The Old White Hart comprises three principal structures; the late 15th century Front Range facing on the Market Place with its impressive decorative elevation; a 14th century wing adjacent to the Front Range and 14th century hall adjacent and to its rear. The Inn takes its name from the badge of King Richard II, who ruled from 1377 to 1399 and who visited Nottinghamshire in 1386. The earliest documentary evidence to the inn by name in 1413. (1)

One of the paramount examples of late C15 timber framed architecture in England. (2)

The earliest buildings identified were probably constructed C12 or ealy C13. There was one building with stone footings and a garderobe beneath the existing Front Range. Although its frontage would seem to have extended into the market place its rear wall was in the same location as that of the later Front Range. Only one bay was excavated but, if it consisted of three equal sized bays, it would have occupied the same length as the present front range. Behind that building and beneath the existing S wing was a courtyard. Buildings with stone footings existed on either side with another building further eastwards beneath the present courtyard. Although in no case is there evidence for the superstructure of any of these buildings, where the full width of the walls is visible it is noticably wider than would be necessary for a timber framed structure. This suggests that the buildings were either entirely stone built, stone walled to the first floor with timber frame above, or of mud. In late C13 the building beneath the front range was replaced by a timber framed building. This utilised the existing rear wall and reduced the width of the building to its present frontage. Shortly afterwards, c.AD1320 from dendrochronology, the existing South Wing was constructed immediately adjacent to the rear of the building beneath the front range. The S wing consisted of 4 bays with an open hall in the central 2 bays. The closed bay adjacent to the building beneath the Front Range contained a garderobe and the whole structure had a crown post roof. At about the same time the E wing was constructed, also with a crown post roof, but apparently as a two storey structure. By mid C14 the building in the courtyard had been demolished and after a brief interval the area was cobbled and has remained in use as a courtyard ever since. c.1463 the present 4 bay three storey timber framed front range was constructed. It had a stone hearth and the garderobe in the S wing was adapted to service the new building's upper floors. The stair turret and gallery were probably built in late C16 to improve access to the upper rooms. (3)

The removal of two pieces of plaster pargetting were removed with little damage, developing and using a completely experimental adaptation of a technique used by archaeologists to remove mosaic pavements from site. Coats of limewash were removed to reveal the original surface and the rear of the plaster was stabilised with plaster of paris and bolts inserted into the plaster for display purposes. (4)

Dendro analysis in 1990 produced at constrcution date of c.1320 for the south range (5)

South range 1312-13 and 1319, Front range c.1463. Box framed, close studded, jettied. (6)

Former inn, possibly originally a merchant’s house converted to an inn in the late 14th century. It now comprises three sections: a rear wing to the south (dating from around 1312, extended around 1526, remodelled in the 17th century); a front range (dated to around 1470); and a section containing a gallery and stair turret (early 16th century glazed in the mid-17th century, altered around 1870). The Nottinghamshire volume of the Buildings of England describes it as one of the paramount examples of a late 15th-century timber-framed building in England. It was listed Grade II* in 1950. The building underwent restoration in 1983 and 1990 by Guy St John Taylor Associates. Archaeological evidence indicates the existing front range replaced an earlier, possibly late 13th-century, front range parts of which were uncovered in excavations in the 1990s. The documentary evidence indicates that in the late 15th century the inn was one of the most important commercial premises in the town, for example hosting negotiations between agents of the King and the Earl of Northumberland in a room known as ‘the queen’s chamber’. The building presents a striking front elevation to Market Place; three storeys in height with continuous windows on the first and second floor. The front range is formed of a close-studded timber frame with rendered rubble and brick infill. Each stud is enriched with plaster figures below crocketed canopies. These are replicas based on surviving fragments now preserved in Newark Resource Centre, dating from the late 20th-century restorations. To the left of the jettied section, a recessed bay links the building to the Arcade next door. A sketch from 1859 shows that at some point the ground floor was fitted out with a pair of multi-paned bow windows. Prior to the 1980s restoration the building had a late 19th-century shopfront, but it now has a 20th-century glazed replacement. The interior of the building retains wall paintings of a 16th-century date. A carriage arch provides access to a rear yard. To the rear there is a two-bay jettied gallery with turned mullions. The south wing comprises a two-storey, four-bay range, formerly an open hall. The upper floor is close studded but covered in render which has been underbuilt in brick. The 16th-century extension to this range is lower in height, although still two storeys and five bays in length. The 14th-century east wing is two storeys in height and four bays wide. It formerly contained a first-floor hall. The three-storey, 16th-century stair turret has 20th-century brick underbuilding and arch-braced close studding above. (7)

Some time within 1998-2000, eight samples taken from timbers of the South/Rear Range have been successfully dated. It is known that two of them are from trees felled in AD 1312, whilsts another two are from trees estimated to have been felled slightly earlier, within the range AD 1278-98. A fifth sample was from a tree felled in AD 1326 at the earliest. Two more samples are from a tree felled in AD 1503 at the earliest. The latter four timbers are marked as inserted in the original report. Therefore, from the South Range of the Old White Hart, we have original, 'in-situ', timbers felled In AD 1312 suggesting construction at or soon after this date, with possible repairs as represented by the inserted timbers in the first half of the sixteenth century. (8)

