PJE's A-Z (Nottingham in General)

Member Name: pje

Product:	Nottingham in General
Date:	02/09/01 (605 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: The best city in the world and a great place to go shopping.

Disadvantages: Statistically the most violent city in England outside London. But if you ask me, those statisticians need a bloody good kicking.

A is for the ARBORETUM
`````````'''''''&# 39;'''''' ;'''''''''' ;''
An oasis of tranquility to the north-west of the city centre.
Trees, grass, duck-ponds and an aviary. A lovely place for a stroll
or a picnic, and a nice gentle place to start an opinion about Nottingham -
the fastest growing city in the country, so I'm told.

Along the way I will drop in a few true or false questions to tease you. Like this easy one...

TRUE OR FALSE:
Nottingham was originally called Snotingham (the home of the Snots) ?

I will also illustrate each entry with a web-link or two, most of which are much more interesting than this one:

http://www.york.ac.uk/depts/arch/landscapes/uk pg/sites/nottingh.htm
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B is for BOOTS
``````'''''''' ''''''
The founder of Boots the Chemists - Jesse Boot - was born in Nottingham in 1850. His father died when he was ten years old, so he left school at thirteen to help his mother run the family's herbalist shop on Goosegate.

The second most famous Nottingham philanthropist (after Robin Hood) Jesse kept his prices low for the benefit of his local, poor customers.
It soon became one of the busiest shops in Nottingham, and expanded into an empire of more than 500 shops across the country making him rich. He toyed with the idea of building a model village (like Bournville or Port Sunlight) but after he sold Boots to an American in 1920, he chose to use the land as a magnificent and beautiful campus for Nottingham University.

Few people have done as much good for their home town as Jesse Boot (later Lord Trent of Nottingham) did for Nottingham.

http://www.boots-plc.com/history/CompanyHistor y.asp
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C is for CAVES
``````'''''''' ''''''
There is an extensive network of man-made caves beneath Nottingham.
The Broad Marsh Shopping Centre is the starting point for a forty minute audio tour of some of them, and you can also view the caves underneath Nottingham Castle. Of course, C should have been for Castle, but I hope to post a separate op on the castle (if I ever finish it).

http://www.aboutbritain.com/CavesOfNottingham. htm
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D is for D.H. LAWRENCE
``````'''''''' ''''''&# 39;'''''''''&# 39;''''' 9;'''
The son of a miner and a school-teacher, David Herbert Lawrence - novelist, playwright, poet and artist - was born at 8A Victoria Street, Eastwood (about seven miles north-west of the city centre) on the 11th
of September 1885. His works include Sons and Lovers, Women In Love
and the notorious Lady Chatterley's Lover. Not that I'm trying to suggest he had a one-track mind you understand...

TRUE OR FALSE:
His lover, Frieda, was a cousin of the Red Baron (Manfred von Richthofen)?
TRUE OR FALSE:
After Lawrence died, Frieda had his ashes mixed in with some concrete
and used to make her a new mantelpiece?

http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/english/research/d hlawrence/index.html
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E is for the EMBANKMENT
`````````'''''''&# 39;'''''' ;'''''''''' ;'''''
The Victoria Embankment stretches between Trent Bridge and the Clifton Suspension Bridge (which is, admittedly not quite as impressive as the one in Bristol). The river is inhabited by swans, ge
ese and ducks despite being a horrible brown colour.

Tthe annual Remembrance Day ceremony takes place at the War Memorial Gateway on the Embankment, and nearby are the Memorial Gardens, wherein you can find a statue of Queen Victoria not looking amused.
This is also land donated to the people of Nottingham by Sir Jesse Boot.

The Embankment is also the venue for the Riverside Festival featuring music from around the world, stalls selling quality craftwork of all kinds and steam organs. This usually takes place in late July or early August:

http://www.nottinghamevents.org/riverside/inde x.html

It is also the venue for the Nottingham Green Festival in September:

http://www.nottinghamevents.org/news&offers/gr een_fest.html
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F is for FOOTBALL TEAMS
``````'''''''' ''''''&# 39;'''''''''&# 39;''''' 9;'''''
Two of. Separated by the River Trent, and one league division usually.
Forest who were the best football team in Europe in 1979 & 1980, and Notts. County, the oldest club in the league (make your own joke here). Both are usually boracic.

Meadow Lane is just off London Road not far from the railway station, whereas the City Ground is on the West Bridgford side of the river,
just across the road from Trent Bridge cricket ground.

