The Parish Church of St Mary Magdalene, Newark-on-Trent

St Mary Magdalene, Newark one of the largest parish churches in the country, its towering spire a visible landmark for miles around. The grandeur of the church reflects Newark's importance to the wool trade in mediaeval times.

Commissioned for the millenium, and beautifully printed and bound, a complete history of the St Mary's is available from good bookshops, and is currently on offer in the church.

"Introduced by the Archbishop of York, this fascinating book uses original documents to describe the church's development and its place in the town's life, its many mediaeval chapels and chantries, the use of the spire as a lookout during the civil war sieges, and the restoration during the 19th century. It introduces the reader to remarkable people, such as the 16th century vicar, Henry Litherland, executed for his beliefs, and his 18th century counterpart, Bernard Wilson, who made the parish a centre of violent argument. The second part records the many people involved in building and organizing the parish church and its daughter churches, giving a detailed picture of their present-day activities... "