Gonalston
Encyclopedia
Gonalston is a small village in Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire is a county in the East Midlands of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west...

 lying
just to the north-east of Lowdham
Lowdham
Lowdham is a village in Nottinghamshire between Nottingham and Southwell.Lowdham is in the Newark and Sherwood district.The dual carriageway to the north and Doncaster cuts the village in two....

 and almost upon the A612 trunk road
A612 road
The A612 road is an A-class road in the United Kingdom running between Nottingham and Averham, on the A617 near Newark.It starts in central Nottingham at a junction with the A60. Initially running east, as Pennyfoot Street, before a right turn sees it head southwards onto Manvers Street, a 4 lane...

 that runs from Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...

 to Southwell
Southwell, Nottinghamshire
Southwell is a town in Nottinghamshire, England, best known as the site of Southwell Minster, the seat of the Church of England diocese that covers Nottinghamshire...

. Gonalston comprises 1250 acres (5.1 km²) of arable and pasture land in about equal portions, interspersed with 106 acre (0.42896716 km²) of wood and plantations. It lies on a small river called the Dover Beck which separates the village from Lowdham
Lowdham
Lowdham is a village in Nottinghamshire between Nottingham and Southwell.Lowdham is in the Newark and Sherwood district.The dual carriageway to the north and Doncaster cuts the village in two....

 and which flows south-east into the River Trent
River Trent
The River Trent is one of the major rivers of England. Its source is in Staffordshire on the southern edge of Biddulph Moor. It flows through the Midlands until it joins the River Ouse at Trent Falls to form the Humber Estuary, which empties into the North Sea below Hull and Immingham.The Trent...

 2 miles (3.2 km) away.

Historical

Gonalston "is a small rural village and parish, near the Dover Beck, 4 miles (6.4 km) south-south-west of Southwell
Southwell, Nottinghamshire
Southwell is a town in Nottinghamshire, England, best known as the site of Southwell Minster, the seat of the Church of England diocese that covers Nottinghamshire...

, containing 100 inhabitants and 862 acres (3.5 km²) of land, enclosed in 1768, when 155 acre (0.6272633 km²) were allotted for the tithes. John Francklin Esq. owns the whole lordship, and is patron of the rectory, which is valued in the King's books at £7 19s 2d, now £324, and is enjoyed by the Rev. Edward Walker Foottit B.A. The church, dedicated to St Lawrence, is a small structure, with a tower and two bells, and was rebuilt in 1852. In Thoroton's time it contained some ancient figures of crusaders, but they were either destroyed or removed at the diminution of the church. They have since been taken up by the present proprietor, under the superintendence of Rd. West Macott Esq. R.A., and are about to be placed in the name of the new edifice."

Gonalston Spital

The village is famed in ancient times for its hospital or spital now lost, and its effigies of Crusaders
Crusaders
The Crusaders are a New Zealand professional rugby union team based in Christchurch that competes in the Super Rugby competition. They are the most successful team in Super Rugby history with seven titles...

. "William de Heris, in the reign of Henry III
Henry III of England
Henry III was the son and successor of John as King of England, reigning for 56 years from 1216 until his death. His contemporaries knew him as Henry of Winchester. He was the first child king in England since the reign of Æthelred the Unready...

, founded an hospital here called the Spital, "to the honour of St. Mary Magdalene;" the successive rectors of the parish were masters, and formerly preached their induction sermon upon its ruins."

Archaeology

Some recent and important archaeological discoveries have been made in the East Midlands and especially in the silts of the Trent
River Trent
The River Trent is one of the major rivers of England. Its source is in Staffordshire on the southern edge of Biddulph Moor. It flows through the Midlands until it joins the River Ouse at Trent Falls to form the Humber Estuary, which empties into the North Sea below Hull and Immingham.The Trent...

 Valley area. This includes finds in Gonalston. At Holme Dyke, Gonalston, Neolithic
Neolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...

 pottery has been excavated from a ring ditch, and a Late Bronze Age
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...

domestic site (as a burnt mound) was uncovered by quarry workings.

External links

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