Image ID: 07592

Resurfacing of the Market Place

Courtesy of T Healey

Market Place
Newark on Trent
England

This picture shows the re-laying of the 'Governors Walk' which traverses the Market Place from the south west corner to the south door of the parish church of St Mary Magdalene. It is thought to have been the first ever section of the Market Place to have been paved (in 1621), and its route is marked today in contrasting surfacing (as shown here). The pathway or walk is said to have been originally paved so that the Mayor and other civic dignitaries could process from the Mayors' house to services in the parish church without getting their robes dirty. Cornelius Brown in his History of Newark vol. 2, p24 records the following:- 'The following entry is from the Journals of the House of Lords, under date Dec. 17th :- 'Today was read for the third time a Bill, 'An Act for the Paving of Newark-upon-Trent', which is concluded with the common assent of all the nobles, and is given to Doctor Awberie and Doctor Barckeley, to be carried down into the House of Commons.' It is believed that the work authorised by the Act was only proceeded with very slowly, for it was not until the 18th of James I [1621] that the paving of the market-place was begun by Henry Webster, who was Alderman of Newark in 1603 and 1613; and it was then but partially effected, for there was no more than a causeway six feet broad from the house, subsequently Hercules Clay's, at the western corner of the market-place, to the south porch of the church. At this time, in the pavement near the cross in the centre of the market-place, were inserted the initials of Webster's name and the date of his work, viz., H.W., 1619.'

Date: 01/07/1964

Organisation Reference: NCCE001398

Organisation: