Memorial Type:

Information Board

Does the monument still exist?

Yes

Installation Date:

1990s

Inscription:

Where King Charles Strolled 1603 - 1646. During the reign of King James I the Friary was occupied by Sir Francis Leake, whose father had lived in Newark Castle for 11 years. Sir Francis's son, Lord Deincourt, was a supporter of Charles I and occasionally entertained the King here at his home. Newark was an important stronghold in the Civil War. The Royalists built defences around the town to protect the King's men. The wall which surrounds the gardens today marks the line of those defences. When King Charles I lost the war, Lord Deincourt was said to be so upset that he dressed in sackcloth, had someone dig a grave for him, and laid down in it every Friday.
Scheduled Ancient Monument. Near where you stand is the north east corner of Newark's Civil War town defences, which is listed as a Scheduled Ancient Monument. On your left where the ground slopes up to meet the wall is an earthwork varying between 8 metres and 14 metres in width and up to 2 metres in height. The bank meets the northern boundary wall of Friary Gardens and follows the inside edge of the wall as it continues south east in to Friary Road up to the corner of Magnus Street. These are the remains of the ramparts and ditch built between 1642 and 1646.

Allegiance:

Royalist

Condition:

Average

Condition Description:

The material fabric is sound, however it needs a clean to remove algae.