TRUE OR FALSE:
Notts. County played football at Trent Bridge cricket ground until 1910
and one of the stands was later floated across the river to Meadow Lane?
http://www.nottinghamforest.co.uk/home/view/ho me_page/

http://www.nottscountyfc.co.uk/
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G is for GOOSE FAIR
``````'''''''' ''''''&# 39;'''''''&#
39;'''
Toffee apples, candy floss, mushy peas, big wheels, helter skelters,
ghost trains, dodgems, roundabouts, hook-a-duck stalls, cuddly toys...

The biggest travelling fair in the country. Woohoo!

Traditionally it is opened by the Lord Mayor ringing a bell at noon on the first Thursday in October and closes at 11:30pm the following Saturday (although these days it also opens on the Wednesday evening from 6pm).
The first Goose Fair was held in 1294, and was for the sale of livestock.
No-one is quite sure why it is called the Goose Fair, but certainly geese would have been sold there, in time to be fattened up for Christmas.
It originally took place in the Old Market Square, but in 1928 it was moved to the Forest Recreation Ground just to the north-west of the city centre. It's always VERY crowded, and usually muddy. (The local expression "proper Goose Fair weather" means "it's p***ing it down.")

I remember feeling so sad, tucked up in bed on the Saturday night, knowing that the fair was over for a whole year. Just like Boxing Day
or the end of Big Brother...

http://www.nottinghamgoosefair.co.uk/
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H is for HOLME PIERREPONT
``````'''''''' ''''''&# 39;'''''''''&# 39;''''' 9;''''''''' 9;'
To the east of the city, across the river from Colwick Country Park
and Nottingham Racecourse, the village of Holme Pierrepont is the
home of the National Watersports Centre, with some of the best watersports facilities in the country, including a 2000 metre rowing
course. But, er, don't drink the water (there have been complaints…)
It will surely be an integral part of any bid by Nottingham to host
the Olympic Games. No, don
't laugh, all we need is a big new stadium,
more hotels and to be run by a murderous authoritarian regime.

http://www.nationalsportscentres.co.uk/hpp/hpp .htm
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I is for the new ICE ARENA
```````````` '''''''''' ''''''&# 39;''''''
If Nottingham hadn't already been on the map, Torvill & Dean would certainly have put us there with their gold-medal-winning ice-dance routine in the 1980s:- Mack and Mabel, Barnum and... *that* Bolero!
Who can forget the sight of a row of perfect marks? (Fortunately none
of those judges docked marks for the routine not being long enough.)
Fittingly, Nottingham is now home to the National Ice Centre which opened last year. The Arena now gives Nottingham a large concert
venue to attract the big names of the music world as well. Like Westlife.

The Ice Arena is on Lower Parliament Street, at the end of London Road as you enter the city from the south (via Trent Bridge).

6.0 6.0 6.0 6.0 6.0 6.0 6.0 6.0

http://www.nottingham-arena.co.uk/home.shtml
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J is for JUSTICE
````` '''''''''' ''''''&# 39;
Voted visitor attraction of the year, the motto of The Galleries of Justice is "Feel the Fear!" Here you can travel back in time and see, hear and smell the way justice was meted out in previous centuries, including a Victorian trial. You can also try to solve a murder from clues left at the scene of the crime.

The Galleries of Justice is situated on High Pavement in the Lace Market, on a site which has housed courtrooms since 1375, and prison cells since 1449. It is open between 10am to 4pm, Tuesday to Sunday and Mondays during school holidays, but it costs. £6.95 for adults
and £4.95 for children. A family ticket will set you back £22.95.

http://www.galleriesofjustice.org.uk/
http://www.aboutbritain.com/GalleriesOfJustice .htm
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K is for KIDS
``````'''''''' ''
Of course there aren't as many chimneys as there used to be,
so finding ways to keep the young 'uns busy can be trying...

If you visit Nottingham at the end of the first week in October, Goose Fair is a must. Otherwise I suggest a tour of the following attractions all within easy walking distance of each other: the Tales of Robin Hood, the Castle, Brewhouse Yard Museum, the Broadmarsh caves and (if you can afford it) the Galleries of Justice. For more ideas check out the link below:

http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/town/square/ga42/ kids/kidsnott.html
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L is for LACE
````` '''''''''' '
Nottingham has a worldwide reputation for making lace.
The area called the Lace Market is at the eastern end of the city centre. Not really my cup of tea, but if you are interested in that sort of stuff, some places worth visiting are:- the Lace Museum on Castle Road,
the Museum of Costume Textiles on Castle Gate, and the Lace Market Centre on High Pavement. You can also take the 'Lace Market Trail'
by hiring an "audio wand" for £1.95. Admission to the exhibition is free.

