Nottingham is a city and unitary authority area in Nottinghamshire, East Midlands, England. It is located 42 miles (68 km) south-east of Sheffield and 54 miles (87 km) north-east of Birmingham. Nottingham is the legendary home of Robin Hood’s belligerent Sheriff of Nottingham, and is historically associated with the lace-making, bicycle and tobacco industries
Our visit to Nottingham was a short one, we were on the way back from Birmingham outlet mall and decide to pop in. We didn’t do much in Birmingham just shop in the mall.
Parking wasn’t a problem as there were lots of underground parking, so it was easy to find on google maps.
We came out on one the street and a short walk later we were crossing the Tram tracks and end up in the courtyard of the Nottingham Council House, which is the city hall of Nottingham, England. The 200 feet (61 m) high dome that rises above the city is the centrepiece of the skyline and presides over the Old Market Square, which is also referred to as the “City Centre”.
On our visit the Council House was under renovation, so we just admired the buildings architecture from outside. Taking a few pictures and watching the tram pass up and down. There were a lot of people in the courtyard, just hanging out, some feeing the pigeons.
From the courtyard we proceed west where we came up to the Nottingham Castle, which is a Stuart Restoration-era ducal mansion in Nottingham, England, built on the site of a Norman castle built starting in 1068, and added to extensively through the medieval period, when it was an important royal fortress and occasional royal residence. In decline by the 16th century, the original castle, except for its walls and gates, was demolished after the English Civil War in 1651. The site occupies a commanding position on a natural promontory known as “Castle Rock” which dominates the city skyline, with cliffs 130 feet (40 m) high to the south and west.
As you walk south down Castle Road along the castle you will encounter the Robin Hood Statue.
Robin Hood is a legendary heroic outlaw originally depicted in English folklore and subsequently featured in literature, theatre, and cinema. According to legend, he was a highly skilled archer and swordsman. In some versions of the legend, he is depicted as being of noble birth, and in modern retellings he is sometimes depicted as having fought in the Crusades before returning to England to find his lands taken by the Sheriff of Nottingham.
Passed the statue you will come upon a pub, which supposed to be one of the oldest in England. Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem is a Grade II listed public house in Nottingham, England, which claims to be the oldest in the country. The building rests against Castle Rock, upon which Nottingham Castle is built, and is attached to several caves, carved out of the soft sandstone.
If you love Robin Hood and looking to learn the history this is the city to visit.
You can see more photos of Nottingham here.