Newark /ˈnjuːək/ is a market town in Nottinghamshire in the East Midlands of England. It stands on the River Trent, the A1 (on the route of the ancient Great North Road), and the East Coast Main Line railway. The origins of the town are possibly Roman as it lies on an important Roman road, the Fosse Way. The town grew around Newark Castle, now ruined, and a large marketplace, now lined with historic buildings. It was a local centre for the wool and cloth trade. In the English Civil War, it was besieged by Parliamentary forces and had to be relieved by Prince Rupert in a battle known as the Relief of Newark.