Young people in Bawtry sought to pen essays on town's history for new competition

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The Bawtry Heritage Group is looking for new stories telling the story of the town to tie in with an arts festival this summer.

A BHG spokesman said: “We are looking to our young people to pick up the challenge to research, write and submit an historical story relevant to Bawtry as part of this year’s Arts Festival Week which will run from June 17-24.

“The story can be about anything related to the history of Bawtry. It can be about a building, a group, an event, an individual, a family, or maybe a fictional story set within a real historical event.”

Young people are being urged to delve into the history of Bawtry for a new project.

Entrants will be judged across the following age ranges:

16-18yrs

11-15 yrs

and under 11yrs.

"Whatever the topic it should be prior to the year 2000,” the spokesman added.

The topic should be around 500 words for the under 11’s and between 500 and 1500 for the other age groups. Photographs and drawings can be used. Any research materials used should be listed with the entry.

Entries should be submitted by email to [email protected] with the title “ARTS COMPETITION” and include the entrant’s name and age.

Submissions can be made between 1 April 2023 and 1 June 2023.

Entries will be displayed for the public to read and comment on within Bawtry Community Library during Arts Week.

Entries will be formally judged by a panel made up of Bawtry Heritage Group Members.

The final decision regarding the best entries will be announced at the end of Arts Week.

Winning entries will be placed as permanent contributions to the heritage reference section of Bawtry Library and within the BHG website.

Individual winners will also receive a cash prize.

Bawtry, which lies south of Doncaster on the border of Nottinghamshire, was not mentioned in the Domesday Book, but appeared as Baltry in 1199 and Bautre on a 1677 map.

Originally the site of a Roman settlement on Ermine Street between Doncaster and Lincoln, around 1200, a new town was developed adjacent to the older village and a market was first recorded in 1247.

The town grew as a river port and as a local commercial centre and stopping point between Doncaster and Retford.