Among the two or three dozen grandest parish churches of England, 222 ft long, with a spire 237 ft high. Transitional crypt. [Early English] west tower [and] crossing. The south aisle [was] under construction in 1312, after the completion of the spire. The rest of the building is Perp; chancel largely rebuilt c.1487-1500. Brass [in transept] to Alan Fleming d.1363. Choir stalls of c.1500, rood screen [of] 1508. Reredos by Comper, 1937. (1)
The transepts were added in 1539. Alan Fleming['s] brass [is] one of the four biggest Flemish brasses left in England. (2)
Investigation of floor 1977 - disturbed bones and wooden coffin fragments found. Two pier bases also examined. (4)
Restored 1853 by Sir George Gilbert Scott. (5)
The excavations at Church Walk South have shown that the S side of the church was used as part of the graveyard around the turn of C12 - C13. Graves were backfilled soon after opening and the foot ends of the graves were not marked. They appear to have been laid out in a line running W-E, with the first graves being dug at the W end. Subsequent graves were dug further to the east along the line. Burial was in shrouds. The number of disarticulated remains indicate that many more than 104 individuals were interred in the area. The density of the burials at the limits of the excavation area shows that the graveyard extended further south towards the Market Place. (6) (7)
At the Song School, earth sealed below the mortar layer may have been part of the graveyard, human remains represented by 76 scattered bones. (8)
Trench 1 revealed that the modern boundary wall of the church yard is further towards the church than formerly, as shown by the presence of burials beyond it to the W, and the associated possible former churchyard boundary wall. Trench 3 revealed a number of burials, some of which were very close to the present ground surface. Examination of Newark's earlier maps shows possible encroachment on the churchyard along Church Street in 1790 which is much clearer on Wood's map of 1829. By 1885 the boundary of the church at its W end is much narrower and the paved area had been extended. (9)
Realignment of the church wall … human remains within 15cm of the surface. (10)
See M for late med shops

Listed buildings slides, 77 slides (Photograph). SNT2648.

Graham Beaumont ?, St. Mary Magdalen (Plan). SNT4403.

<1> Pevsner N, 1979, The Buildings of England: Nottinghamshire 2nd ed., p 183-8 (Monograph). SNT4.

<2> Mee A, 1938, The King's England: Nottinghamshire, p 177-9 (Published document). SNT914.

<3> Kinsley G, 1989, Newark's Archaeological Resource, App 1, p 8 (Unpublished document). SNT40.

<4> Thoroton Society, 1977, TTS, p 84 (Published document). SNT390.

<5> DOE, Listed Building Description (Published document). SNT228.

<6> TPAT, 26/02/1991, The Newark Parish Church of St Mary Magdalene, Watching Brief 25/02/1991 (Unpublished document). SNT1977.

<7> TPAT, Jan 1997, Salvage Excavations in the Medieval Cemetery of St Mary Magdalene Church Walk South, Newark, p 8 (Unpublished document). SNT1978.

<8> JSAC, Oct 1993, An Archaeological Evaluation at the Song School, Newark (Unpublished document). SNT2114.

<9> JSAC, Jun 1995, An Archaeological Evaluation at Church Street, Newark (Unpublished document). SNT2182.

<10> JSAC, 1996, An Archaeological Excavation in Connection with Re-paving Works at Church Walk (South), Newark, Nottinghamshire (Unpublished document). SNT2214.

Other Refs: section 5.2-4