Nottingham Things to Do

A monthly farmers and craft market is very popular. It stretches over 3 or 4 days so you can fill up on Jamaican patties one day and paella the next. In 2010 the Christmas market theme is 'Dickens', this jostles for space with the ice-rink so creates a busy festive atmosphere.

I always warn visitors that the castle wall is all that remains of the original fortification , don't expect something matching Warwick or Caernarfon!! However what it does have is the first ever museum and gallery that was open to the general public . It was created in the Victorian era and is still going strong, owning some lovely art and craft and hosting regular exhibitions. Currently the ground floor has a Robin Hood exhibit relating to the Russell Crowe film.
The grounds are lovely especially in Spring, the cafe and terrace is great. A ticket for the castle also entitles you to visit the Brewhouse museum below it's walls.

I have seen 3 exhibitions now at Nottingham's new modern art gallery (because it's free!!)and they have all been interesting or disturbing. Themes included; the space race from an east european perspective and economic disparity. The latest exhibition had paintings by Gert and Uwe Tobias that are very unsettling but what we loved, including my 10 month old, were the photos by New York photographer Diane Arbus plus having our lunch on the downstairs cafe's terrace. Our french fries were served in recycled tins and the burger on slabs of slate, the cakes and coffee were delicious.
The building is on the edge of the Lace Market district and if you look carefully the exterior concrete is imprinted with a lace pattern. Unfortunately I don't like the brassy coloured metal covering most of the roof but at least they've tried to do something interesting architecturally.

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1. This interesting building belonged to a firm of architects

2. A modern glass fronted building reflects older buildings in the mirror glass

3. and 4. Severns- is one of 3 surviving mediaeval buildings in Nottingham .
It originally stood on Middle Pavement to the east of the entrance to Broadmarsh Centre. It was dismantled and reassembled here about 1969-70.
The roof is original, and tiled. The frame is wooden and would have been filled with lime pebble covered hesian as a core. More information is available on the building itself.

5. Brew House Yard: a museum of old Nottingham life

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The parkland is extensive and even has deer park though we didn't see any. Behind the Hall and Green house in the distance is the lake. The greenhouse is the oldest metal-framed greenhouse. There was not much to see but camelia shrubs. Outside , however, was a blaze of colour

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Woollaton Hall was built by Lord Middleton. It was one of the grandest and most expensive stately houses of the day.
Alterations have been made several times since.
The great hall is interesting and part of the salon is furnished, but without contemporary furniture much is left to the imagination. Audio-visual guides telling a story are in some of the rooms.
Copies of family portraits adorn the walls of The Dining room.
Upstairs is the Natural History Collection, the Willoughby room, the African Wildlife Gallery, Insect Gallery and Mineral Gallery. Entry is free.

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Everyone has probably heard of Robin Hood who stole from the rich to help the poor and lived an outlaw in Sherwood Forest. His band of men included Little John, Friar Tuck, Will Scarlett, Maid Marian, Alan a Dale and others. His arch enemy was the Sheriff of Nottingham.
Inside the castle walls is a jousting yard, and outside are statues of Robin and has followers.

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When we visited there was all the hype about the latest Hollywood blockbuster of Robin Hood starring Russell Crowe, who was in town for a special preview. Posters were everywhere, so we decided to just wander around the castle rather than see the special exhibition.
I learned that this castle is fairly recent, having been built long after the earlier castle had been demolished in 1651 at the end of the Civil War. In 1674 the Duke of Newcastle built a magnificent mansion. In 1831 locals angered by the $th duk's opposition to a Reform Act, set vfire to the mansion, and the 1st Duke's statue above the door was smashed by rioters