85-556: Rugby fives is a handball game , similar to squash , played in an enclosed court. It has similarities with Winchester fives (a form of Wessex fives) and Eton fives . It is played mainly in the United Kingdom . It is most commonly believed to be derived from Wessex fives, a game played by Thomas Arnold , famous Headmaster of Rugby School , who had played Wessex fives when a boy at Lord Weymouth's Grammar, now Warminster School . The open court of Wessex fives, built in 1787,
170-457: A Norman baron who was granted large amounts of land in what had been Anglo-Saxon Mercia. The Domesday Book does not distinguish between East Retford and West Retford, and it is thought that the Retford referred to in the book was West Retford. The Retford described was a relatively small settlement, with no mention of urban trades or burgesses . East Retford was established as a new town on
255-673: A "Street" to the Roman Station of Lindum, or Lincoln, which crossed the River Trent at Agelocum, now Littleborough, and the River Idle by a Ford, still used as a watering place for horses, near West Retford Bridge; hence the place would be known as the Street-Ford, or Streteford." The historical importance of the town as a river crossing is underlined by the fact that one of the main streets is named 'Bridgegate'. The town
340-555: A few. In 4-Wall, the main competitions are County, Province, and All-Ireland Championships plus the Irish 4-Wall Nationals. In 60x30 Softball and Hardball, the main competitions are County, Province, and All-Ireland Championships and the Junior B Interclub. In 2011 GAA Handball Ireland launched the 60x30 Softball Nationals and this competition will be held in July. In One-Wall handball/wallball,
425-559: A front wall 20 feet (6.1 m) high. The first alley of this size was built in Ireland in 1969. This smaller size is now the standard in the international version of the game, but both alleys are still used in the Gaelic game, with two separate championships run by the GAA in the two codes. The objective of a game is to be the first to score a set total of points. Points are only scored by
510-454: A history of Nottinghamshire in 1667 entitled The Antiquities of Nottinghamshire . In 1796 a new edition was published by John Throsby (1740–1803), who added an additional volume. Retford is mentioned in Volume 3. pp. 274–280. There are two tiers of local government covering Retford, at district and county level: Bassetlaw District Council and Nottinghamshire County Council . There
595-535: A leader in the 1798 rebellion was one of the best handball players of his time and he frequently held rebel meetings at his local handball alley. The GAA wrote the first rules for the modern game of handball. Handball was included in the GAA Charter of 1884 as one of the sports to be promoted by the new Association. In 1924 Comhairle Liathróid Láimhe na hÉireann (the Irish Handball Council)
680-453: A site on Carolgate in 1922. The remains of a group of 1st–3rd century buildings were found at Babworth in 1981. A coin hoard was found at Little Morton that was dated to the 3rd century, and Roman artefacts and pottery fragments have been found at Tiln (Stroud, 2001). Evidence of Roman field patterns were identified by Derrick Riley of Sheffield University in the 1970s and 80s. Nottingham University archaeological researchers have said that during
765-524: A very lucky escape as the shrapnel also hit their house. John Hook records that the Zeppelin left Retford at 1.05am, dropping a further bomb just south of Lea. One of the replacement gasometers later exploded on 16 March 1955, injuring 7 men and killing the manager. According to reports in The Retford Times, flames shot 200 feet into the air. The gasometers were finally dismantled when the town
850-430: Is a sport where players hit a ball with a hand or fist against a wall in such a way as to make a shot the opposition cannot return, and that may be played with two (singles) or four players (doubles). The sport, popular in Ireland, is similar to American handball , Welsh handball , fives , Basque pelota , Valencian frontó , and more remotely to racquetball or squash . It is one of the four Gaelic games organised by
935-464: Is generally known as Retford, although the borough was officially called "East Retford" right up until its abolition in 1974, despite West Retford having been absorbed into the borough in 1878. The town's charter trustees still use the name East Retford, but the Ordnance Survey now labels the town Retford on its maps, and the post town is likewise just Retford . The first land settled
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#17327936875371020-471: Is located 26 miles (42 km) east of Sheffield , 23 miles (37 km) west of Lincoln and 31 miles (50 km) north-east of Nottingham . The population at the 2021 census was 23,740. It is near North Wheatley . The town is bypassed by the A1 road . The borough of East Retford was enlarged in 1878 to include Ordsall , West Retford and part of the parish of Clarborough . The East Retford constituency
1105-538: Is no civil parish covering the town, which has been an unparished area since 1974, but all the Bassetlaw councillors who represent the town's wards act as charter trustees . The trustees meet four times a year, usually at Retford Town Hall , and are responsible for looking after the town's civic traditions, including appointing one of their number as mayor each year. East Retford was an ancient borough . When commissioners examined boroughs across England in 1835 it
1190-603: Is no existing historical evidence to support this, making the 1259 charter the earliest known to have been granted. The earliest surviving charter dates from 1313 and is now held in the Bassetlaw Museum . Retford was granted a total of 17 Royal Charters (including the Letters Patent of 1225 that granted it the right to levy tolls on travellers in North Nottinghamshire) up to 1607. East Retford
1275-462: Is now thought to have been "substantially British". It practised, for example, partible inheritance, had British placenames and there is relatively little Anglo-Saxon material. West and East Markham seem to have been on the boundaries of this territory (maerc means boundary). It is not known if Bernet-seatte extended across the whole of North Nottinghamshire, or whether the Kingdom of Lindsey controlled
1360-607: Is situated in was on the border of the territories of the Brigantes and the Corieltauvi during the Iron Age period. It is likely that the existence of Retford is partly owed to its water resources, in the form of both the river Idle (and its crossing) and the wells that are dotted around the area that are either still in existence or can be identified from placename evidence. These include Spa Common, Cobwell Road (named after
1445-399: Is still in existence and use at Warminster School. An early mention of the game can be found in the novel Tom Brown's School Days (1857) by Thomas Hughes . The author attended Rugby School during the period when Dr Arnold was Headmaster. The game is played between two players (singles) or between two teams of two players each (doubles), the aim being to hit the ball above a 'bar' across
1530-413: Is termed. Usually a 50-50 chance scenario is adopted at the start of a match in order to determine who should serve first (e.g. one player puts the ball behind their back and their opponent guesses which hand it's in); however, sometimes a ‘roll’ is used to determine the team that serves ‘seconds’ or ‘second hand’, a ‘roll’ requires the ball to be bounced off of the front wall, the team who rolls closest to
1615-493: The Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA). GAA Handball , a subsidiary organisation of the GAA , governs and promotes the sport. Handball is played in a court, or "alley". Originally, an alley measuring 60 by 30 feet (18.3 by 9.1 m) was used with a 30-foot (9.1 m) front wall, off which the ball must be struck. A smaller alley was also introduced, measuring 40 by 20 feet (12.2 by 6.1 m) with
1700-741: The Irish revolutionary period played handball during their stay. Taoiseach , President of Ireland and Irish revolutionary Éamon de Valera was a fan of the sport. He played it while interned in Gloucester Prison and also while held in Arbour Hill Prison . Austin Stack records in his diary (while in Arbour Hill Prison) that on 26 April 1924 "Dev [De Valera] beat me decisively a couple of times" at handball. In 1925
1785-748: The 5th century and even into the 6th century, North Nottinghamshire was likely populated by "British communities with a sub-Romano-British culture". Retford has traditionally been placed within the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Mercia because it is situated within Nottinghamshire. More recent historical research suggests that the South of Nottinghamshire and North Nottinghamshire may have had very different cultures. North Nottinghamshire, including Retford, belonged to an area called Bernet-seatte, which later became Bernesedelaue and then Bassetlaw. This territory
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#17327936875371870-467: The Angles). Various battlesites have been suggested including at Retford, Eaton and Bawtry. No evidence of a battlefield has been found in any of these sites, although according to Hunt this led to a saying: "The River Idle was foul with the blood of Englishmen". A variant local tradition says this was the origin of the name "Redforde". Placename evidence in Retford does suggest Viking settlement. Many of
