TOUR OVERVIEW
Our full day Mayflower Pilgrims tour starts with a visit to historic Worksop Priory, the home church of radical puritan Richard Bernard, and the birthplace of Mary Williams, who founded Rhode Island with her husband Roger. Here your guide will explain the background to the puritan revolt against the Tudor Church policy, but also tell stories of the crusades, Protestant martyrs and the legend of the Queen’s glove.
Then we visit the woodland church of Babworth, the spiritual home of the ‘Mayflower’ congregation, where Richard Clifton preached a Gospel message that drew William Brewster, William Bradford and many others to hear him – breaking the law of the time. We visit Scrooby, William Brewster’s home, and a puritan church for many years before the turbulent events of 1607-8 drove the ‘Separatists’ out of England. Sit in the church where Brewster repeated Clifton’s sermons and view the remains of his manor house. Next we visit Austerfield, Bradford’s home, to see the ancient church of St Helena and its beautiful ‘Pilgrim’ windows, the font where he was christened and his manor house.
Next we travel to Gainsborough to stand on the riverside, from which the Pilgrim women and children set off by boat on their journey to Amsterdam, Leiden and America. Here John Smyth has his own congregation and we visit the medieval Old Hall where, 150 years later, another rebellious cleric preached – John Wesley. If schedule permits, we can also call in at Sturton-le-Steeple – an extraordinary village that within a few years gave birth to the martyr John Lassells, to John Smyth the founder of the English Baptists, and to John Robinson – ‘pastor of the Pilgrims.’

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS

SCROOBY CHURCH AND MANOR
HOME OF WILLIAM BREWSTER
William Brewster lived at Scrooby Manor and made the local church a centre of nonconformist Christian worship that was often illegal by the law of the times. Discover how he did this for years before Scrooby itself was briefly home for the Babworth congregation before they left for the Netherlands. See the ancient curate’s house and the remains of Brewster’s home.

HISTORIC GAINSBOROUGH
THE DEPARTURE OF THE PILGRIMS
Gainsborough was home to John Smyth’s separatists and the place from which the Pilgrims left to escape to the Netherlands. Stand on the riverside from which they departed and then visit the Old Hall, a glorious medieval house where Wesley preached.

WORKSOP PRIORY
HISTORIC PURITAN CHURCH
Founded in the 11th Century, the historic Priory is a great way to understand England’s Christian history involving monks, Crusaders, Protestant martyrs and the great puritan writer, Richard Bernard. You’ll also see where Mary Bernard, wife of Roger Williams (Rhode Island) was born.





TOUR DETAILS AND PRICING
WHATS INCLUDED IN THE TOUR
Tour Guide all day for visits to Worksop, Babworth, Scrooby, Austerfield, Gainsborough and Sturton.
Please note that some churches may charge an entry fee; we will advise about this at time of booking.
LOCAL EXCURSIONS & EXPERIENCES
We can arrange additional local excursions & experiences as part of your tour. Please ask for details & prices when you make your booking enquiry.
For this tour we recommend you finish the tour with Choral Evensong at Lincoln Cathedral. This includes free entry to Europe’s greatest cathedral and provides a fascinating contrast to what you will have learnt about puritans and separatists during the day. Our guide will also take you to Lincoln.
Other special experiences:
Cream Tea at Hodsock Priory
Traditional English Bell Ringing
Real Ale Beer Tasting
Antiques Market
Sherwood Forest 'Red Bus' Tour

BOOKING DETAILS
Price:
Full Day of approx 6-7hrs charged at hourly rates: £20 an hour up to four people, £25 an hour up to 12, £55 an hour for coach parties.. Plus Entrance To Gainsborough Old Hall if required - around £7 per head.
Churches – donations or entry fees are applicable, assume around £3 per head.
Itinerary Duration:
6 Hours
Transport:
Transport not included but can be arranged.
Pickup Location:
Retford or locations within 25 miles; main line stations at Newark, Retford, Doncaster or Lincoln
Group Size:
Any size between individual and coach. Maximum of 25 is preferable, but more can be managed.
Refreshments & Meals:
Lunch and afternoon cream tea etc can be included as an addition. Please allow around £7-£10 a head depending on requirements.
Accessibility:
Some old churches have limited accessibility.
Fitness Level:
Low, but note that access to some buildings requires use of steps.
Advanced Booking:
Min. of 7 days advance booking. Winter bookings possible but sites are unheated and some lack electricity.
Travel Trade Information:
We offer a commissionable rate for travel trade.
BOOKING ENQUIRY
Please use the form to tell us a little more about your plans including dates and group numbers and we will be happy to create a sample tour itinerary and budget. Most of our tours are offered on a full or half day. And we can combine tours to create a 1,2,3 or 4 day tour to suit your schedule.
We will arrange transport, accommodation and additional day and evening events if required. Look forward to hearing from you.
Or give us a call on +44 (0)7470 366689