Babworth Babworth All Saints Church lies in a delightful glade opposite the junction of the A620 and B6420 west of Retford. The origins of religious separatism are closely connected with the rectory and church of Babworth. Richard Clyfton was parson here from 1586 to 1605 and two of his friends were William Brewster and William Bradford. Clyfton was eventually accused before the Chancery Court of being a nonconformist because of his unorthodox views and he was deprived of his living at Babworth. The church contains many interesting items recalling the Pilgrim Fathers. Leaving the Church drive, turn right and immediately right again towards Barnby Moor. At the A638 turn left and follow the road to Scrooby. This is the old Great North Road, which was well known to William Brewster who worked as ‘Master of the Postes’. Look out for Ye Olde Belle at Barnby Moor, a famous old posting house. Queen Victoria and her mother once stayed there. Scrooby Scrooby's link to the Separatists was overlooked for 250 years after the initial Mayflower voyage. It was not until around 1860 that relatives retracing their roots back to the area visited Scrooby. The largest number of people to visit the village came in 1970 on the 350th anniversary of the crossing. In Scrooby, there are a number of plaques dedicated to the Separatists. The proprietors of The Pilgrim Father’s Inn on the A638 keep a supply of literature related to the village and its early history.  | St Wilfrid’s Church lies in the centre of the village where William Brewster was brought up. On the death of his father he inherited the appointment of bailiff to the Archbishop’s estates and lived in the Manor House. When Richard Clyfton was deprived of his living, Brewster’s home became the meeting place for those who desired to worship according to the dictates of their own conscience. Brewster had long been attracted by separatism and was fined for non-attendance at St. Wilfrid’s Church, where he had himself dared to preach without permission in 1598.  | Just north of the church is the Manor House, former home of William Brewster. Today, the Manor House is privately owned but there is a viewpoint approximately 100 metres along Station Road. The site was formerly occupied by the medieval manor house, or palace of the Archbishops of York. In 1606-07 William Brewster held meetings of the Scrooby Separatist congregation here with William Bradford and Richard Clyfton. Brewster later became the presiding Elder.
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