1955-523: The Borough. The crest is based on the design on a Mace presented to the Borough in 1679 by Sir Edward Neville , with few changes. A small shield replaces the original rose, upon which the lion rests its paw. The shield features a deed which references the Boroughs ancient Royal Charters. The unicorns are from the heraldry of Lord Galway, whose ancestors were High Stewards of the Borough. The shells are from
2040-676: The Cob Well) and the ancient well at Welham (called 'Wellun' in the Domesday Book). Between Retford and Grove there are a range of earthworks of unknown date. They may be pre-historic and/or Roman. There is evidence of a medieval moated site or possible motte & bailey construction. This site was later reinforced during the English Civil War . The wood here is known as Castle Hill Wood. Roman-era artefacts are rare in Retford, although 1st–2nd century items were found at
2125-492: The East of this area (Retford and Retford rural district). What is known is that this corridor of land was seen as strategic, which is why several notable battles were fought in the area between the kings of Northumbria and Mercia. The strategic Battle of the River Idle (617) was fought in or near Retford. The Battle of the River Idle was significant in establishing Rædwald 's power, such that Bede called him "Rex Anglorum" (King of
2210-646: The House of Lords debates on the Disfranchisement Bill, the town had an active committee, led by a couple of attorneys and meeting at the Turk's Head Inn, who were trying to make the borough seem even more corrupt than it was to ensure its extinction. One of the committee members was later seen wearing a gold watch, apparently presented in gratitude by well-wishers in Birmingham. Viscount Howick objected to
2295-583: The Mesolithic period, with archaeological evidence of human activity in the area including a Mesolithic flint tool found in Ordsall, an axe from the Neolithic era (New Stone Age) from Little Morton, and a Neolithic polished flint axe discovered near the River Idle at Tiln. A Bronze Age spearhead was found near Whinney Moor Lane, and Romano-British crop marks are visible around Babworth . The area Retford
2380-623: The National School (a school that traditionally had strong links with St Swithun's church) on Grove Street. While living in Retford, Piercy wrote The History of Retford in the County of Nottingham (1828). This is an important work because it contains references to material that has subsequently been lost. Jones & Co Solicitors hold the Piercy Manuscript. Robert Thoroton was a physician and country gentleman who published
2465-399: The River Idle. There is considerable variation in how its name has been spelt historically, although in early usage it is usually styled as Redeforde or Redforde . A common explanation of the name is that the river water was tinged red due to the frequent crossing of people and livestock disturbing the clay river bed. Other traditions include that it refers to the reeds that are plentiful in
2550-788: The aegis of the Duke of Devonshire, but which retreated 50 miles to Retford when reports reached Derby that the Jacobites had a 9,000 strong army. On 23 August 1750, an earthquake struck Retford. In 1757 the Town Clerk successfully petitioned for the Great North Road to be diverted to run through the town, which led to an Act of Parliament (1760) authorising the re-routing of the Great North Road between Barnby Moor and Markham Moor to pass through Retford. The new turnpike
2635-454: The arms of Rt Hon FJ Savile Foljambe, appointed High Steward 1880. From 1316 Retford was a parliamentary borough (a constituency), entitled to two Members of Parliament , although by 1330 it was begging to be excused the privilege on the grounds of poverty, inability to afford the cost of paying the heavy expenses of the MPs' long journeys to and from the capital. The petition was granted and it
Rugby fives - Misplaced Pages Continue
2720-399: The back wall serves ‘seconds’. In order to initiate a point, the server must first throw the ball so that it hits the front wall above the bar, then clips the side wall. Once the ball has done this, the server can choose to retake his serve or continue by hitting it so that it hits the side wall followed by the front wall. If, on the hit part of the serve, the ball hits the front wall first then