http://www.nottinghamlace.org/
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M is for the ironically named MAID MARIAN WAY
`````````````````````` '''''''''' ''''''&# 39;'''''''''&# 39;''''' 9;''''''
Described as the ugliest street in Europe, it cuts a swathe
through the western side of the city centre, disconnecting the Castle from the Old Market Square. It is a shocking remnant of the 1960's cars and concrete approach towards town planning. There is talk of sinking it underground, but talk is as cheap as concrete was.

http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/nigel _h/aerial.htm
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N is for NEWSTEAD ABBEY
``````'''''''' ''''''&# 39;'''''''''&# 39;''''' 9;'''''''
OK, I'm stretching it a little here - the ancestral home of the legendary 19th century romantic poet Lord Byron is at Ravenshead about twelve miles north of the city, but it is well worth a mention.

Lord George Gordon Noel Byron is a national hero in Greece, having fought alongside the Greek people in their quest for independence from Turkey. Famously described as being "mad, bad and dangerous to know" by Lady Caroline Lamb, his scandalous lifestyle (leaving his wife to have an affair with his half-sister for example) made Byron the Eminem of his day.

There will soon be a Hollywood movie about Byron, starring Johnny Depp.

TRUE OR FALSE:
Byron had a club foot shaped like a cloven hoof?

Newstead Abbey is open to the public from April to September inclusive, from noon until 5pm (but no admittance after 4pm) Admission is £4 for adults (£2 concessions) and £1.50 for children. (Family tickets are £10).
You can even get married there if you want.

Newstead Abbey is just off the A60, and near junction 27 of the M1.

http://www.newsteadabbey.org.uk/
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O is for the OLD MARKET SQUARE
````````` '''''''''' ''''''&# 39;''''''
9;'''''''''&# 39;'''''' ''''
The centre of Nottingham, affectionately known as Slab Square.
It's the biggest market square in Britain, covering 5.5 acres,
with shops and bars all round; and if you look up, some unusually
detailed buildings, designed by the architect Watson Fothergill, sandwiched between crass modern buildings.

The Council House, with its 200ft high dome, stands at the eastern
end of the square and was designed by Cecil Howitt in 1929.
Inside the dome is a ten-and-a-half ton bell known as Little John (geddit?)which strikes once at a quarter past the hour, twice at half-past,
three times at a quarter-to and chimes out the hours in full.

Confucius said that there are two ways to see the world: the first is to travel, the second is to stay where you are and watch the world go by.
The same is true here, if you wait by one of the two stone lions at the front of the Council House, it is said that sooner or later everyone in Nottingham will pass by.

http://www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/coun/c_house_ guide/default.asp


and I can't talk about the Old Market Square without mentioning...
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P is for PIGEONS and PENSIONERS
``````'''''''' ''''''&# 39;'''' ``` '''''''''' ''''''&# 39;'''''''''&# 39;
Traditionally, the Old Market Square is full of pigeons and pensioners.
They waddle around unsteadily on two thin, knobbly legs, mimicking human beings, getting in everyone's way scavenging for scraps of food. Controversially, the council hired a pigeon-hawk to try and cull some
last year, but it wasn't a pretty site.

If you enjoy some of the more bizarre c
ommentaries on dooyoo ops
you might also enjoy the pigeon debate on BBC's Nottingham website,
which has some <ahem> *funny* suggestions from all over the world:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/nottingham/speakout/pigeo n.shtml
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Q is for the QUEEN'S MEDICAL CENTRE
````````` '''''''''' ''''''&# 39;'''''''''&# 39;''''' 9;''''''''' 9;'''''' ;'''''''
Well, what can I say about a hospital? Give me a break, I needed a Q, OK?
It's a big hospital with an international reputation. The Prince of Wales sometimes comes here when he's broken something falling orf his horse, or when his son has been brained by a golf club.

http://www.nhsetrent.gov.uk/trent/trusts/nuhnt .htm
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R is for ROBIN HOOD (inevitably)
``````'''''''' ''''''&# 39;'''''''''&# 39;''
Yes, Nottingham had socialism long before Karl Marx came along!
Robin Hood is world's most famous outlaw, and the bronze statue of him on Castle Road is a popular place for tourists to have their photo taken.

The Tales of Robin Hood is nearby (on Maid Marian Way) and describes itself as Nottingham's most popular tourist attraction. Tours last ninety minutes, during which you will be pursued by the Sheriff of Nottingham (boo!) There is also an adventure ride and you can try a bit of archery.

It's open from 10am every day (except Christmas Day and Boxing Day) and admission prices are £4.95 for adults and £3.95 for children.
Family tickets are £15.75 for a family of four and £18.75 for a family of five.
<br>
http://www.robinhood.uk.com/

I can't really tell you anything about Sherwood Forest because I've never been there. Look, it's a forest - a lot of trees - what else is there to say?

http://www.robinhood.ltd.uk/

There is also an annual Robin Hood Marathon in and around Nottingham
The 2001 marathon will start at 10am on Sunday 30th September.

http://www.robinhoodmarathon.co.uk//
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S is for SCAFFOLDING, SCULPTURE and the SKY MIRROR
``````'''''''' ''''''&# 39;'''''''''&# 39;''''' '''''''''' ''''''&# 39;'''''''' `````` '''''''''' ''''''&# 39;''''''''
While some cities never sleep, Nottingham is just never finished.
I can't remember a time when the Nottingham skyline hasn't included scaffolding and the odd crane. Progress, progress, progress.
There are lots of statues and sculptures dotted about the place,
but new sculptures invariably prove unpopular for some reason.

"Turner Prize-winning artist Anish Kapoor's £900,000 Sky Mirror", as the local newspaper describes it, is the latest 'controversial' piece of sculpture. Installed (or do I mean outstalled?) in the courtyard of the Nottingham Playhouse (near the top end of Maid Marian Way). The Sky Mirror is a ten tonne highly polished stainless steel concave dish nearly 6m in diameter.
For a while it was thought that it might be an ingenious way of solving the pigeon problem - by zapping them with a concentrated beam of reflected sunlight, but in reality it just turned out to be a hunk of polished metal.

http://www.nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk/s
kymirror/


One sculpture which was actually mistaken for scaffolding
(albeit multi-coloured scaffolding) can be seen adorning the Concert Hall...
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T is for the THEATRE ROYAL / ROYAL CONCERT HALL
`````````'''''''&# 39;'''''' ;'''''''''' ;'''''' '''''''''' ''''''& #39;'''''''''& #39;'''''&# 39;'''''''''&# 39;''''' 9;''''
The present Theatre Royal opened in 1865, although there had been
a Theatre Royal for a century before that. It was refurbished in 1977.
The Royal Concert Hall opened next-door in 1982.

Together they offer opera, ballet, dance, comedy, musicals and drama.

http://www.royalcentre-nottingham.co.uk/
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U is for UNIVERSITIES
``````'''''''' ''''''&# 39;'''''''''&# 39;''''
Two of. Nottingham University - one of the most popular universities
in the country, and Nottingham Trent University (or Trent Poly as was.)

Nottingham University boasts one of the largest campuses in the country and is situated to the west of the city centre, adjacent to Wollaton Park. The land donated by Jesse Boot provides a beautiful setting
for the students to enjoy, with it's boating lake, trees and acres of grass...
They have also recently added a new hi-tech campus nearby.

http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/

Nottingham Trent University is mainly located in the city centre, although
it does also have a campus at Clifton (but that's sarf of the river
mate...)
They'll let anyone in, even Richard Bacon.

http://www.ntu.ac.uk/
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V is for the VICTORIA & BROAD MARSH SHOPPING CENTRES
`````````'''''''&# 39;'''''' ;'''''''''' ;'''''' '''''''''' ''''''& #39;'''''''''& #39;'''''&# 39;'''''''''&# 39;''''' 9;''''''''' 9;'''''' ;''''
Nottingham is a great place to go shopping. We have two indoor shopping malls at the northern and southern ends of a compact city centre which is chock-a-block with places where you can give us all your dosh.

From the outside the Broad Marsh Centre looks like a dump, indeed, if you come to Nottingham via train or bus you will see why locals have for years been calling for something to be done about the dreadful first impression it gives to visitors. Thankfully plans are afoot to modernize and extend it.
The centrepiece of the Broad Marsh is Allders department store.

The Victoria Centre is not hard to find because there is a block of flats above it, dominating the Nottingham skyline like an asymmetrical ziggurat.
A very popular shopping centre, it was extended a couple of years ago when House of Fraser opened a large branch there, when the northern end was extended and the bus station redesigned. This new section
is an Aladdin's Cave for kids, with the Disney store, the Gadget shop,
a teddy bear shop, a computer games store and Jerry's (big) fish tank.

There is a large indoor market in the middle of the centre, and at the opposite end, just outside Boot's and near Jessop's (John Lewis) departme
nt store, you will find the Emmett clock, a popular meeting place. This is an elaborate Heath Robinson-like water clock which plays a tune and does some pretty whirly stuff on the hour.

Nottingham's main shopping axis runs north-south from the Victoria Centre via Clumber Street (one of the busiest pedestrian streets in the country) to the Broad Marsh Centre, passing the Council House en route.

Both shopping centres are air-conditioned of course. Uuuuuuhhhhhyyesss.
All that cool air circulating enabing you to literally chill out. Double cool. Escape the weather and give us all your money, you know you want to.

http://www.victoria-centre-nottingham.co.uk/su bhomes/infosubhome.html
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W is for WOLLATON PARK
`````` '''''''''' ''''''&# 39;'''''''''&# 39;''''' 9;'''
A slightly haunted Elizabethan mansion house completed in 1588,
it is now home to a Natural History Museum with lots of stuffed stuff, including a giraffe (sorry Geoffrey) as well as an Industrial Museum.

TRUE OR FALSE:
Cat's eyes and the video recorder were invented by Nottingham men?

Wollaton Hall is set in 400 acres of parkland including a beautiful lake.
The grounds are home to some rare cattle and a herd of rare red deer which aren't fond of dogs.

Wollaton Hall is open from 11am to 4pm daily, except for Fridays between November and February (I don't make the rules!) The Industrial Museum shuts between January and March, otherwise it's open from 11am to 5pm.
Admission is FREE except for Weekends and Bank Holidays, when it costs £1.50 for adults (80p for concessions)

http://www.innotts.co.uk/~asperges/woll.html


It's also the venue for the annual City In The Park summer music festival.


http://www.cityinthepark.com/
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X is for... er, ...um, ...the shape of the sails on GREEN'S WINDMILL !
```````````````````````````````````` '''''''''' ''''''&# 39;'''''''''&# 39;''''' 9;''''''''' 9;
Green's Mill isn't hard to find - try scanning the skyline for a windmill, doh!
Situated on Windmill Lane (oh, what a coincidence!) in an area called Sneinton (from whence hails local-lad-turned-film-director Shane Meadows who made the acclaimed film twentyfourseven) this is a fully operational windmill, so at times you can see grain being ground the traditional way.

It also houses a science centre with some hands-on exhibits to fascinate and enlighten the kiddiewinkies, because 200 years ago the windmill was the home of mathematician George Green. His "Essay on the Application
of Mathematical Analysis to the Theories of Electricity and Magnetism"
(published in 1828) was ahead of it's time, using new techniques which became known as Green's functions. As none of us will understand any
of that malarkey I may as well stop there.

http://www.innotts.co.uk/greensmill/
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Y is for YE OLDE TRIP TO JERUSALEM
````` '''''''''' ''''''&# 39;'''''''''&# 39;''''' 9;''''''''' 9;'''''' ;'''''''''' ;''
The Trip claims to be the oldest pub in Europe, no hang it, the world! Supposedly it dates back to 1189, but it's not even the oldest pub in Nottingham according to that Channel 4 programm
e presented by Blackadder's pal Baldrick, which gave that distinction to the Bell Inn on Angel Row. It certainly looks the part though. And anyway people HAVE been drinking there for centuries, erm, like everywhere else I suppose!
The cellars and some of the rooms were carved out of the rock on which the Castle stands. The Trip is at the bottom of Castle Road, next to the Brewhouse Yard Museum (of Nottingham Life) which is also well worth visiting if you would like to see how we Nottinghamians used to live.

Other famous old watering-holes nearby include The Royal Children
higher up on Castle Road, and The Salutation Inn on Houndsgate.

http://www.triptojerusalem.com/
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Z is for Z.E.V.s (Zero Emission Vehicles)
``````'''''''' ''''''&# 39;'''''''''&# 39;''''' 9;''''''''' 9;'''''' ;'''''''''' ;'''''' '''
Which I what I presume the new Trams will be. I say presume,
because I have deliberately avoided checking! To paraphrase the old journalistic motto: never lets the facts get in the way of a good Z.
The first tram route is currently being constructed, disrupting the lives
of many irate shopkeepers and motorists. It should be good though.

http://www.lrta.org/nottingham.html
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So there we are (well, I am anyway) - I think that's quite enough for now.
Nottingham the best city in the country, in Europe, in the world, whatever.
What was that? You want more? More information? More links?
Oh, all right, you slave-driver, stick these in your browser and smoke 'em:-
http://www.nottingham.uk.net/

http://www.visitnotti
ngham.com/home.asp

http://www.bbc.co.uk/nottingham/entertainment/ attractions/

http://www.usefulinfo.co.uk/nottingham/

http://www.nottingham-index.co.uk/places_of_in terest/


As for the TRUE OR FALSE questions, believe it or not they were all true.
(To be honest, I just couldn't be bothered to think up any false ones.)
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Summary: