Community Assembly of Worksop

Serving, supporting and protecting our local community

The Community Assembly of Worksop is located in a market town in the historic market town located in the Bassetlaw district of North Nottinhamshire in the British Isles. It lies near the borders of South Yorkshire and Derbyshire, east-southeast of Sheffield. It is known as the ' Gateway to the Dukeries' due to its proximity to Sherwood Forest and its historic estates.

Worksop was part of what was called Bernetseatte (burnt lands) in Anglo-Saxon times. The name is likely of Old English origin, derived from a personal name 'We(o)rc' plus the placename element ' hop ' (valley). In the Domesday Book of 1086, Worksop appears as Werchesope.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, Worksop benefited from the building of the Chesterfield Canal, which passed through the town in 1777. This was followed by the construction of the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway in 1849. This led to growth that was further boosted by the discovery of coal seams beneath the town.

An unusual crop associated with Worksop is liquorice. This was originally grown in the priory gardens for medicinal purposes and continued until around 1750. William Camden records in Britannia that the town was famous for growing liquorice. John Speed noted: In the west, near Worksop, groweth plenty of Liquorice, very delicious and good. When the malting trade moved to Worksop, it became an important trade. In 1852, Clinton Malt Kilns were built leading to a strong tradition of brewing being the historic site of the Worksop and Retford Brewery.