2805-502: The ball. As the ball may be hit with either hand, right-handed players will typically use their right hand and the front, right-hand corner of the court to serve. Left-handed players will serve with their left hand, using the front, left-hand corner of the court. Following the serve, the receiver and server take alternate turns to strike the ball against the front wall. The ball must be struck prior to it bouncing twice and while it may hit any combination of back and side walls on its way to
2890-465: The besiegers compelled to retreat as a party of Cavalier troops from Newark approached rapidly". Charles I was also said to have stayed in the house of Mr Lane, a lawyer, on 20 August 1645. He was on his way from Doncaster and set off the following day to Lord Danecourt's in Newark .(Wilmshurst 1908) In 1657 there was a Great Storm, which destroyed the steeple and Chantries of St Swithun's Church. This
2975-514: The bridge was "widened for carts" and was replanked, suggesting that at least part of the construction was still wooden. In 1794 it was rebuilt on stone arches, according to Wilmshurst, with Moss adding that it was thirty-one feet wide at this time. Moss notes that before 1776 a toll was charged to cross the river and that to the north side were the corn mills mentioned in the Domesday Book that were once owned by Hubert de Burgh. The 1794 bridge
3060-480: The collection of 'river tolls' from Blyth Priory. The first town hall or 'moot hall' was built in 1388 and demolished in 1754. It is believed that this may have been situated in what is now known as Cannon Square. The hall was built of timber and faced east. On the ground floor of this building was the Shambles. At that time, the present Market Square was possibly used for cattle/horses, with Marcombe suggesting this
3145-406: The court from the front wall). Players take turns at hitting the ball off the "front wall" before the ball bounces twice on the floor of the court following their opponent's previous shot. Most handball games take place in a four-walled court but there are also three-walled and one-wall versions of the game. Handball-like games have originated in several places at different times. Hieroglyphs in
3230-417: The dimensions stated above are not always adhered to exactly, particularly those built before 1934 when standard dimensions were established. A ball is available to allow Rugby fives to be played on a squash court. It is a little bouncier and zippier than the usual ball to account for the larger dimensions (4 feet longer and 3 feet wider), the cushioned wooden floor and lower board height, or rather 'tin' as it
3315-577: The direct London to York railway being routed via the borough in 1849. In 1831, the Gas Works was built by James Malam and gaslights were lit in the town for the first time on 22 December 1831. The Square was lit by a cast iron light bearing five gas lamps at that time. The Gas Works became a target on 2 September 1916 when a German Zeppelin dropped 14 bombs on Retford. The Retford Times (8 September 1916) noted that bombs were dropped from Zeppelin L-13 into
3400-416: The disenfranchisement of Retford not on the basis that the accusations of corruption were not true, but that it punished the innocent as well as the guilty and ignored the fact that many boroughs were equally corrupt. They thought that East Retford ought to be partially sacrificed, in order to prevent the whole system of corruption from being overturned. Just as in a bullfight a cloak is dropped to turn aside
3485-566: The east side of the Idle in the early twelfth century; the town's charter trustees and Bassetlaw District Council say it was founded as a borough in 1105, although the earliest charter referring to it as a borough dates from the thirteenth century. There is some debate over when exactly it was granted its first charter, with Piercy (1828) suggesting it was granted in 1246 by Henry III , which allowed an eight-day annual fair to be held. However, Ballard & Tait (1923) and Dolby (1997) say that there
Rugby fives - Misplaced Pages Continue
3570-491: The extended boundaries meant Retford could retain its seats until in 1885 the Municipal Borough of East Retford was reformed and the constituency replaced by an identically delineated single-member county constituency - Bassetlaw . Retford and its rural district was removed from Bassetlaw in 1983 and transferred to the redrawn Newark constituency . The boundaries were redrawn again in 2010, with Retford returning to
3655-487: The first All-Ireland Handball Congress was held and the All-Ireland Senior Softball and Hardball Championships were established In 1971 Comhairle Liathróid Láimhe na mBan was founded to administer the sport for female competitions. In 1998 the amalgamation of Comhairle Liathróid Láimhe na hÉireann and Comhairle Liathróid Láimhe na mBan saw a single national administration. The Irish Handball Council
