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The upper deck of the bus was in full voice. You might be thinking I was on my way to yet another football experience, but nothing could be further from reality. The bus rocked not with enthusiastic alcohol fuelled male voices, but with the sound of hymns. A group of older ladies were struggling to contain their excitement, as they headed towards Southwell Minster. Music books at the ready, they burst into song. The lower deck was probably very confused about events. It had been a strange journey all round, but the Other Half says I am not allowed further on the “nail varnish” so we’ll say no more about that!
We alighted at Westgate and walked along towards town. There are a number of impressive residences along Westgate and Church Street. However, the upkeep on them must be immense. The residents of the town are largely wealthy and the area displays outward prosperity. The common pronunciation of the Southwell is Suh-thull, but the local gentry would rather be from the literal spelling of South well. The Prebendal Houses along Westgate and Church Street were once the homes of the ruling fathers. The Minster was controlled and financed
by a Chapter, made up of the representatives of the local Parishes or Prebends. The pick is probably Cranfield House, once owned by the Reverend Becher - the last time it was on the market in 2010, it was overs in excess of £2,500,000!
The large West façade makes an impressive sight. We cut through the Minster grounds from Westgate, avoiding the congestion on the corner where traffic lights were causing chaos to both residents and visitors alike. The old Minster School site had been flattened, presumably awaiting development. A path had been carefully laid out across the open space, no doubt to maintain an old right of way. This area is where the Bramley Cooking Apple was first seeded by Mary Ann Brailsford in 1809. The cottage where the original tree prospered was later included in the purchase of the cottage by local butcher, Matthew Bramley in 1846. In 1856, a local nurseryman, Henry Merryweather, enquired whether he could take cuttings from the tree and start to sell the apples. Bramley agreed, but insisted that the apples should be known as Bramley. The Bramley was awarded a "highly commended" at the Royal Horticultural Society's Fruit Committee
exhibition in 1876 and the rest is history. The nearby pub of the same name is no longer open all afternoon, but was well closed up long before the 3 o'clock time stated. The Hearty Goodfellow meanwhile was doing brisk business. The period properties continue along Farthingate, as we proceeded away from The Minster. We took a look behind us and hadn't appreciated just how high the ground is that it stands on. Southwell stands on the River Greet - a tributary of the River Trent. It is notorious for certain parts of it ending up under water, but The Minster clearly need not worry.
We re-traced our steps back up through town and ate some lunch on a park bench beyond The Burgage. The Burgage is a sort of village green or common. It is surrounded by a number of private dwellings and there are soon to be even more, as construction is underway on the old freight yard site. This plot was once part of the House of Correction, but more latterly became a Lace factory and then a parcel delivery hub. The old entrance to the House of Correction still stands. A tribute to the fallen
from the lace factory stands behind railings in the entrance. The old Police Station next door no longer seems to be operational. At the top of The Burgage stands Burgage Manor. Byron resided here with his mother at times during his breaks from University. The decorators were busy at the family home at Newstead Abbey, so this modest place was a bit more manageable!
We wandered back into town for a coffee. The small market was closing up and departing. The traffic was non-existent on King Street, probably confused by the traffic lights at the junction of Queen Street sending them all round in a circle. The shops are a mix of high end retail fashion and coffee shops. The Bramley Centre, incorporating the Library and a coffee shop, was open for business. We settled at the Old Theatre on the corner by the Saracen’s Head Hotel. The Saracen’s Head is a striking half timber building with royal connections. Charles 1 spent his last night of freedom here in 1646, before surrendering at nearby Kelham in the Civil War. It was known as the King’s Head in those days. Southwell has had long royal patronage. King John
apparently used the town as a hunting base, when visiting Sherwood Forest. James V1 of Scotland passed through on his way to claim the English throne as James 1 in 1603. On the other side of the coin, Cromwell’s men are reported to have re-arranged some the architecture during their period in power.
Coffee stop over, we headed for The Workhouse on the edge of town. Southwell Workhouse wasn’t the first workhouse, but became the model for others to follow after a reform of the Poor Law in the 1820s. The idea was to make sure that each Parish looked after their poor, but not at the unnecessary expense of dissuading those capable of endeavour from seeking work. One of the founders was Reverend Becher – occupier of the now £2,500,000 house up the road! The buildings are spartan, but were considered adequate shelter for those who admitted themselves. There are 2 distinctly separate wings to the building with a large market garden to the front. In the centre were the Master’s Quarters with 2 windows looking out over all he surveyed. It is now National Trust. A useful free audio guide leads the way round. The
The "Final Whistle"
.............other brands of crisps are available. surprising thing is the fact that it only totally closed in the 1990s, at which point it was being used as temporary accommodation for mothers and children.
We walked back towards Station Road via the riverside walk. A community orchard masks the flood defences. The former Greet Lily Mill dominates the exit from town towards Normanton. The old cotton mill dates back to 1795, but was altered to produce silk and lace thread by Messrs Bean & Johnson in the 19
th century. Today listed, it is converted to flats and apartments with the land to the rear occupied by small industrial units. The River Greet runs under the mill and on towards the Trent. The Southwell Railway Station opened in 1847 to the east of the Burgage. It previously linked through to some of the north Notts mining communities, but that section closed in the 1920s. The final link through to Rolleston on the Newark – Nottingham line closed to passengers in 1959. We finished the day in the “Final Whistle” – the old Newcastle Arms – now reincarnated as a real ale venue with the feel of an old rail station created in the
courtyard out back.
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Rainyb
Lorraine Brecht
mmmmmmmmmmm I can almost smell the lilacs from here ;o)