Gainsborough, Lincolnshire
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Coordinates: 53°24′06″N 0°46′24″W / 53.4016°N 0.7732°W
| Gainsborough | |
  Gainsborough
Gainsborough shown within Lincolnshire |
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| Population | 20,110 |
|---|---|
| OS grid reference | |
| District | West Lindsey |
| Shire county | Lincolnshire |
| Region | East Midlands |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | GAINSBOROUGH |
| Postcode district | DN21 |
| Dialling code | 01427 |
| Police | Lincolnshire |
| Fire | Lincolnshire |
| Ambulance | East Midlands |
| EU Parliament | East Midlands |
| UK Parliament | Gainsborough |
| List of places: UK • England • Lincolnshire | |
Gainsborough is a town on the River Trent within the West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. At one time it served as an important inland port, with much trade downstream to Hull and the North Sea, the latter about 55 miles away.
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[edit] History
Gainsborough grew up along the River Trent and became the most inland port in England. It is more than 55 miles from the North Sea. Recently the river banks have been renovated to provide residents and tourists with access to the riverside and a seating area to enjoy the view. The main church is All Saints, built c. 1740 with a mix of perpendicular Gothic and Classical Revival styles.
One of the best-preserved manor houses in Britain, Gainsborough Old Hall is a large, 15th-century, timber-framed medieval strong house. Sir Thomas Burgh built it between 1460 and 1480. It boasts a magnificent Great Hall and strong brick tower. King Richard III in 1483 and King Henry VIII in 1541 both stayed at the Old Hall. The site of Gainsborough Castle is located just to the north.
[edit] Sweyn Forkbeard and Canute the Great
Historically, Gainsborough is the "capital that never was". In late 1013, the Dane Sweyn Forkbeard based his large empire at Gainsborough after gaining the kingship of England , but he died five weeks later. His son Canute established a base elsewhere.
King Canute allegedly performed his purposely unsuccessful attempt to turn the tide back in the River Trent at Gainsborough. Historians believe he may have been demonstrating on the aegir. He and his supporters may have known Gainsborough was the furthest reach of the aegir, and ideal for his demonstration.
Gainsborough was one of the capital cities of Mercia during the Anglo-Saxon period, which had preceded Danish rule. It is understandable that the Viking kings would have been drawn to it as an administrative centre.
[edit] English Civil War
The town was garrisoned for the king in January 1643 but the Royalist fortification of Newark had blocked the Great North Road to Parliamentarian traffic. Gainsborough became significant as part of a route around Newark by way of Lincoln and the line of the modern A15 road. It was in the Royalists' interests to obstruct this, but holding Gainsborough also allowed them to forage in Lindsey and to harass Parliamentarians there. During 1643, this competition gave rise to the battles of Gainsborough and Winceby.
[edit] New town
There was a proposal to develop Gainsborough as a new town linked to Sheffield, but the plan was not pursued. New housing was instead built to the south east of Sheffield.[1]
[edit] Geography
The town is at the meeting point of the east-west A631 (which crosses the Trent at the only point between the M180 and the A57), the A156 (from the south to Torksey) and A159 (from Scunthorpe). Thorndike Way, Gainsborough's dual carriageway, intended to connect with the A15 at Caenby Corner, only extends eastward to the town boundary.
The town's main attractions are Gainsborough Old Hall, Gainsborough Castle and West Lindsey Leisure Centre on The Avenue.
[edit] Economy
[edit] Marshall's
Gainsborough has a long-standing history of industry. The town was the manufacturing base of Marshall's, a major boiler manufacturer. The company occupied Britannia Ironworks, the biggest in Europe when built. It built steam engines, tanks, munitions and agricultural machinery until closure in the 1980s. The site has now been split among many different companies, Tesco on Beaumont Street and Dransfield's remodelling about nine acres. The remainder of the site is occupied by local companies.
Tesco, on the corner of Trinity Street and Colville Terrace, demolished a large section of the works to create its large store around five years ago. Tesco now intends to replace their current store with a 100,000 sq ft (9,300 m2) Tesco Extra store, on stilts with parking underneath. Dransfield is remodelling about nine acres (36,000 m²) of the site to include a shopping area and a new heritage museum. The site Marshalls Yard opened during Easter 2007, with additional shops opening after that.
A Morrisons is located on Heapham Road South. A Co-op is located in the Lindsey Centre and at Morton by Gainsborough.
[edit] Rose's
Another area of Gainsborough’s industry is Rose's. They produced seaside rock-making machines, along with packaging machines. These included cigarette-making machines and bread-slicing and wrapping machines. The proper name of the firm is Rose Bros., after William German Rose and Walter Rose, the co-founders.
[edit] Manufacturing
By the side of the east bank of the Trent near the railway bridge is a large mill owned by Kerry Ingredients (headquartered in Tralee).
Gainsborough is the home of two of the largest jokes and novelties importers in the UK: Smiffy's (also known as RH Smiths and sons), and Pam's of Gainsborough, a smaller company. Smiffy's were the only wigmaker left in the UK until December 2008.
Another local business is the firm of Eminox. They started by building replacement exhausts for the local bus company. They have expanded into a manufacturing company that specialises in the large stainless steel exhaust systems fitted to buses and commercial vehicles. They are also building low-emission catalytic systems for the London low emission zone.
[edit] Landmarks
Beside Riverside Walk are the Whitton's Mill flats, which won the Royal Town Planning Institute award for the East Midlands. Marshall's Yard also received an award for regeneration.
West Lindsey District Council used to have their main offices at the Guildhall on Lord Street, but in January 2008, they moved to a new £4.3m building in Marshall's Yard. The old building was to have been converted into a hotel but some residents believe it is a financial millstone for the people of West Lindsey.
Lord Street is home to many of Gainsborough's shops. Elswitha Hall is the birthplace of Halford John Mackinder, founder of the Geographical Association.
A large water tower stands on Heapham Road.
Many scholars believe Gainsborough to be the basis for the fictional town of St Ogg's in George Eliot's The Mill on the Floss. They think her River Floss was based on the River Trent.
[edit] Transport
West Burton Power Station is three miles (5 km) to the south-west of the town, near to the railway to Retford. At the East Trent Junction, on the east side on the railway bridge over the Trent, the railway line from Retford (and Sheffield) and Doncaster, the line splits into two - for Grimsby and Lincoln. The two respective railway stations in Gainsborough are Gainsborough Central on Spring Gardens near the town centre (for the Grimsby line) and Lea Road (for Lincoln) on Lea Road (A156) to the south of the town. At the equivalent West Trent Junction, on the other side of the river in Nottinghamshire, the lines from Doncaster and Sheffield meet. The bridge over the Trent carries four possible routes of trains (Sheffield or Doncaster to Lincoln or Grimsby).
Gainsborough is famed as Britain’s most inland port. It has had a long history of river shipping trade. The town’s Trent Bridge prevents larger coastal boats from going beyond it, and so many have to offload their goods at the town. There is one wharf in the town — mainly an importer of wood.
[edit] Sport and entertainment
The town is home to Gainsborough Trinity F.C., a semi-professional football club playing at the sixth level of English football. During a brief spell at the start of the 20th century, the club was professional and a member of The Football League.
Gainsborough Rugby Club (The All Blacks) have been playing Rugby Union in the town since 1924.
"The Sands" venue located in Gainsborough's old "Town Hall" which dates back to 1908, is a jazz club which seats 200 people.[2]
The second weekend in June sees the town play host to the Gainsborough Riverside Festival, an annual arts/heritage event which has run since 2001.
[edit] Education
Unlike most of the UK, Lincolnshire still retains the Tripartite System, with secondary education for many pupils decided by voluntary examination at eleven. The town has one of the top state schools in the country, Queen Elizabeth High School (selective state grammar school from 11-18) on Morton Terrace (A159).
Two secondary modern schools, Castle Hills Community Arts College and Middlefield School, provide alternative secondary education. The Castle Hills school is consistently one of the lowest performing at GCSE in Lincolnshire and England. QEHS students consistently earn outstanding GCSE & A-Level results, and the school is vastly over-subscribed. The secondary modern schools are merging to create the Trent Valley Academy (T.V.A).
The town has links with the John Leggott Sixth Form College in Scunthorpe, which enrolls many international students. Gainsborough College on Acland Street focuses on vocational education.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Town Council
- Town history
- The church
- Gainsborough Standard newspaper
- Choral Society
- Trinity Arts Centre
- Gainsborough Riverside Festival
- Visit Gainsborough
- The State Club/Cinema Gainsborough
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