Secluded Vacation

Nottingham is a famous town mainly because of its association with the Robin Hood legend. It is also internationally known for its lace making and was the birthplace of several styles of bicycles. Nottingham was originally a section of the Mercia Kingdom in Anglo-Saxon times. Nottingham became fortified after the Vikings seized and conquered the towns and villages in the area.

Nottingham castle was built during the 11th century out of sandstone from the surrounding area. A settlement grew surrounding the castles and eventually a market square was constructed as the settlement grew into a town. This market square was very important for many centuries to come. During the 15th century Nottingham has a prosperous export trade mainly due to religious sculptures.

The textile industry was very important to Nottingham during the industrial revolution and it became know internationally as a place of excellent lace making. However because the town was planned poorly it was also known to contain some of the worst slums in the world, second only to India. As with much of the country the textile industries declined after the wars.

You can find many different architectural styles throughout Nottingham with some of the earliest form 100. An excellent example of Victorian architecture is the Theatre Royal. The Albert Hall is a good example of the Gothic revival style. Some of the famous architects that designed buildings in Nottingham include Alfred Waterhouse, Watson Fothergill and Thomas Chambers Hine. There are many ornate buildings waiting to be seen in Nottingham.

Nottingham’s market square is still one of the largest found in the United Kingdom. An important part of the market square is the council house which has some beautiful baroque columns as well as statues in the forms of lions that guard the market square. The ground floor of the main market building contains very high end boutiques and there is additional shopping along the side streets that lead away from the market square.

Hockley Village is located in the eastern section of the city and is known for its independent stores, restaurants and is considered the SoHo of Nottingham. This is a very modern part of town though there are many beautiful buildings from the 13th century.

Another spot not to be missed is the Natural History Museum which is found in the Tudor mansion of Wollaton Hall. Wollaton Hall also contains 500 acres of a deer park.

Look for hotels in Nottingham.