Retford (), 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 is located east of Sheffield, west of Lincoln and north-east of Nottingham. The population at the 2021 census was 23,740. The town is bypassed by the A1 road.

Toponymy

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 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 the river, or that the name references the Battle of the River Idle which was said to tinge the Idle red with blood.

Writing in 1908, local historian Edwin Wilmshurst proposed another theory:

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 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, A Bronze Age spearhead was found near Whinney Moor Lane, and Romano-British crop marks are visible around Babworth.

The area Retford 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 due 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 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 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 the 5th century and even into the 6th century, North Nottinghamshire was probably populated by "British communities with a sub-Romano-British culture".

Anglo-Saxon and Viking period

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 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 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 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 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 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 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.

Norman period and Middle Ages

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, 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 was West Retford. The Retford described was a relatively small settlement, with no mention of urban trades or burgesses.

By tradition, East Retford claims to have been given a charter in 1105 by Henry I, although the earliest charter referring to it as a borough dates from the thirteenth century. In total, Retford was granted 17 Royal Charters up to 1607, which gave permission for a series of rights. Piercy (1828) says Retford was granted a charter in 1246 by Henry III, which allowed an eight-day annual fair to be held. Other charters gave the right to hold a market and the 1225 Letters Patent granted the right to levy tolls on travellers in North Nottinghamshire.

It is unclear exactly when Retford became a borough. Ballard & Tait (1923) and Dolby (1997) say there is no surviving historical evidence to support the claim it was in 1105, with 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.

Despite this debate, Retford was the second place to become a borough in the county of Nottinghamshire after Nottingham itself; the next borough to be created in the county was Newark in 1549.

According to Marcombe (1993), there was an intention for Retford "to compete with the trading privileges of Blyth Priory and to exploit the market opportunities of north Nottinghamshire". In 1225, for example, the burgesses of Retford are said to have taken over 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 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, what is now The Square was possibly used for cattle/horses, with Marcombe suggesting this 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 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 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 was restored in 1658 at a cost of £3,648.

18th century

During the Jacobite rising of 1745, Cornelius Brown records that an army of 6,000 English and Hessian troops camped on Wheatley Hills in 1745, 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 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. This led to an Act of Parliament (1760) authorising its re-routing between Barnby Moor and Markham Moor in order for it to pass through Retford. A new turnpike 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 records that in 1752 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 the corn mills mentioned in the Domesday Book as once owned by Hubert de Burgh were to the north side. The 1794 bridge was 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 having been completed in 1868) cost £1,500 to construct.

Moss (1908) tells us that in 1760, Retford's ducking stool 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 to 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 living in Retford, which rose to 12,340 by 1901. Many improvements were made including 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. Retford and the surrounding area was also a centre of Nonconformism.

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 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 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 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 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 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 have grown to 18,407 inhabitants. By 2001, the population had reached 22,000 (Nicholson, 2008), with a large proportion living on housing estates in Ordsall, Hallcroft and Spital Hill.

Historians

John Shadrach Piercy was born in Rillington, near Malton, North Yorkshire, and moved to Retford in 1822 to teach at 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 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.

Dr Barry J. Biggs (1932–2003) was born in Leicester, graduating from Leicester University with a degree in history, followed by a teaching diploma from Durham and a PhD from the University of Nottingham. He taught at Darwen Grammar School (1956–61), then at Wesley College, Ibadan, Nigeria (1961–63), followed by Eaton Hall Training College, Retford (1963–80). He was the prolific author of over 26 books on the history of methodism and local history, including Looking at old Retford (1968), The Story of the Methodists of Retford and District (1970) and The lost windmills of Retford (1978).

Opinions on Retford

In The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1820-1832 Retford was described as "a thriving and genteel market town in the hundred of Bassetlaw, on the border with Yorkshire, [which] boasted hat and sailcloth manufacturing, but had been superseded by Worksop in the barley trade".

William White in his Directory of Nottinghamshire (1853) wrote: "The approach to the town, from every side, is by a beautiful and gradual descent, and its open and spacious Market-place, surrounded by good regular buildings, and having several commodious streets of neat houses branching from it gives the whole an air of importance, comfort, and wealth, possessed but by few country towns of the same size."

