An Introduction to Nottinghamshire

Nottinghamshire (shortened as Notts) is in central England.The county is crammed with historical attractions from the Ice Age with drawings at Creswell Crags to a perfectly preserved snapshot of a typical 1920s home at Mr Straw’s House in Worksop

At Creswell Crags, a unique site, with its network of limestone caves and rocky crags, the visitor can see one of the most northerly places on Earth to have been visited by our prehistoric ancestors. The recently discovered cave paintings at this outstanding archaeological site have led to it being dubbed ‘the Sistine Chapel of the Ice Age’.

For the visitor, a trip to Sherwood Forest is a must. Famous around the world as the legendary home of Robin Hood, Sherwood Forest, at the heart of Nottinghamshire, has fascinated visitors since Victorian times. Within the forest stands the mighty Major Oak, one of the largest and oldest oak trees in England. At the time of William the Conqueror, Sherwood Forest covered over a fifth of Nottinghamshire. As a royal hunting preserve, its heaths and thickets provided an ideal venue for the aristocratic sports of hunting and falconry. Many English kings came here to enjoy the pleasures of the chase - notably "Bad" Prince John of the Robin Hood stories, James I and his son Charles I. King Richard III was hunting in Sherwood when he received the fateful news that Henry Tudor had landed, and rode south to meet his death at the Battle of Bosworth.

Nottinghamshire is steeped in heritage, taking pride in its rich and varied history. The English Civil War began in Nottingham when Charles I raised his standard here in 1642 and also ended in the county, in Newark. Interesting attractions remain, such as the Queen’s Sconce, which is an original civil war fortification.

The county is also well known for the village of Laxton, the last ‘Open Field Village’ in England. It is still farmed by a medieval system with each farmer allotted separate ‘strips’ in the open or common fields by a manor court. A local visitor centre provides a fascinating glimpse into this unique village. If more recent times capture your interest, the Workhouse at Southwell and Nottingham’s Galleries of Justice offer a unique glimpse into British social history. Follow the path of hundreds of 19th century paupers whose only option was to submit to enforced separation from their husbands, wives and children under the harsh regime of the workhouse. Built in 1824 by local reformer Reverend J T Becher, Southwell Workhouse was used to introduce a revolutionary 'welfare' system in 1824 and as the prototype for the Poor Law of 1834 when hundreds of workhouses were built across the country.

The county town is the city of Nottingham which has had a notorious past, from ancient underground caves and famous lace industry, to the turbulent and dramatic history of the castle with its links to monarchs and legends. From the legend of the infamous outlaw Robin Hood to the adventurous Pilgrim Fathers, from the passionate verse of Lord Byron to the working-class heroes of DH Lawrence, Nottinghamshire is proud of its contribution to world heritage.

The origins of Nottingham have been shrouded in mystery for centuries. In 1820, a prominent historian concluded that “perhaps there is no other town in the kingdom whose origin is hid in greater obscurity than Nottingham”. However, Neolithic, Iron Age and Bronze Age artefacts have all been discovered in the River Trent and the city’s remarkable series of caves are believed to date back to the medieval period.

Many centuries on, Nottingham was granted city status by Queen Victoria and this once small fortified town finally came of age.