3740-414: The front wall in such a way that the opposition cannot return it before a second bounce. The ball is slightly larger than a golf ball , leather-coated and hard. Players wear leather padded gloves on both hands, with which they hit the ball. Either singles or doubles can be played. A standard Rugby fives court is four-walled, with the floor being rectangular in shape. It is 28 feet long by 18 feet wide and
3825-431: The front wall with an upper height of 2 feet 6 inches marks the lower limit of the in-court area. The ball is designed to bounce well on the concrete floor. The walls may be stone or brick but covered in a smooth layer of hard-wearing plaster or alternatively they may be of the same construction as modern squash courts being hollow engineered wood filled with sand. Rugby fives courts tend to be somewhat idiosyncratic and
3910-553: The front wall, it must not hit the floor or an out-of-court area. Failing to validly hit the ball against the front wall loses the rally, which results in the following: Points are scored from receiving the serve in Rugby fives, as well as in Winchester fives. Thus, a point is only scored if the receiver wins the rally. Games are played either to 11 or 15 (or 7 if players would like a quick and informal game) , normally agreed before
3995-406: The game commences. If the score is tied at 1 less than the originally agreed winning total (i.e. 10-10 or 14-14) then the winning total is increased by 1 (12 and 16, respectively) but no further (unlike in tennis where you have to win by 2 points in a tie-break). The receiver's score is said first, so if the receiver has 10 points, and the server has 5, the score is 10-5. Zero is said as 'love'. At
4080-461: The game is supported by the existence of Welsh handball ( Welsh : Pêl-Law ), a similar sport, which has been attested in the literature of Wales since the ninth century. In Ireland, the earliest written record of a similar ball game is contained in the town statutes of Galway in 1527, which forbade the playing of ball games [generic] against the walls of the town. The first depiction of an Irish form of handball does not appear till 1785. On
4165-433: The historic cores of both West and East Retford, which sit either side of the River Idle. The Conservation Area also extends southwards up to and including the 18th century Chesterfield Canal . The town also includes the small villages and hamlets that are adjacent to it, which have effectively become suburbs of the town. These include Ordsall and Babworth . Evidence of early human activity around Retford stretches back to
4250-613: The late burned town of Retford'. Yet another fire struck in 1631 and caused £1,300 worth of damage. 17th century The Civil War seems to have largely bypassed Retford, although W.E. Doubleday wrote in the Nottinghamshire Guardian (1947) that "During the Civil War a Roundhead force from Retford attempted to capture the mansion occupied by the Royalist Gervase Lee, but the attack was beaten off and
4335-756: The main competition in Ireland is the Irish Wallball Nationals. There are also many competitions during the year held by various handball clubs around the country. Other modalities Retford Retford ( / ˈ r ɛ t f ər d / ), also known as East Retford , is a market town in the Bassetlaw District in Nottinghamshire , England. It lies on the River Idle and the Chesterfield Canal . Retford
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#17327936875374420-535: The official name of the borough remained East Retford until its abolition in 1974. The borough was abolished under the Local Government Act 1972 to become part of the wider district of Bassetlaw, named after the historic Anglo-Saxon Bassetlaw Wapentake . Charter trustees were established on the abolition of the borough to maintain Retford's civic traditions. The town's coat of arms consists of two rampant choughs , which were taken from an old seal of
4505-533: The orchard that surrounded the Gas Works, and although there wasn't a direct hit, shrapnel hit the sides of the gasometers setting them on fire. This fire was said to be so intense that according to the Retford Times "apples [were] baked on the trees, and roosting wild birds roasted alive". The Nottingham Daily Express (8 September 1916) reported that the Zeppelin then departed "at great altitude and terrific speed". The manager and his family were said to have had
4590-546: The parliamentary borough's boundaries (which had previously matched the borough's municipal boundaries) to encompass the Wapentake of Bassetlaw, which included the whole of the northern end of Nottinghamshire, including the town of Worksop. All those within this area who were qualified to vote in the county elections were given votes for East Retford. Within a year, Parliament was debating the Great Reform Bill , but
