Visit Nottingham Places

Welcome to Visit Nottingham Places
The Walkfo guide to things to do & explore in Nottingham

  

Nottingham Places Overview: History, Culture & Facts about Nottingham

---

Nottingham history

---

Nottingham Castle was constructed in 1068 on a sandstone outcrop by the River Leen. The Anglo-Saxon settlement was originally confined to the area today known as the Lace Market and was surrounded by a substantial defensive ditch and rampart, which fell out of use following the Norman Conquest and was filled by the time of the Domesday Survey (1086). Following the Norman Conquest the Saxon settlement developed into the English Borough of Nottingham and housed a Town Hall and Law Courts. A settlement also developed around the castle on the hill opposite and was the French borough supporting the Normans in the castle. Eventually, the space between was built on as the town grew and the Old Market Square became the focus of Nottingham several centuries later. Defences consisted initially of a ditch and bank in the early 12th century. The ditch was later widened, in the mid-13th century, and a stone wall built around much of the perimeter of the town. A short length of the wall survives, and is visible at the northern end of Maid Marian Way, and is protected as a Scheduled Monument. On the return of Richard the Lionheart from the Crusades, the castle was occupied by supporters of Prince John, including the Sheriff of Nottingham. It was besieged by Richard and, after a sharp conflict, was captured. In the legends of Robin Hood, Nottingham Castle is the scene of the final showdown between the Sheriff and the hero outlaw. By the 15th century Nottingham had established itself as a centre of a thriving export trade in religious sculpture made from Nottingham alabaster. The town became a county corporate in 1449 giving it effective self-government, in the words of the charter, “for eternity”. The Castle and Shire Hall were expressly excluded and remained as detached Parishes of Nottinghamshire. One of those highly impressed by Nottingham in the late 18th century was the German traveller C. P. Moritz, who wrote in 1782, “Of all the towns I have seen outside London, Nottingham is the loveliest and neatest. Everything had a modern look, and a large space in the centre was hardly less handsome than a London square. A charming footpath leads over the fields to the highway, where a bridge spans the Trent. … Nottingham … with its high houses, red roofs and church steeples, looks excellent from a distance.” During the Industrial Revolution, much of Nottingham’s prosperity was founded on the textile industry; in particular, the city became an internationally important centre of lace manufacture. In 1831 citizens rioted in protest against the Duke of Newcastle’s opposition to the Reform Act 1832, setting fire to his residence on the site of Nottingham Castle. In common with the UK textile industry, Nottingham’s textile sector fell into decline in the decades following World War II. Little textile manufacture now takes place in Nottingham; however, many of the former industrial buildings in the Lace Market district have been restored and put to new uses. Nottingham was one of the boroughs reformed by the Municipal Corporations Act 1835, and at that time consisted of the parishes of St Mary, St Nicholas and St Peter. It was expanded in 1877 by adding the parishes of Basford, Brewhouse Yard, Bulwell, Radford, Sneinton, Standard Hill, and parts of the parishes of West Bridgford, Carlton, Wilford (North Wilford). In 1889 Nottingham became a county borough under the Local Government Act 1888. City status was awarded as part of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations of Queen Victoria, being signified in a letter from the prime minister, the Marquess of Salisbury to the mayor, dated 18 June 1897. Nottingham was extended in 1933 by adding Bilborough and Wollaton, parts of the parishes of Bestwood Park and Colwick, and a recently developed part of the Beeston Urban District. A further boundary extension was granted in 1951 when Clifton and Wilford (south of the River Trent) were incorporated into the city. Electric trams were introduced to the city in 1901; they served the city for 35 years until 1936. Trams were reintroduced after 68 years when a new network opened in 2004. In the sporting world, Nottingham is home to the world’s oldest professional football club, Notts County, which was formed in 1862. The town’s other football club, Nottingham Forest, had a period of success between 1977 and 1993 under manager Brian Clough, winning the First Division, four League Cups, a UEFA Super Cup and two European Cups. During this time Forest signed Trevor Francis, Britain’s first £1 million footballer, who joined the club in February 1979 from Birmingham City. The city was the site of race riots in 1958, centred on the St Ann’s neighbourhood. During the second half of the 20th century Nottingham saw urban growth with the development of new public and private housing estates and new urban centres, which have engulfed former rural villages such as Bilborough, Wollaton, Gedling and Bramcote. South of the river there has also been expansion with new areas such as Edwalton and West Bridgford, adding to Nottingham’s urban sprawl. Although this growth slowed towards the end of the century, the modern pressures for more affordable and council housing is back on the political agenda and there is now pressure on the green belt which surrounds the city.

Nottingham culture & places

Theatres and cinemas

Nottingham has two large-capacity theatres, the Nottingham Playhouse and the Theatre Royal . Independent cinemas include the Arthouse Broadway Cinema in Hockley and the Savoy Cinema .

Galleries and museums

The city contains several notable museums and art galleries including the National Justice Museum . The National Videogame Arcade was opened in 2015 in the Hockley area of the city; being “the UK’s first cultural centre for videogames”

Music and entertainment

Nottingham has several large music and entertainment venues including the Royal Concert Hall, Rock City and Nottingham Arena . City Ground played host to rock band R.E.M with Idlewild and The Zutons supporting in 2005, the first time a concert had been staged at the football stadium . Wollaton Park in Nottingham hosts an annual family-friendly music event called Splendour .

