The first stone castle in Newark UK was built by a powerful bishop of Lincoln, Alexander " The Magnificent", in about 1130 as a fortified palace. It occupies the site of an earlier Norman Castle which was made of earth and timber. Archaeologists have also uncovered evidence of Pre-historic, Roman and Saxon settlements. In 1216 king John died here ( legend has it that he was poisoned ) and following this one of his captains, Robert De Gaugy, kept possession of the castle against the orders of the new king, Henry III. In 1218 following a week long siege, De Gaugy agreed to leave and the castle was returned to the bishop of Lincoln. The castle remained under the ownership of the bishops until 1547, when king Henry VIII took it for the crown. It was then leased to a succession of noblemen, including the Earl of Rutland and Lord Burghley, until the time of the English civil war. From the start of the civil war Newark was on the side of the king and the castle became an important Royalist garrison, holding out against three long and bitter sieges in 1643, 1644 and 1646. On 5th May 1646 king Charles I was captured at nearby Southwell and ordered Newark to surrender to the parliamentarians. The order was given for the castle to be destroyed and the buildings were blown up or removed. Although most of the walls were probably left standing, they became a target for stone robbers and the castle was gradually reduced to its present day state.
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THE NORTH WEST TOWER AND THE RIVER CURTAIN WALL.
In about 1300 the original riverside curtain wall was dismantled and a new wall built closer to the river. Two types of stone were used to give a multi-coloured effect, made popular by king Edward I at royal castles such as Caernarvon. At the same time as the new riverside wall was built two new towers were added. Both the north west tower and the central tower are multi-sided, again following a fashion set by Edward I. The river protected this face of the castle from attack and meant that windows could be large and impressive. Next to the north west tower you can see two magnificent bay windows put in by bishop Rotherham in the 1470s to light the end of the bishops hall where his dining table would have been. Transport by water was widely used in Medieval times. Supplies would have been delivered to the Watergate, which you can see in the base of the curtain wall. Steps up from the Watergate lead to an undercroft, a large cell under the bishops hall which was used for storage.
Bearing in mind back in those days the river would be right up to the walls, the Watergate is in the centre of the photo ( where the modern steps are ). Above the Watergate is one of the bay windows.
Remember in those days the river went right up to these arches. I have no idea what they originally was used for. Standing at the base of the arch way you can look straight up to the top of the castle walls. So having a guess at there usage I would say they where maybe used for toilets, disposing of rubbish or more sinister throwing down dead or even alive bodies, straight into the river.
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