PRESS RELEASE, 15th September 2024
A new blue plaque on the former Crown Inn was formally unveiled by the Mayor of Retford, Cllr David Naylor, as part of the town’s Heritage Day events.
Retford Civic Society and the Chesterfield Canal Trust have worked together to have the plaque made and installed. Cllr Dan Henderson and Cllr John Manners covered the cost from their Community Funds.
The original route of the canal was to go from Chesterfield to Bawtry, then a major port on the river Idle. However, strong lobbying by the people of Retford, led by the Rev Seth Ellis Stevenson, promoted a change to bypass Bawtry and instead go through Retford and thence to the River Trent. On 25th January 1770, James Brindley, the canal’s engineer, announced at a meeting in the Crown Inn that he was now recommending the Retford route. It is this meeting that is celebrated on the blue plaque.
The canal opened fully in 1777, but it got as far as Retford in November 1774. The first boat to arrive was the cause of much celebration and a hogshead of ale was given to the residents. Given that this is 54 gallons, there may have been a few sore heads the next day!
In the 1770s, the Crown was the town’s principal inn and was used for a wide range of business and administrative purposes. The Chesterfield Canal Company frequently met there. Over the years it has seen many changes, including being a building society. As a drinking establishment it has had many names including the Crown, the Crown Hotel, the Litten Tree and most recently Yates’s. The latter closed in January 2017 and the building sat empty and forlorn until recently being turned into flats by a developer called Garnet Harrison. When approached, he was very pleased to host the plaque.
Rod Auton, Secretary of the Chesterfield Canal Trust, said “We are delighted to be unveiling this blue plaque. It is very fitting that this is happening on Retford Heritage Day because the canal has been a feature of life in Retford for 250 years. We are very grateful to Retford Civic Society for arranging everything, to Garnet Harrison for allowing the plaque to be placed on his building and to Cllrs Henderson and Manners for covering the cost from their Councillor Community Funds.”
The Mayor unveils the plaque.
Cllr Dan Henderson, Rod Auton, Cllr John Manners.
This map from 1772 shows the final route of the canal.