4675-483: The part of Clarborough within the borough was made a new parish of North Retford. The four parishes in the borough were then East Retford, North Retford, Ordsall and West Retford; as urban parishes they did not have parish councils but were directly administered by the borough council. The four parishes within the borough were merged into a single parish called East Retford covering the whole borough in 1921. Despite including both East Retford and West Retford from 1878,
4760-409: The person serving the ball. In other words, if a player wins a rally but did not serve at the start of that rally they only win the right to serve, and thus the chance to score after a subsequent rally. The serving player has two opportunities to hit the ball, from the "service area" (between the two parallel lines), off the "front wall" and across the "short line" (which is located exactly halfway down
4845-535: The rage of the mad animal, while his assailant prepares more securely to destroy him. If the public were ignorant of the undue means by which a large majority of the Members of that House obtained their seats in it, they might declaim against the venality of the voters of East Retford; but, notorious as these circumstances were, he thought it better to pass over the present case in silence till they were prepared to deal with others equally flagitious. The 1830 Act extended
4930-644: The regeneration of facilities and provision of suitable coaching and equipment to further the game's development across the country. The RFA is the source for all of the information within this Misplaced Pages entry - verification and additional information can be found on the RFA Website: See www.therfa.uk The current national singles champion is Ben Beltrami (December 2023) and national doubles champions are Ed Kay and Dan Tristao (April 2024). A Grade II listed Rugby Fives Court in Retford , Nottinghamshire ,
5015-482: The river had a bridge from a very early date. Moorgate contains both Anglo-Saxon (AS) and Old Norse (ON) elements, deriving from AS mor and ON gate . Its literal meaning is 'miry street'. This is a reference to the beck that used to cross it. (This beck was progressively contained within a culvert and is no longer visible for most of its course into the Idle.) Carolgate is derived from the ON karla (karl) + ON gate . A karl
5100-533: The river, or that the name references the Battle of the River Idle which was said to tinge the Idle red with blood. Wilmshurst proposes another theory as to the origin of the name: "In the days of the Roman occupation of Britain, a great Roman Road, or "Strada"— Street— ran from Southampton to Derby, Little Chester, Chesterfield, Castleford, Pontefract, to Eboracum, or York: and from it, at Chesterfield, branched out
5185-464: The serve is referred to as a 'blackguard' (pronounced 'blaggard'). The receiver has the option to take a blackguard, as long as they say 'yes' before striking the ball. If three consecutive blackguards are served without being taken then the server is deemed to have lost a rally. In doubles, only the receiver initially designated to return serve may do so, unless the serve is a blackguard. In this instance, either receiver may choose to say 'yes' and return
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#17327936875375270-411: The similarly the top 4 doubles pairs qualify automatically. The RFA is the governing body for the sport of Rugby Fives. The association aims to promote the playing and coaching of Fives at schools, universities and senior level, and throughout the community in general. It does this by organising matches and tournaments throughout the season and advising on – and wherever possible supporting financially –
5355-410: The start of a game of doubles, the servers only need to win one rally in order to switch so that they are receiving (for the rest of the game the usual two before switching applies). Open Ladies Other The asterisk indicates that these tournaments have qualification rounds to play in the main knockout. The top 4 players in the singles rankings automatically qualify for singles tournaments, and
5440-471: The streets in the centre of town are -gates, deriving from the Old Norse gata , which means street. In Retford there are streets named Moorgate , Bridgegate , Chapelgate , Churchgate and Carolgate . Grove Street was previously known as Newgate and Lidgett Lane was originally Hildgeat or Hildgate. The Reverend WP McFarren (1947) wrote that Bridgegate was previously spelt Briggate (1340) suggesting
