Retford Heritage Trail - Grove Street.

The Saxons, Vikings, Romans and Dutch have all played their parts in the development of this region, arriving on the coast and passing up the river Trent and its tributaries. The Dutch arrived in the C16 & C17 and were instrumental in draining the marshlands beside the rivers and creating irrigation on the farmlands. They dug out the clay deposits to form channels and ponds in the villages and used the clay to make bricks from which there are many examples of buildings. The Abbey bank is such a building, clearly having a Dutch influence in its gables and with the tumbling brickwork. You will also see other examples of Dutch architecture around the villages surrounding Retford.

This street was a thriving industrial area with a wood yard and sawmill supplying a furniture makers and others. A bakery, cafes and shops jostled for custom. It was a main entrance to the market square and on market days would have been full of horses and carriages, the main horse fair was held here. You can see grandness in the detailing of wrought ironwork and curved bricks on the Georgian buildings by the square and you will find high rise Victorian terraces squeezed in to provide housing for large numbers of families, later to become slums through over-crowding of both people and animals without adequate sanitation. Look out for a cast iron boot scraper outside the Georgian Terrace, essential with animals and sewage in the street!

On the left after the Georgian houses remains the sign for the Clark laundry, set up in 1798 after the collapse of the Revolution Mill, an impressive steam powered mill that had employed 600 people where Hezekiah Clark had been a dyer. The laundry achieved a national reputation and more can be found on its history together with the history of other Retford industries in the Museum.

Poplar house is one of the oldest domestic houses in Retford and still has its garden. Its twin gabled rear wing dates from the C17 when the building would probably have been of stone or whitewashed - hence its name, White House. In 1730 it was valued at £100. The brickfront block was added in the mid C18. On the 1st floor was the drawing Room and main bedrooms the second floor for children and maids. The roof slates from the Lake District are cut to be larger at the bottom than the top, thus making the roof appear larger and the house more imposing.

Across the road is Beardsalls Row, an inexpensive area in Georgian times but a slum by the C19 with many tall houses sharing a single privy. The Beardsalls were a family of carpenters who had a shop, sawpit and wood yard on the site.

No 23 was occupied by a local furniture manufacturer, Swannacks, who now reside in Bridgegate. This is where the horse fair was held and there are photos in the Museum. Beside the Turks head is St John Street, note the faint sign of the Fox Inn which was probably a licenced beerhouse, the land leading to it was once hemmed in by slums with an open sewer and 9-10 cesspits.

Amcott House Museum

On the right is the Tourist Information Office which once house a World War II air raid shelter. Next door is the Museum in one of Retfords finest Georgian Houses, Amcott House. Recently restored, this magnificent building houses information on the Roman, Saxon and Viking finds in the region including an extremely rare boat. It also houses the information on the Pilgrim Fathers who originated in the villages around Retford before their journey to found Modern Day America. Entry to the Museum is free.

To find out more on Amcott House Museum...>>>

Retford Methodist Church

The huge Methodist Chapel was built in 1880 for Retfords Wesleyan Methodists and replaced an earlier Church that itself was huge, seating 600 and built in 1823 which became too small. The same architects were used that designed the Town Hall, note the raised front section built on a plinth with grand steps to the approach, thus creating a slope towards the pulpit, partly for show and partly for the practical realities of such numbers in church. The Wesleyan movement was founded in nearby and so gained huge popularity in Retford. Turn left before the Methodist Chapel and head towards Chapelgate. On your right you pass a row of early C19 buildings on the right including one with an original bow window. (York Museum tried to persuade the owner to donate this to their famous street display) Further along on the left are renovated Corporation Almshouses (1825) originally for women only. The warehouse on the corner with Chapelgate was built as an elementary school (1813). Built by the National Society (C of E) the school took 160 boys taught in one room. J.S.Piercey wrote his 'History of Retford' whilst headmaster here. In 1850 it became the Church Temperance Hall, later providing newspapers and penny cups of coffee for working men.

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