The story.
Library Gardens stands between the Grade II listed former municipal gardens and Newark Library. For decades the gardens have hosted wedding celebrations, with newlyweds and their families using the lawn for photos. After the register office moved in 2014, the gardens were left to their own devices and became home to a wealth of wildlife including bats, birds, squirrels, insects, trees, lichens and fungi.
In 2018 planning permission was granted for a car park. By 2019, a grassroots petition with 1,000 signatures temporarily halted the development, but in October 2021 a full council meeting, led by Conservative councillors, voted to destroy the gardens and build the car park.
Stop The Chop was a peaceful campaign run by community group Protect Newark’s Green Spaces. The mission was to protect the beautiful wildlife from being destroyed by a soulless, concrete car park. But on Remembrance Day that November, council workers arrived to start work. They constructed a 7ft steel barricade and warned protestors they risked arrest if they stayed within the compound.
The story of Newark folk sleeping under the trees to protect them made headline news locally and nationally, with support from prominent names including David Attenborough, Chris Packham and Newark-raised Matt Haig, bestselling author.
With fears growing that the felling was imminent, an NSDC councillor entered the compound, followed by the press, and announced that the trees and garden could be saved, subject to a council vote. The rest is history.
The now.
Friends of Library Garden was formed shortly after the gardens were saved, with the ethos of creating an alternative future for the garden. In this spirit of hope, the gardens have become a tranquil space bursting with native wildflowers, supporting nature and wildlife. At last count, there were 56 species of flora, 14 species of birds and mammals including muntjac, fox, bats and squirrels along with countless butterflies, moths and insects.
The garden has a beautiful pond to encourage amphibians, aquatic insects and pollinators, alongside a wormery to produce rich compost and liquid fertiliser, and a composting area. Recent projects include building willow arches provided by friends from Farndon Willow Holt, a visit from U3A Newark, and a Sunday Yoga session delivered for the garden volunteers.
The future.
The Garden can be booked via NSDC District Council for events, and new volunteers are always welcome to join the Friends of Library Garden. You can also get involved in our new project, Barnby Road Community Park, which has just had the green light from Newark Town Council.
Library Garden Gallery
