Retford

Retford
Population	21,314
OS grid reference	SK705805
District	Bassetlaw
Shire county	Nottinghamshire
Region	East Midlands
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	RETFORD
Postcode district	DN22
Dialling code	01777
Police	Nottinghamshire
Fire	Nottinghamshire
Ambulance	East Midlands
UK Parliament	Newark

Retford is a market town in northeastern Nottinghamshire, England in the district of Bassetlaw and is 31 miles from the county town of Nottingham.

Retford coat or arms

Retford coat or arms

The highly unusual coat of arms for the town consists of two rampant choughs (pronounced chuffs).

The origins of its name are unknown and have been subject to much debate, but consensus seems to conclude that it gets its name from an ancient ford crossing the River Idle. It was originally named Redforde because the river water was tinged red due to the red clay river bed and frequent crossing of people and livestock disturbing the clay river bed. The first land settled was on the western side of the ford – this area being less liable to flooding – but as the community grew it spread to occupy land on the other bank of the river, and it was this eastern part of the town that eventually became more important; hence Retford's alternative (and, for administrative purposes, still official) name of East Retford.

Retford Town Hall

Retford gained its first charter in 1246, when Henry III granted the right for a fair, this was later extended to holding a Saturday Market by Edward I in 1275. It was reformed by the Municipal Corporations Act 1835, and then remained a municipal borough until 1974 when it was merged into Bassetlaw district. Its civic traditions are maintained by Charter Trustees.

Retford was largely destroyed by a fire in 1528, but prospered after the Great North Road was diverted to run through the town in 1766 and the Chesterfield Canal (1777) and the direct London to York railway (1849) were both routed via the borough. The Great North Road was bypassed around the town in 1961 and part of the route through the town is now a pedestrian precinct.

Crimean War Cannon

In the Market Square there is an ornate French-inspired Victorian Town Hall, in front of which is The Broad Stone. Legend says that this stone had a hollow in it that used to be filled with vinegar during plague times to disinfect coins. However, it is thought to be the upturned base of a boundary marker - perhaps the 'Dominie Cross'.

Just across from the Market Square is Cannon Square which has St Swithun's Church and a cannon captured from the Russians during the Siege of Sevastopol at the end of the Crimean War in 1855. Victoria Crosses are made from the metal taken from cannon captured during this battle.

Transport

See also: Retford railway station

Retford is bypassed by the A1 trunk road and the A57 which links Retford to a number of major towns and cities. Robin Hood Airport Doncaster Sheffield is also within driving distance up the A638 towards Doncaster.

Retford is served by two railway lines, the East Coast Main Line which runs between London and Edinburgh and the Sheffield to Lincoln Line which has links to Sheffield, Lincoln, Worksop, Grimsby and Cleethorpes.

The town is also served by a number of buses operated by Stagecoach in Bassetlaw, Stagecoach in Lincolnshire, Veolia Transport as well as smaller local bus operators, to destinations including Worksop, Newark, Robin Hood Airport and Bawtry. Retford is also the terminus of the 450 National Express coach service between Victoria Coach Station in London and Retford.

Sport

Retford has an established football team called Retford United F.C. which plays at Cannon Park on the outskirts of Retford. Retford is also home to Retford Town F.C., a smaller football club, and East Reford R.U.F.C., who play Rugby Union.

Leisure and Entertainment

Retford is home to the Bassetlaw Museum, which was created in 1983 and has a number of collections donated by people in the local area.

Retford has two theatres in the town. The Majestic Theatre, which hosts famous entertainers, music concerts from local performers and plays, and was a former cinema. Retford Little Theatre is a smaller theatre which hosts the Retford Little Theatre amateur drama group.

Retford also features a skate park within the grounds of Kings Park in the centre of Retford.

Media

Retford is primarily served by two local radio stations, BBC Radio Sheffield and the local commercial radio station Trax FM. Retford also has two newspapers published in the town, the Retford Times and the Guardian and Trader newspaper.

Retford's Senior Schools

• Elizabethan High School
• Retford Oaks
• St. Giles

As part of a major overhaul of Secondary schools in the Bassetlaw area, all schools have now being moved to new facilities built around the town as part of the Transform Schools scheme. Retford will soon be home to a Post-16 centre which will unite all Sixth Form students from each of the above schools in one site and provide other courses available through North Nottinghamshire College (based at Worksop).

Famous Retfordians

• Liam Lawrence, football player for Stoke City FC football club and the Republic of Ireland national football team.
• Derek Randall, cricketer who played first-class cricket for Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club and the English cricket team in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
• Philip Jackson , actor best known for his role as Chief Inspector Japp in the telelvision series Agatha Christie's Poirot.

See also

• Retford railway station
• Retford United F.C.

External links

• Retford Times newspaper
• The History of Retford, written by John Shadrach Piercy published in 1828
• History of the Great North Road through Retford
• Retford Exists
• Retford Judo Club
• Elizabethan High School