5525-544: The temple of Osiris in Egypt portray priests taking part in a game very similar to handball, and civilisations Mesoamerica and South America had a handball-like game . An early origin for the game in Ireland is supported by recent archaeological finds in the Callan and Mooncoin areas of Kilkenny , which may indicate a Celtic antecedent to the modern game was played in the area in ancient times. An ancient Celtic version of
5610-420: The upper limit of the in-court area is 15 feet for the front wall, sloping down the side walls to 4 feet 10 inches at the back wall. Previously, the height of the back wall was higher at 6 feet but was reduced for architectural reasons as it removes the need for a balcony in new facilities thus reducing building costs and improving communication between coaches and players. In addition, a wooden board running across
5695-468: The urban area was growing beyond the historic borough and parish boundary of East Retford, but they were not implemented. Instead, both the parishes of Ordsall and West Retford were made local board districts in 1850. The borough was finally enlarged in 1878 to take in all of the parishes of Ordsall and West Retford and parts of the parish of Clarborough. The Local Government Act 1894 said that parishes could no longer straddle borough boundaries, and so
5780-539: The war virtually unscathed. The Great North Road was diverted around the town in 1961 and part of the old route through the town is now pedestrianised. The 1971 census showed the population to be 18,407. By 2001 the population had grown to 22,000 (Nicholson, 2008), with a large proportion living on housing estates in Ordsall, Hallcroft and Spital Hill. John Shadrach Piercy was born in Rillington, near Malton, North Yorkshire , and moved to Retford in 1822 to teach at
5865-677: The west coast of Ireland, Galway had many trading links with Spain, especially the Basque regions, where the similar game of pelota is played. According to Dublin Handball GAA "It is highly likely that one game is derived from or influenced by the other.". Irish immigrants brought the game to many countries in the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. It is still played in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Wales, Africa and England. Father John Murphy ,
5950-555: Was a freeman. WP McFarren (1947) also mentions a 'Kynegesgate' (Kingsgate), which is now lost. Piercy mentions Carhillgate (p. 146). Timber piles were found in Retford in 1995 on the western bank of the Idle at Bridgegate, which were dated to 947-1030 AD. In the Domesday Book of 1086, Retford was recorded as Redforde, and joined to Odesthorpe (now unknown). It was held by the Archbishop of York and Roger de Busli ,
6035-454: Was a noted example of a rotten borough , being effectively controlled by local landowners the Dukes of Newcastle until reformed in the early nineteenth century. Retford and the surrounding area was also a centre of Nonconformism . The origins of the town's name are unknown and have been subject to much debate, but consensus seems to conclude that it gets its name from an ancient ford crossing
6120-468: Was bombed six times during the Second World War – on 26 September 1940, 30 October 1940, 16 December 1940, 15 March 1941 (2 injuries), 15 August 1941 and 25 August 1941. Although it was on the bombing route to larger targets such as Sheffield and Rotherham , was surrounded by airforce bases, and had the intersection between two railway lines, no-one was killed in the raids and the town escaped
6205-565: Was built in memory of Captain William Eyre of the Lancashire Fusiliers who died at Gallipoli, and was a former pupil and teacher at the school. Only about 20 courts (including this one) are listed. The court was recently refurbished as part of the redevelopment of the site. It is classified as a War Memorial. Gaelic handball Gaelic handball (known in Ireland simply as handball ; Irish : liathróid láimhe )
6290-458: Was completed in 1765–66 and after this the town prospered. (Piercy 1828) Then in 1777 the Chesterfield Canal was built by James Brindley through the town. During the 18th century improvements were made to West Retford Bridge - the main bridge over the Idle which is where the original ford was situated. Moss says that the first stone bridge was erected in 1659 and that it was thirteen feet wide and had five arches. Wilmshurst records that in 1752
6375-434: Was connected to North Sea gas in the 1970s. 20th century One of the main changes in Retford during the 20th century was the opening of King's Park in 1938. The park commemorated the reign of George V and the coronation of George VI . The site was presented to the Borough by Mrs M J Huntsman of West Retford Hall, with £2000 towards the cost of the park layout raised by public subscription. According to war records, Retford
