Guardian of the Trent

May 27th 2021

Newark Castle, Nottinghamshire. 

Impressive water side defensive wall and fairly intact gatehouse. 

The place where King John (all round baddie in the Robin Hood story, played by a lion in the Disney film) drew his last breath. 

On his way back to London from wherever he'd been, he felt ill and stopped off at Newark which is 

near to Nottingham and Sherwood Forest. 

Not sure if King John deserves all the bad press thrown his way from the Merry Man's publicity department. 

He did sign the Magna

Carta which allowed certain freedoms and rights to the wealthy Lords and Barons. 

He also signed the Charter of the Forest which isn't as well known, but potentially more important than the Magna Carta as it recognised and gave freedoms to the 'normal people' of England and not just the elite landowners.

Plus, he built the outer wall around Scarborough Castle in the early 13th century. 

Well, not him personally. 

He got others to do it. 

He was the King. 

Interestingly, Lincoln Castle (earlier photos) is the only place which has complete, original copies of both the Magna Carta (1215) & the Charter of the Forest (1217).

(In the days before printing, several copies were written out by hand and distributed across the land to be read out to the public).

Although on display, photographs were banned which, was a bit mean of them.