King George V is one of many royal visitors

This week’s Archive Corner picture shows the visit of King George V to the Worksop area in 1914.
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It ranked as a royal highlight for the area, but there have been many other occasions when we have played host to important visitors.

One of the first royal visitors to Worksop was King Stephen, who was a guest of Richard De Lovetot in 1161.

He visited the town when confirming the grants of Hugh de Muscan and others to Rufford Abbey.

November 1583 saw Mary Queen of Scots in Worksop for a ‘change of air’, but not by her own choice.

By that time, the troubled queen was in captivity and was entrusted to the 6th Earl of Shrewsbury at Worksop Manor.

The queen was kept under close guard, but was still allowed to walk in Sherwood Forest during her stay.

Following in his mother’s footsteps was King James I, was was ‘sumptuously entertained’ at Worksop Manor as he travelled from Scotland to take the English throne in 1603.

His wife and son, the future Charles I, also stopped at Worksop during the same journey several months later.

The family must have enjoyed their stays in the town, because both King James and Charles I stayed in Worksop a number of times during their reigns, including a visit by Charles in 1633.

Other early royal visitors include James II, a guest at Welbeck during 1679, and William III, who visited in 1695.

Loyal Worksop folk endeared themselves to Queen Victoria when she paid a brief visit in 1835 and was impressed by the hospitality she received at the Red Lion on her way home from Wingerworth Hall.

Her son Edward II also visited the town twice.