Retford

Retford is a handsome Georgian market town in north Nottinghamshire, set between the River Idle and the Chesterfield Canal. Granted its first market charter in the thirteenth century, it grew prosperous as a coaching stop on the Great North Road and later as an important station on the East Coast Main Line, a role it still plays today with fast direct trains to London, Doncaster and Edinburgh.

The wide Market Square is the heart of the town, framed by red-brick townhouses, the elegant Town Hall and St Swithun's Church. Markets are held here several times a week, and the surrounding streets are lined with independent shops, traditional pubs and cafés. A short walk away, Cannon Square is home to a Crimean War cannon captured at Sevastopol, one of Retford's quirkier landmarks.

The Chesterfield Canal threads through the edge of town, providing pleasant towpath walks past restored locks and old warehouses, while Kings Park offers lawns, a bandstand and the River Idle running through. Retford's combination of architecture, markets and easy rail access makes it a rewarding stop for visitors exploring the Bassetlaw area and the gateway to Sherwood Forest.