Southwell City

You must have come in a taxi

From A1 - Leave the A1 at the junction with the A46, and take the A46 towards Leicester (this is the Newark by-pass). After 1 mile at the roundabout take the A617 exit to Mansfield. After 3.2 miles turn left onto the A612 (Southwell). Continue into Southwell for 3.7 miles, passing Southwell Minster on the left. At the mini-roundabout in front of the Saracens Head Hotel, turn left into Westgate. Bishop�s Drive is next left. There is parking next to the Clubhouse and in the Car Park opposite. The Club request that you don�t park in front of the Scout HQ. If the car parking is full you can park at the Leisure Centre which is a 5 minutes walk away from the ground. To reach this car park turn left out of Bishops drive, and then turn 1st left into Nottingham Road. Within a few hundred yards turn left into the car park. There is also a free car at Church Street opposite the Minister and this is within a 5-10 minutes walk of the ground.

From Nottingham - Take the A612 from Nottingham for 12 miles, passing through Burton Joyce, Lowdham and Thurgarton. You will approach Southwell via Nottingham Road going past the school and leisure centre on your RHS. At the T-junction turn right into Westgate. Bishops Drive is next right. Follow the road round for 0.3 miles to the Recreation Ground. See A1 for car parking info*

From Mansfield - Take the A617 out of Mansfield, turn south onto the A614. Follow this until the road splits. Take the A6097 (Leicester) road. At the next roundabout take left turn onto the B6386 Southwell Road. You will approach Southwell via Oxton Road , which becomes Westgate. Bishops Drive is first right after the junction will the A612 Nottingham Road. Follow the road round for 0.3 miles to the Recreation Ground. See A1 for car parking info*

NCT Pathfinder Southwell Sprinter No.100 (Nottingham Queen Street to Newark Northgate Street), Dunn Line No.61 (Nottingham - Newark Bus Station) & Stagecoach East Midlands No 29 (Newark Bus Station - Mansfield Bus Station) pass Bishops Lane.

Fiskerton - 2 miles. Central Trains Nottingham - Lincoln service. A straight walk up Fiskerton Road to Southwell.

For a map of the location, Click here.

My garden shed is bigger than this

It is fair to say that you will not find a more graceful entrance to a football ground anywhere else in the County then that of the War Memorial Recreational Ground in Southwell.

As you travel down Bishop's Lane, glance to your left and you are greeted by the magnificent twin white towers of Southwell's Norman Minster on your left. Continue a little further along and your confronted by the war memorial itself, a marvelous piece of architecture befitting of this historical town. I refrain from using the word 'City', as Southwell has never actually been officially granted City status. There was always the assumption that this splendid historical town was able to assume City status when the Minster being granted Cathedral status in the 1884. This was not the case. Nevertheless, a few years after the Minster became a Cathedral, the proud locals cast an eye away from officialdom and formed a football club entitled Southwell City.

The year 2002 will go down as one of the most successful in the Clubs long established history. City captured the Notts Alliance Cup and narrowly finished runners up to Gedling Town in the Senior County Cup at Meadow Lane, home of the world's oldest Football League club - Notts County. Since this success, they have embarked on the journey up the Football Association pyramid by joining the Central Midland League in 2003, gaining promotion to the Supreme Division in their first season. The recent success on the field has been matched by the club's recent investment in its pitchside facilities. Whilst there are no stands to speak of, the Club boasts modern changing facilities and an excellent clubhouse and bar. Attached to the Clubhouse is a canopy for up to 150 spectators to keep out of the elements. On the Minster side of the Ground is a toilet block and a park bench for a lucky few to rest their weary legs. To the rear of the bench is a breezeblock construction with no apparent purpose, which does not befit the surroundings at all.

Surprisingly, with schools flanking either side of the Memorial Ground, there are no permanent perimeter barriers to keep straying passers by off the playing surface, a surface which is recognised as one of the best in the County. The pitch is surrounded by six state of the art floodlights, holding three clusters painted green to blend in with the idyllic surroundings. These were installed in 2001, and are well within the set standard for Central Midlands League football. The inaugural match under the lights was played at the Memorial Ground against a strong Nottingham Forest side, which included players of the stature of David Johnson, Marlon Harewood & Michael Dawson, watched by a capacity crowd of approximately 2000.

The Club share the Memorial Recreation Ground with Southwell Tennis Club and also the Southwell Scout Group. During the last close season the Club worked with the Local Council to agree and implement a number of ground improvements that have brought the ground up to the requirements for the Supreme Division. This wasn't an easy task given the fact that the Ground is in a conservation area next to the historic Southwell Minister.

Future Plans

None to report