6460-770: Was established to promote, develop and organise the sport. In the same year the 'Irish Amateur Handball Association' was founded. It held its inaugural meeting on 27 January 1924 in Croke Park , County Dublin Prominent Irish republicans, Eoin O'Duffy and Ned Broy were members of this association, with O'Duffy serving as its President from 1926 till 1934. The association's work can be seen in corners of rural Ireland where there are many handball alleys in villages and small towns. However many are no longer used. Prisoners detained in Gloucester Prison during
6545-539: Was later to be replaced in 1886 with the current bridge, which Wilmshurst says was because of floods: "In consequence of these continuous Floods the Corporation demolished the great Mill, and the narrow 5-arched Bridge, and erected present wide girder Bridge in West Retford". Moss (1908) says this bridge (which he dates as 1868) cost £1,500 to construct. Moss (1908) tells us that in 1760 Retford's ducking stool
6630-444: Was on the western side of the ford, this area being less liable to flooding. However, as the community grew it spread to occupy land on the other bank of the river, and it was this eastern part of the town that eventually became more important; hence Retford's alternative name of East Retford . The centre of Retford is characterised by a large Market Square surrounded by Georgian period architecture. The Retford Conservation Area contains
6715-405: Was only the second place to become a borough in the county after Nottingham itself; the next borough to be created in the county was Newark in 1549. According to Marcombe (1993), the intention was for East Retford "to compete with the trading privileges of Blyth Priory and to exploit the market opportunities of north Nottinghamshire". In 1225, the burgesses of Retford are said to have taken over
6800-584: Was rebranded as GAA Handball (Liathróid Láimhe C.L.G.) in 2009. In Ireland, there are four forms or codes of handball. These include the two domestic codes: and two international as played in Ireland: There are many handball competitions that are run in Ireland, such as the All-Ireland Senior Softball Singles Championship , All-Ireland Senior 4-Wall Championships and Irish Wallball Nationals to name
6885-458: Was reported that the town was a "borough by prescription", indicating that an exact date of it being made a borough was not known. The borough corresponded to the parish of East Retford. The borough was reformed to become a municipal borough in 1836, giving it the right to appoint a mayor. In 1837 proposals were considered to enlarge the municipal borough to take in parts of the neighbouring parishes of Clarborough, Ordsall and West Retford, where
6970-462: Was restored in 1658 at a cost of £3,648. 18th century Retford was more troubled during the Jacobite rising of 1745 . Cornelius Brown records that in 1745 an army of 6,000 English and Hessian troops camped on Wheatley Hills and the soldiers marched through Retford and used East Retford (St Swithun's) church as a stable. This was The Derbyshire Blues , which had been formed to protect Derby under
7055-539: Was the site of the ‘beast market’ in the Tudor period. 16th century In 1528 a fire destroyed more than three-quarters of the buildings in East Retford. By 1552 Retford's population had dropped to 700. In 1558 there was an outbreak of plague , which caused 300 deaths in East Retford and killed half the people of West Retford. A fire in 1585 was so profound that the people of Worksop raised money for 'the poor men of
7140-536: Was to be several generations (1571) before Retford was represented again. The East Retford constituency gained a reputation as one of the most corrupt rotten boroughs , being effectively controlled by the Duke of Newcastle . There were vigorous debates in Parliament over whether to transfer Retford's franchise to one of the larger unrepresented towns such as Manchester or Birmingham . Hansard records that during
7225-605: Was used for the last time. He says it was situated at the end of a narrow street opposite the Post Office that led down the River Idle. The use of the ducking stool was granted in 1279 by Edward I and was used for the last time to punish a "Scotswoman of violent temperament" called "Dame Barr", who was ducked for offending John White by "throwing the contents of her snuff-box in his face, and uttering opprobrious terms". 19th century In 1801 there were 5,999 people, which rose to 12,340 by 1901. Many improvements were made including
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