Retford

Retford is a town on the River Idle, in the Nottinghamshire, England district of Bassetlaw. It is often known as East Retford, although this is somewhat confusing as West Retford (the original settlement) is now a suburb of the town.

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The town was largely destroyed by a fire in 1528, but prospered after the Great North Road was diverted to run through it in 1766 and the East Coast Main Line and Chesterfield Canal was built to run through Retford.

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It gets its name from an ancient ford crossing through the river Idle which runs through the town.

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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.

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In the Market Square there is an Ornate French Inspired Victorian Town Hall, in front of which is a Broad Stone. Legend says it had a hollow in it that used to be filled with vinegar during plague times to disinfect coins.

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Just across from the Market Square is the Cannon Square which has St Swithun's Church and a Cannon Captured from the Russians during the Battle of Sebastopol at the end of the Crimean War in 1855.

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The Victoria Cross is made from another cannon captured during this battle

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Town: In American English, a town is usually a municipal corporation that is smaller than a city but larger than a village. In some cases, "town" is an alternate name for "city" or "village" (especially a larger village). Sometimes, the word "town" is short for "township."...

River Idle: The River Idle is a river in Nottinghamshire, England. Its source is the confluence of the River Maun and River Meden, near Markham Moor. From there, it flows north through Retford and Bawtry before entering the River Trent near Misterton....

Nottinghamshire: Nottinghamshire (abbreviated Notts) is an English county in the East Midlands, which borders South Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Leicestershire and Derbyshire....