Annual events

The city has hosted an Asian Mela every summer since about 1989 . The city is particularly famous for its annual Goose Fair, a travelling funfair . Nottinghamshire Pride has organised an annual pride parade since the late 1990s .

Arts and crafts

The Hockley Arts Market runs alongside Sneinton Market . The market will be held at the same time as the Sneinton Art Market in Sneinton .

Food and drink

There are more than three hundred restaurants in Nottingham, with several AA rosette winners . Ibérico World Tapas was awarded a Bib Gourmand in the 2013 Michelin Guide . There are also two Michelin-starred restaurants: Alchemilla in the city centre and Restaurant Sat Bains with Rooms .

Tourism

Nottingham was ranked number one for the ‘Best Value City Break’ in August 2017 by TripAdvisor . Sherwood Forest County Park is a Natural Nature Reserve spanning 450 acres in the county of Nottinghamshire only 17 miles north of the city . The Robin Hood Pageant takes place in Nottingham each year and has been rebranded Robin Hood Live for 2020 .

People

Many local businesses and organisations use the worldwide fame of Robin Hood to promote their brands . The friendly term of greeting “Ay-up me duck” is a humorous example of the local dialect .

Miscellaneous

Nottingham has featured in a number of fictional works . Nottingham has been a popular destination for many of the world’s most famous novels . The city has also featured in several other fictional works, including the fictional Nottingham Castle .

Nottingham economy & business

Enterprise zone

In March 2011, the government announced the creation of Nottingham Enterprise Zone, an enterprise zone sited on part of the Boots Estate . In March 2012, Nottingham Science Park, Beeston Business Park and Nottingham Medipark were added to the zone . In December 2014, the zone was expanded again to include Infinity Park Derby, a planned business park for aerospace, rail and automotive technology adjacent to the Rolls-Royce site in Sinfin .

Creative Quarter

The Creative Quarter is a project started by Nottingham City Council as part of the Nottingham City Deal . Centred on the east of the city (including the Lace Market, Hockley, Broadmarsh East and BioCity) The project aims at creating growth and jobs .

You can visit Nottingham places with Walkfo Nottingham to hear history at Nottingham’s places whilst walking around using the free digital tour app. Walkfo Nottingham has 267 places to visit in our interactive Nottingham map, with amazing history, culture & travel facts you can explore the same way you would at a museum or art gallery with information audio headset. With Walkfo, you can travel by foot, bike or bus throughout Nottingham, being in the moment, without digital distraction or limits to a specific walking route. Our historic audio walks, National Trust interactive audio experiences, digital tour guides for English Heritage locations are available at Nottingham places, with a AI tour guide to help you get the best from a visit to Nottingham & the surrounding areas.

“Curated content for millions of locations across the UK, with 267 audio facts unique to Nottingham places in an interactive Nottingham map you can explore.”

Walkfo: Visit Nottingham Places Map
267 tourist, history, culture & geography spots

---

–

Nottingham historic spots	Nottingham tourist destinations	Nottingham plaques	Nottingham geographic features
Walkfo Nottingham tourism map key: places to see & visit like National Trust sites, Blue Plaques, English Heritage locations & top tourist destinations in Nottingham

  

Best Nottingham places to visit

---

Nottingham has places to explore by foot, bike or bus. Below are a selection of the varied Nottingham’s destinations you can visit with additional content available at the Walkfo Nottingham’s information audio spots:

Players Bonded Warehouses (Nottingham) Players Bonded Warehouses are a major former group of warehouses in Nottingham which were used by John Player & Sons for bonded storage of tobacco . The buildings were completed in 1939, and were in use until operations ceased in 2016 . The site was purchased by the University of Nottingham, with demolition beginning in summer 2017 .

St Peter’s Church, Radford St Peter’s Church, Radford is a parish church in Radford, Nottingham . Address: 171 Hartley Rd, Nottingham NG7 3DW, UK (St.Peter’s Park)

New Art Exchange New Art Exchange is a contemporary art gallery in Nottingham’s Hyson Green neighborhood . It represents contexts of Black, Asian, and minority ethnic artists and communities . The organisation formed as a charity in 2003 .

Sumac Centre The Sumac Centre is a self-managed social centre in Nottingham, UK . It provides resources, meeting spaces and workshops for groups and individuals . It is part of the UK Social Centre Network and radical catering group Veggies is based there .

Nottingham Crown Court Nottingham Crown Court is a Crown Court and High Court of Justice in Nottingham, England . It is also known as the High Court, High Court and Crown of Justice, Nottingham .

Shipstones Brewery James Shipstone & Sons was a brewery in New Basford, Nottingham, England, that opened in 1852 and closed in 1991. The brewery opened in 1852 and was closed in 1991.

Carrington Baptist Church, Nottingham Carrington Baptist Church was a Baptist church on Sherbrooke Road, Carrington, Nottingham which was opened in 1883. It was located in Carrington.

Church of St John the Evangelist, Carrington St. John the Evanglist, Carrington is a parish church in Carrington, Nottingham. The church is Grade II listed by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport as it is a building of special architectural or historic interest.

St Ann’s Church, Nottingham St. Ann’s Church was a Church of England church in Nottingham between 1864 and 1971. The church was located on St. Ann’s Well Road between the ages of 1864 and 1971.

St Catharine’s Church, Nottingham St Catharine’s Church, Nottingham, was a parish church in the Church of England in Nottingham. The church was built in the 18th century.

Visit Nottingham plaques