Haughton: Chapel Ruins on the River Maun

Haughton is no longer a village with a compact centre. Just a few homes are scattered around; beyond them, the ruins of Haughton Chapel of St James the Great stand in a small wood on the south bank of the River Maun. Extensive farmland surrounds the site on three sides. The woodland, riverbank and fields give the place a different character from a compact settlement with a shared centre. If you choose a holiday rental as a base for your stay, you can take this dispersed rural character into account when choosing a location.

The administrative designation can also help with orientation: Bassetlaw lists Haughton under “Retford Rural”, not under the separate “Retford” area. Haughton’s chapel ruins and scattered settlement are suited to different interests from Retford’s markets, architectural history and parkland. Start your search for a holiday rental by focusing on the place that actually suits your travel plans.

History, Markets and Nature in Retford

In 1246, King Henry III granted Retford its first charter to hold an annual fair. This is distinct from the open-air market held on Market Square on Thursdays and Saturdays. The farmers’ market offers a selection of locally grown produce. In this way, a historic annual fair and a market held on set days of the week are distinct aspects of the town. Check the market dates before your trip if you would like to plan your stay around them.

The present-day town hall also tells the story of a later period in the town’s history: construction began in June 1866, and it opened in January 1868. The building is designed in the Italianate style and has French mansard-style roofs. It is a Grade II listed building. Its construction dates, design and listed status offer different ways to understand the town hall’s history; its architecture combines Italianate design with French-style mansard roofs.

The history of St Swithun’s in East Retford reaches further back. Roger, Archbishop of York, founded the church in 1258; it is a Grade II* listed building. After the tower collapsed in 1651, most of the church was rebuilt in the 1650s. At the same time, older details survive: the central pillar and two arches date from the 14th century and still show their original painted decoration. The church’s foundation, rebuilding and surviving features illustrate different historical layers in one place.

Retford Library is also known as the Denman Library. It is housed in a Georgian building that Thomas Hercy Denman gave to the town in 1926 for use as a library. The library includes a gallery for exhibitions and presentations, which can be booked free of charge. King’s Park offers a different focus: the River Idle divides the park into two areas, and the Wildlife Garden is home to, among others, nuthatches, thrushes and pipistrelle bats. The library’s history and the park’s nature thus complement the town’s market and architectural history with cultural and nature-focused themes.

Discover more destinations: Newark-On-Trent, Beeston, Coddington, Nottingham, Warsop, Thurgarton, Torworth, Cuckney.

For the wider travel guide: Nottinghamshire.