Placename evidence in Retford does suggest Viking settlement. Many of the streets in the centre of town are -gates, deriving from the Old Norse gata, which means street. In Retford there are streets named "Moorgate", "Bridgegate", "Chapelgate", "Churchgate" and "Carolgate". Grove Street was previously known as "Newgate" and Lidgett Lane was originally "Hildgeat" or Hildgate. The Reverend WP McFarren (1947) wrote that Bridgegate was previously spelt "Briggate" (1340) suggesting the river had a bridge from a very early date. Moorgate contains both Anglo-Saxon (AS) and Old Norse (ON) elements, deriving from AS "mor" and ON "gate". Its literal meaning is 'miry street'. This is a reference to the beck that used to cross it. (This beck was progressively contained within a culvert and is no longer visible for most of its course into the Idle.) Carolgate is derived from the ON "karla" (karl) + ON "gate". A karl was a freeman. WP McFarren (1947) also mentions a 'Kynegesgate' (Kingsgate), which is now lost. Piercy mentions Carhillgate (p. 146).