Southwell is a historic Minster town in Nottinghamshire situated in the valley of the River Trent 5 miles to the west of Newark and some 15 miles to the east of Nottingham. The beautiful Minster Cathedral and the Old Bishop’s Palace (partly ruined) are over 900 years old. The seat of the Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham is in the Arts and Crafts style Bishop’s Manor.

For information about the town, the website of the Southwell Town Council is a useful point of reference. If you are visiting for more than just Sunday, their volunteer-run tourist information centre (open mon-sat, 10-4) has lots of information. The local Bramley newspaper also has information about the town and includes a viewable town guide. The Wikipedia entry for Southwell is also useful for a quick view of the town and its history.

Getting to Southwell is straight forward – on the A617/A612 from the A1 at Newark, the A46 from Leicester or Lincoln or A612 from Nottingham. From the east and north-east the A617 from Mansfield and A616/A614 from Chesterfield are the main routes.

Parking:

• King Street – up from the Market Square there is a Car Park for about 40 cars – free on Sundays. King Street is one-way and you have to come down King Street in the correct direction! It is only a few yards from the Market Square.
• Behind the Bramley Centre/Library there is a Car Park for about 20 cars – free on Sundays. Accessed from The Ropewalk. This is also only a few yards from the Market Square.
• Church Street, opposite the north side of the Minster is a Car Park for about 80 cars – free on Sundays. This is 4 to 5 minute’s walk from the Market Square.
• There is a large car park at the Co-op on the Ropewalk but it only allows free parking for up to 3 hours, even on Sundays. It is privately patrolled so beware of overstaying!
• A short walk from the town centre, behind Southwell Leisure Centre, there is a larger Car Park – off the A612 a hundred yards or so after entering Southwell from the Nottingham direction.

Public Toilets: At Church Street car park, also the Library and the Leisure Centre.

Cash machines: One Stop on King Street, next to the Market Place (cash machine is inside the shop); Cooperative Store on The Ropewalk; M&S at BP petrol station Easthorpe.

Petrol Station: The only one in or around Southwell is the BP station at Easthorpe on the A612 before leaving Southwell towards Newark.