Full story in the Nottingham Evening Post:

http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/news/Roman-treasure-Clifton-farmland/article-489667-detail/article.html

Archaeologists uncover more of Southwell Roman villa

Development work at the site of the former Minster School in Southwell has led to the discovery of a substantial wall in th eeast wing of a Roman villa that was originally excavated in the 1959. The wall is of large dressed stone blocks and survives to a height of 4 feet.

A press release issued by Nottinghamshire County Council provides more information
http://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/prarticle.htm?id=109049

Clifton Hall for sale

Clifton Hall, the Grade I listed building which recently hit the headlines with tales of ghosts driving the owner out, is up for sale for an impressive £2.7 million. Have a browse through the sale brochure and marvel at the impressive state rooms in this wonderfully restored house.

Details of the property are on the Knight Frank website: http://www.knightfrank.co.uk/search/property/results.aspx?OfficeID=8&lk_id=1

The Derbyshire Portway. Pilgrimage to the Past - a walking guide

Stephen Bailey has just alerted me to his new book on The Derbyshire Portway, an ancient prehistoric trackway which can be traced from Mam Tor in the north of Derbyshire to the Hemlock Stone on the edge of Nottingham.

Stephen has spent several years researching the trackway and his book provides full walking instructions as well as a detailed commentary on the historical sites. The book is illustrated with maps and a wide selection of photographs.

More information at http://www.derbyshireportway.co.uk/

Latest edition of the Nottinghamshire Historian

I've just received my copy of the Autumn/Winter edition of The Nottinghamshire Historian. Contents includes:

• William Clark(e) 1843–1884 and Ann Tinley 1842–1927: their stories at Southwell, Halam and Doncaster Deaf & Dumb Institute
• Fred Whiten 1868–1950: A Lovable Rogue?
• Boots Booklovers Library 1898 to 1966

More information is available on the Local History website.

The Harley Gallery Exhibition Talk Programme

Passions & Defeats
William Cavendish: the last great cavalier

Saturday 13th Sept, 2pm

'To amaze the people with pleasure and delight'

Dr Elaine Walker, author and horsewoman will be talking about William Cavendish and his writings on horses, with illustrations from the original 17th Century publications.
Tickets £7 (members of staff at Bolsover can get tickets for £5)

For tickets and further information, please contact the Harley Gallery on 01909 501700

The Harley Gallery
Welbeck,
Nr Worksop
S80 3LW
01909 501 700
http://www.harleygallery.co.uk/

Heritage Open Days in Nottinghamshire

The Heritage Open Days (11-14th September) offer the opportunity to visit historic properties not normally open to the public. A list of venues in Nottinghamshire and their opening times is available on the Heritage Open Days website .

Introductory lessons on family history: 29 July - 26 August 2008

Starting on 29 July Nottinghamshire Archives are running 1-hour lessons on the basics of researching your family history.

The classes cover the following:

• Registration (Civil & Parish)
• Census Returns
• Family History & the Internet
• Probate Records
• ‘Digging Deeper’

Further details and booking instructions are available on the Nottinghamshire County Council website:

http://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/home/newshome/newsarticle.htm?id=104972&Leisure=t;

Archaeology week in Nottinghamshire, 12-20 July 2008

The CBA's annual Archaeology Week kicks off on the 12 July. Events in Nottinghamshire include a chance to meet Nottingham-born Julian Richards of Meet the Ancestors fame, a wide variety of events at Cresswell Crags, opportunities to see behind the scenes at museums in Newark and Nottingham, explore life in the Roman army with Gaius Flavius Baca of the IX Legion at Bassetlaw Museum, take part in flint knapping workshops and an open day at the Iron Age round-house in Calverton.

Full details are available on the CBA website:

http://www.nationalarchaeologyweek.org.uk/nawresults.asp?county=Nottinghamshire

Salvation Army HERITAGE SYMPOSIUM, Nottingham on Saturday 28th June 2008

... more than heritage - A celebration of Salvation Army Heritage at William Booth Memorial Halls Nottingham on Saturday 28 June 2008.

More information on the William Booth Memorial Halls website:
http://www.wbmh.org.uk/Heritagecelebration.htm