Bassetlaw, Home of the Pilgrim Fathers
Where does the name 'Bassetlaw' originate?
The origins of
the name 'Bassetlaw' are believed to come from the old English
boernet (burnt place), soete (dwellers), and hlaw (hill), literally
'hill of the dwellers at the burnt place'. Bassetlaw is mentioned
in the Domesday Book as 'Bernedslaue' but even older are its
historic sites where evidence of Roman, Bronze Age and Stone Age
artefacts have been discovered.
And Britain’s only known Ice Age
rock art is to be found at Creswell Crags near Worksop.
It is therefore not surprising to
discover that the district has a wealth of heritage and
history.
Bassetlaw prides itself on being
the birthplace of the United States of America as it was here that
the beginnings of religious Separatism are to be found.3 of the
first 4 signatories to the Mayflower Compact came from Bassetlaw
and the neighbouring county of South Yorkshire. This document is
considered the earliest example of democracy in the United States
and the forerunner of the Declaration of Independence and the
Constitution
It was in 1607 that two of the
original separatists, a Scrooby postmaster named William Brewster
and a parson from Babworth called Richard Clyfton, joined dozens of
other religious pilgrims to start a new life in Holland and then in
1620 the pilgrims set sail on the Mayflower to America. William
Brewster played a major part in founding the new society. Retrace
the footsteps of the Pilgrim Fathers by following the Mayflower
Trail, a circular tour of 38-40 miles visiting the historic
villages and sites of Pilgrim Fathers’ Country.
The Pilgrim Fathers UK Origins Association
The Association celebrates and
brings together the heritage of the original Separatists in England
and the Pilgrim Fathers who settled in Plymouth,
Massachusetts. Visit the Pilgrim Fathers Origins
Association Web Site to find out more.
Left: Anthony Derbyshire, Chair of the
Pilgrim Fathers Origins Association, with Councillor Barry Bowles,
Film Producer: Gregory Hahn and Dr Jeremy Bangs from the American
Pilgrim Museum, Leiden at the launch of the Mayflower Trial at the
Crown Hotel in Bawtry.
Finding accommodation on the
Mayflower Trail
Retford Tourist Information Centre can
give advice about accommodation near to the Mayflower Trail.
Their telephone number is 01777 860780. Experience
Nottinghamshire, the Destination Marketing Organisation for the
county also carries a minisite which provides details of hotels in
the area. Visit www.pilgrimfathers.visitnottingham.com.
Booking a tour of the Mayflower
Trail
Pilgrim Tours is dedicated to
providing specialised services for a wide range of customers –
including people on vacation, students, families, schools,
home-based education groups, church groups, and of course any of
the five million known descendants of the Pilgrim Fathers.
Tel: +44 (0)1777 711497. Email:
pilgrimtours@uwclub.net website
www.pilgrimtours.co.uk.