In 1896, Cornelius Brown wrote that Retford was "discernible from the Great Northern Railway line as a mass of red-brick houses and smoking chimneys, with the tower of an old parish church rising in their midst".

Retford and its environs were thought to be sufficiently attractive for the railway company to organise trips based in Retford. Visitors stayed at the White Hart Hotel, with a fare inclusive of the railway journey, the drive (by four in-hand, landau, victoria or dogcart), and a couple of meals. C. Moss, author of a 1908 handbook, notes: "Attention, almost at the very outset of the journey, is directed to the beauties of the drive. By a gentle incline we pass into the fair demesne of Babworth. At the foot of the declivity, Babworth Hall, the church, the rectory and the lake, wherein shrub and tree are shadowed, naturally catch the eye... Not only does the proximity of Retford to the Dukeries make the town attractive to visitors, but it is also sought after as a place of residence... One of the charms of Retford is undoubtedly its antiquity."

Bill Bryson, the American author and former president of the Campaign to Protect Rural England, praised the town. In his bestselling book Notes from a Small Island, he writes, 'Retford, I am pleased to report, is a delightful and charming place even under the sort of oppressive grey clouds that make far more celebrated towns seem dreary and tired. Its centrepiece is an exceptionally large and handsome market square lined with a picturesque jumble of noble Georgian buildings. Beside the main church stood a weighty black cannon with a plaque saying 'Captured at Sevastopol 1855', which I thought was a remarkable piece of initiative on the part of the locals - it's not every day, after all, that you find a Nottinghamshire market town storming a Crimean redoubt and bringing home booty - and the shops seemed prosperous and well ordered.'

thumb|right|Broadstone in front of the Town Hall

Geography

Retford lies in a shallow, fertile river valley which has a wide flood plain on either side of the River Idle. This makes the low-lying land next to the river prone to flooding. The underlying geology is Primo-Triassic rocks which lie over coal measures. This district therefore forms part of the Nottinghamshire-Yorkshire Coalfield. To the West are Pebble Beds and Sandstone outcrops. To the east are heavy claylands of Keuper Marl.

thumb|right|River Idle in Retford

Climate

Retford lies 18m above sea level and the climate is mild, and generally warm and temperate. The climate is classified as Cfb by the Köppen Climate Classification (temperate oceanic climate). The average annual temperature in Retford is 10.1 °C or 50.1 °F. Average rainfall is 685 mm or 27.0 inches. The nearest official Met Office weather station for which online records are available is an automatic station at Gringley on the Hill, about eight miles north of Retford. (Location: 53.406, -0.883)

Flooding

thumb|right|Flooded and frozen fields near Grove Lane

Retford lies in the Idle River Valley and low-lying areas are prone to flooding. Flooding is confined to the well-defined and wide flood plain of the Idle, and areas above the flood plain or on sandstone (to the west) do not flood. To the north and east the land is clay and the area was historically marshy (see Isle of Axholme), but was drained by Dutch engineers under Cornelius Vermuyden in the 17th century.

Hardmoors, which is adjacent to the Idle at Ordsall, was so called because it floods and freezes in winter. According to the Environment Agency, which has a gauge on the Idle at Ordsall (location ID 4164) for 90% of the time since monitoring began the Idle has had a depth of between 0.19m and 0.85m. In 2020 the range was 0.22m to 0.86m. The highest level ever recorded since the gauge was put in place was 1.79m, reached on 22 October 2023, which was during Storm Babet.

In 1947, an article in The Retford Times by Rev. W.P. McFarren notes that Moorgate (one of the principal streets) derives from the Anglo-Saxon 'mor' meaning a marsh. The author notes that across Moorgate there runs a brook commonly called 'The Beck', which floods annually. He comments that "The soil here is largely clay, and Moorgate was well called the 'morgata' – the miry street".

Many floods are recorded in the historical record including:

  • A Great Flood in 1775 which destroyed a house.
  • February 1795 the town flooded.
  • 1857 Great Flood, which covered the market place "and most of all Retford". It was 3 feet deep in the blacksmith's shop in West Retford and 10 feet on the Carr.
  • 1930 Flood.
  • On 27 June 2007, a few low-lying parts of the town were affected by the 2007 United Kingdom floods. The majority of Kings Park was flooded under three feet of water. The Asda and Morrisons supermarkets adjacent to the river were also flooded.
  • In November 2019, Retford along with the surrounding areas suffered extensive flooding along the Idle flood plain, including in the centre of town where the Idle crosses King's Park and around the Idle bridge in Ordsall. The local hedgehog rescue centre was flooded, with locals having to rally round to save 70 rescue hedgehogs.
  • In March 2020 there was flooding at Grove Lane and Blackstope Lane, with 31 properties affected after a month's worth of rain fell in 24 hours.
  • In January 2021 there was flooding on low-lying land along the course of the Idle near Victoria Road which is currently used for allotments. This resulted in another call for action against flooding which has been partly attributed to building on the natural flood plain. Restoration of the flood plain has been one solution suggested to address the issue.
  • Extensive flooding was recorded and 200 houses were evacuated in October 2023 due to Storm Babet.

Nature and biodiversity

thumb|Bug Arch at Idle Valley Nature Reserve

The area in and around Retford has a varied geology and habitat. There are 30 known Ancient woodlands of more than 2 hectares in Bassetlaw, and the town is surrounded by a rich and diverse ecosystem including rare and endangered animals and birds.

The Idle Valley Nature Reserve, which is managed by Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust (NWT) lies on the northern edge of the town, with the eastern boundary being the River Idle. Idle Valley is the largest of the trust's reserves in Nottinghamshire, and features a mixture of habitats spread over 450 hectares, with 300 hectares being designated with SSSI status. Previously farmland, it is now the largest wetland area in Nottinghamshire, largely due to the reuse and rewilding of redundant gravel quarries. Over 250 species of birds have been recorded at the site, making it one of the top birding sites in the UK. The reserve is known for spectacular starling murmations. NWT has a program of activities and events for the benefit of schools, community groups and individuals.

The River Idle is a critical habitat for eels – with an eel pass being installed in 2018 to help silver eels get upstream. Nine species of bats have been recorded in and around the town including Daubenton's bat, whiskered bat, Brandt's bat, Natterer's bat, common noctule, Leisler's bat, common pipistrelle, soprano pipistrelle and brown long-eared bat. And a range of mammals and amphibians can be seen such as hedgehog, frog, rabbit, brown hare, grey squirrel, toad, newts, mole, badger and red fox.

In 2021, Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust revealed that it had consulted on the re-introduction of beavers to the Idle valley and planned to release 4 beavers (2 pairs) into the Idle Valley Nature Reserve. The trust stated that it intended to create one of the largest beaver enclosures in England, with space for up to three beaver families. In November 2021, eight beavers - four adults and four kits - were released into a specially built enclosure, the largest release of beavers in the UK to date.

thumb|right|Treswell Woods SSI

thumb|right|Eaton Woods SSI

Bassetlaw has 19 Sites of Special Scientific Interest that cover broadleaved woodland, wetlands and grasslands comprising 1361 hectares. The area also has 290 Local Wildlife Sites. SSIs around Retford, including the reason for their importance:

  • 'Ashton's Meadow' - A hay meadow with a valuable flora. 3.6Ha
  • 'Barrow Hills Sandpits' - An excellent area of grassland and scrub on glacial sands - of both invertebrate zoological and botanical importance. 2.9Ha
  • 'Castle Hill Woods' - A unit of fine deciduous woodlands with a characteristic structure and species composition – of botanical and zoological interest. 33Ha
  • 'Chesterfield Canal' - A representative stretch of canal supporting a nationally notable aquatic plant community characteristic of brackish waters, and a rich invertebrate habitat. 20Ha
  • 'Clarborough Tunnel' - A fine example of species-rich calcareous grassland and scrub developed around the tunnel top and cuttings on an active railway line - a site of botanical interest. 7.9Ha
  • 'Clumber Park' - A diverse area of mixed habitats of considerable botanical and zoological importance. 562Ha
  • 'Eaton Wood' - An excellent deciduous woodland of botanical and invertebrate zoological interest. 24Ha
  • 'Gamston Wood' - An excellent ancient woodland site of botanical and zoological importance. 41Ha
  • 'Gamston and Eaton Verges' - species-rich roadside verges. 1.5Ha
  • 'Mattersey Hill Marsh' - One of the best examples of mixed marsh in Nottinghamshire and representative of marsh communities in Central and Eastern England. 6Ha
  • 'Misson Line Bank' - An excellent mosaic of open water, marsh, grassland and scrub communities developed around several old borrow pits. 20Ha
  • 'Misson Carr' - Nationally rare wet woodlands, marsh, and old grazing pastures. One of the county's largest remaining fragments of a fenland system that once covered much of the local landscape, but which has been progressively lost to drainage and agriculture over the last three hundred years. 85Ha
  • 'Mother Drain, Misterton' - Ditch and banks of considerable zoological interest and of some botanical importance 4Ha
  • 'River Idle Washlands' - An extensive area of open water, marsh, grassland, scrub and wet woodland which support a rich assemblage of plants, invertebrates and birds. 575Ha
  • Treswell Woods - One of the best remaining examples of ancient semi-natural broad-leaved (ash, oak, maple) woodland on clay soils in the county. Of botanical and zoological interest. 50ha. 3 miles East of Retford

Politics

There are two tiers of local government covering Retford, at district and county level: Bassetlaw District Council and Nottinghamshire County Council. There 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.

Administrative history

East Retford was an ancient borough. When commissioners examined boroughs across England in 1835 it was reported that the town was a "borough by prescription", indicating that the exact date of it being made a borough was not known. The borough was reformed to become a municipal borough in 1836, giving it the right to appoint a mayor.

The borough of Retford, at that time, corresponded to the boundaries of East Retford Parish. In 1837, it was proposed that the borough should be enlarged to take in parts of the neighbouring parishes of Clarborough, Ordsall and West Retford, as the urban area now extended beyond the historical borough and parish boundary of East Retford. These proposals 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 the parishes of Ordsall and West Retford, as well as parts of the parish of Clarborough.

The Local Government Act 1894 said that parishes could no longer straddle borough boundaries, and so 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. In 1921, these four parishes were merged into a single East Retford parish.

Despite including both East Retford and West Retford from 1878, the official name of the borough remained East Retford until its abolition in 1974. At that time, it became part of the new district of Bassetlaw, which also included the neighbouring town of Worksop. Bassetlaw was named after the historical Anglo-Saxon Bassetlaw Wapentake. Charter trustees were established at this time 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 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 Borough's ancient Royal Charters. The unicorns are from the heraldry of Lord Galway, whose ancestors were High Stewards of the Borough. The shells are from the arms of Rt Hon FJ Savile Foljambe, appointed High Steward 1880.

Constituency

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, due to its inability to afford the cost of paying the heavy expenses of the MPs' travel to and from the capital. The petition was granted and it 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 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 the disenfranchisement of Retford not on the basis that the accusations of corruption were untrue, but that it punished the innocent as well as the guilty and ignored the fact that many boroughs were equally corrupt.

The 1830 Act extended 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 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 the Bassetlaw parliamentary constituency.

The Bassetlaw constituency was held by Labour from 1929 until 2019 when the sitting MP (John Mann) stood down and the Labour Party subsequently lost the seat to the Conservative Brendan Clarke-Smith. Labour regained the seat in the General Election 2024 and the current MP is Jo White.

Landmarks

Market Square

The Square is in the centre of Retford and features an ornate French-inspired Victorian Town Hall (Grade II listed), in front of which is the Grade II listed Broad Stone.

Broad Stone

Legend says that the Broad Stone had a hollow in it that used to be filled with vinegar during plague times to disinfect coins. However, it is thought to be the upturned base of a boundary marker – perhaps the "Dominie Cross".

A 1908 guidebook to the town says the following: