Nottingham Travel Guide

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Nottingham

High Pavement, Lace Market

The historic county town of Nottingham, situated on the River Trent in England's East Midlands, is universally known as the home of the world's first 'superhero', the legendary Robin Hood, who robbed the rich to give to the poor. Today historians have cast doubt on whether Robin actually existed, and if he did, whether he did indeed live in Sherwood Forest near the city, and do battle with the wicked Sheriff of Nottingham, as the much-vaunted legend has it.

What is not in doubt is that Robin has done much to promote tourism in this ancient city, which boasts another, very real, unique attraction in the form of a system of sandstone caves beneath the city, used as dwellings by Anglo-Saxons and later as the medieval hang-out of thieves and vagabonds, and bomb shelters during World War II.

Above ground Nottingham is a pleasant, busy English town, equipped with an impressively large Market Square and thriving shopping streets around the site of its central Castle Rock, which is now topped with a Ducal Mansion, the original castle having been destroyed. Nottingham is also renowned for its 'watering holes', three of the local pubs claiming to be England's oldest (The Bell, Old Salutation and Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem).

From an Anglo Saxon settlement founded around 600 AD, Nottingham developed into an important commercial capital for the region during the Middle Ages, and then went on to become one of England's major manufacturing cities, producing top quality Victorian lace and hosiery. Today it is saved from being just another heterogeneous English county capital by its legends and unique attractions, making it a city well worth including on the itinerary of any tour of the British Isles.

Attractions

Laundry room at Brewhouse Yard © Jo Jakeman

Brewhouse Yard Museum

The Brewhouse Yard Museum, housed in five 17th century cottages in central Nottingham, depicts the social history of the city during the past 300 years. Visitors can experience life in a reconstructed Victorian home, various shop settings, and browse through a row of 1920s... see full details

Medieval Tannery © Mutt

City of Caves

A system of man-made caves carved into the sandstone beneath the city of Nottingham has been developed into a modern award-winning attraction. Anglo-Saxons, whose lifestyle is depicted with dramatic presentations for visitors who come to explore Nottingham's 'underworld', originally inhabited... see full details

Nottingham Castle and bridge © alistairmcmillan

Ducal Mansion (Nottingham Castle)

Towering over the city centre of Nottingham is a magnificent 17th-century mansion, built on a sandstone outcrop on the site of the original medieval castle erected by William the Conqueror in 1067. The Castle building now houses the city's fine art collections, and a... see full details

Adam's building, Lace Market

Lace Market Centre

Nottingham's Lace Market Centre is situated in the heart of a protected heritage area of the city which has undergone exciting regeneration in recent years, the old Victorian warehouses in the area having been turned into stylish residential units and trendy bars or restaurants.... see full details

Excursions

Cresswell Crags

A short distance from the M1 motorway near Nottingham is an ancient limestone gorge, honeycombed with caves, where archaeologists have found traces of Ice Age inhabitants who lived here up to 50,000 years ago. Cresswell Crags is a rare site, featuring Britain's only known... see full details

Sherwood Forest

Accessed by the A614 highway, Sherwood Forest makes a great getaway close to Nottingham city. Rather reduced from the green splendour it evinced in the days of Robin Hood, Sherwood Forest is nevertheless as ecologically important and interesting as it is historically. Around 500,000... see full details

Events

British F1 Grand Prix

From 2010 the British F1 Grand Prix will be held at Donington Park, the iconic East Midlands circuit which last hosted the Grand Prix of Europe in 1993. The Parkland will undergo massive re-development to ensure Donington Park becomes a focal point for motorsport... see full details

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