Twelve samples from the Front Range were sucessfully dated. Two are from timbers felled in AD 1451, with a further five estimated to have been felled some time between AD 1450-68, therefore also consistent with a felling date of AD 1451. Another four do not have the heartwood/sapwood ring but do have last measurd ring dates which do not make it impossible that they are also from the trees felled in AD 1451. One of the samples is from a tree felled some time between AD 1721-41. From the tree-ring dates gained with the majority of the timbers sampled coming from trees felled in AD 1451 it appears that the Front Range was built at or soon after this year with repairs taking place some time later, with at least one timber from the eighteenth century being used. (8)

Two samples were taken from the interface between the Front and the South Range. One of these was felled within the range AD 1652-64. However, the other does not have the heartwood/sapwood boundary ring and so an estimated fellig date cannot be calculated except to say that this would be an AD 1282 at the earliest date. Of these, the earlier of the two is marked as inserted which might suggest rearrangements to the interface in the seventeenth century. However, the conclusions to be gained from only two timbers is negligible. (8)

Of the three samples from the Stair Turret successfully dated, an estimated felling date can be calculated for only one to within the range AD 1304-24 and this timber is marked as inserted. The other two did not have the heartwood/sapwood boundary ring but had last measured ring dates which would give earliest possible felling dates of AD 1441 and AD 1446. This, therefore, suggests the possibility that the Stair Turret was constructed at the earliest in the second half of the fifteenth century, utilising some re-used timber, perhaps at the same time as the Front Range. (8)

Two samples from the East Wing were dated, one is from a timber felled within the range AD 1412-32 and the other one from a timber felled some time between AD 1524-36. In the original analysis doubt was expressed as to the originality of the earlier timber. The construction date of this part of the Old White Hart remains unclear. (8)

See L8517 for P Med finds, L3171 for market place excavation.

Listed buildings slides, 34 slides (Photograph). SNT2648.

The Old White Hart (Plan). SNT3483.

The Old White Hart (Plan). SNT3523.

04/02/76, The Old White Hart (Plan). SNT3522.

04/02/76, The Old White Hart (Plan). SNT3482.

04/12/80, The Old White Hart (Plan). SNT3479.

06/02/76, The Old White Hart (Plan). SNT3481.

06/02/76, The Old White Hart (Plan). SNT3521.

08/07/75, The Old White Hart (Plan). SNT3524.

08/07/75, The Old White Hart (Plan). SNT3484.

11/02/76, The Old White Hart (Plan). SNT3520.

11/02/76, The Old White Hart (Plan). SNT3480.

FWB Charles, 1972, The White Hart Inn, Market Square, Newark - Report on Prelim Survey (Unpublished document). SNT6052.

FWB Charles, 1972, The White Hart Inn, Market Square, Newark - Report on Structural Condition & Draft Proposals for Repairs & Reinstatements. (Unpublished document). SNT6053.

FWB Charles, 1972, WHITE HART INN, NEWARK, NOTTS - REPORT ON THE SOUTH WING (Unpublished document). SNT6055.

FWB Charles, 1974, White Hart Inn, Newark - Structural Survey and Stage 1 Proposals 28th August 1974 (Unpublished document). SNT6054.

1976, White Hart Library, 34, 36-41 Market Place Feasibility Study (Unpublished document). SNT6058.

Mourai’lles Conservation Services, 1990, Conservators Report: The Old White Heart, Newark, Nottinghamshire (Unpublished document). SNT4850.

Nottingham Tree Ring Dating Laboratory, 1990, The Old White Hart, Newark – Dendro Report (Unpublished document). SNT5124.

Andrew Dixon, 2018, MSc Building Conservation Report - The Old White Hart Inn (Unpublished document). SNT5048.

FWB Charles, 27/6/72 and , White Hart stripping schedule (Plan). SNT4242.

Febuary 81, The Old White Hart (Plan). SNT3478.

<1> Thoroton Society, 1996, TTS, pp 19-54 (Serial). SNT1504.

<2> Pevsner N, 1997, The Buildings of England: Nottinghamshire (with corrections), pp 192-3 (Monograph). SNT1734.

<3> Samuels, J and Field, N, 1995, The Old White Hart, Newark, Nottinghamshire, pp 34, 35 (Unpublished document). SNT2210.

<4> Febuary 81, The Old White Hart (Plan). SNT3518.

<5> 04/12/80, The Old White Hart (Plan). SNT3519.

<6> John Samuels Archaeological Consultants, 1995, A Survey of Timber Framed Buildings of Newark, Stage 1 (Unpublished document). SNT2173.

<7> Historic England, 2024, Newark on Trent: Historic Area Assessment by Historic England (Unpublished document). SNT6029.

<8> A.J, Arnold, R.E Howard, R.R Laxton, C.D Litton, 2002, The Urban Development of Newark-on-Trent: A Dendrochronological Approach (Monograph). SNT1624.