A new Pilgrim Heartlands Trail has been produced jointly by Bassetlaw District Council and Doncaster Council.
The leaflet, available from local Tourist Information Centres, libraries and churches along the trail, and downloadable from Bassetlaw and Doncaster Council’s websites, covers the local villages in North Nottinghamshire and South Yorkshire that are steeped in the history of William Brewster and William Bradford; a history that most local people are familiar with. But this new Heartlands leaflet brings further, little known facts about the families that embarked on that seminal voyage aboard the Mayflower.
Until now, little has been told about the women and children who bravely followed their husbands, firstly to Holland and then on to America, but now, thanks to research conducted by historian and tour guide Sue Allan, the Pilgrim Heartlands Trail adds previously unfamiliar named villages to this area’s history. Villages such as Tickhill, Arksey and Braithwell in South Yorkshire join Clarborough and Carlton in Lindrick on the trail, and much more information has been discovered about Pilgrim Susannna White-Winslow and her connections to Scrooby Manor.
Sue Allan, Chair of the Pilgrim Fathers Origins UK Association, said “In the past, history books have focused upon the men connected to the story of the Separatists who became Mayflower Pilgrims and with little attention being paid to that of the women. Without the women, we have only half of the story and even after recent discoveries, I know that there is still much more to be revealed. I expect the Pilgrim Heartlands Trail will soon need a reprint!”
Bassetlaw District Council and Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council have been working in partnership to promote the history of the Mayflower Pilgrims for over 10 years. They are both founder members of Pilgrim Fathers Origins Association, the Mayflower 400 National partnership which was created to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the Pilgrims reaching America in 1620, and the regional Pilgrim Roots group, that aims to continue joint participation across county borders beyond 2020.
For those interested in finding out more about new information featured in the Heartlands Trial, Bassetlaw District Council is holding its annual Illuminate Event in Scrooby on Thursday 22nd November. A service will be held at 5.00pm in St Wilfrid’s Church featuring a talk by Sue Allan and a recital from Scrooby Manor’s own Kamilla Dunstan. This will be followed by a lantern parade through the village. The event is open to all, please confirm your attendance by email to Sandra.withington@bassetlaw.gov.uk.