THE HOOD LIFE
MARJORIE YUE LOOKS BEYOND MERRY MEN FOR REAL ADVENTURE IN NOTTINGHAM
THE little boy stopped in his tracks, mesmerised by the dazzling sword display of our tour guide. “That’s Robin Hood,” his mother whispered to her wide-eyed son.
Actor and historian Ade Andrews, aka the outlaw hero, was taking us on an entertaining tour of the Lace Market revealing there’s more to Nottingham than those men in tights.
Evolving out of the stocking knitting trade, from the 17th century this area was the hub of the city’s lace industry. Now the Grade II listed redbrick warehouses are home to trendy restaurants, hip bars and galleries. And, together with neighbouring bohemian Hockley make up the city’s Creative Quarter (tour, £7, ezekialbone.com).
Lauded as “the most inspiring gallery in the UK”, we next popped into Nottingham Contemporary to marvel at its innovative displays (free, nottinghamcontemporary.org) before heading back to Hart’s Hotel, our charming base, in time for dinner in Hart’s Kitchen.
My starter of seared scallops was followed by pan-fried hake garnished with pansies from the waiter’s garden – a lovely touch.
The hotel is set on the ramparts of Nottingham Castle, so we didn’t have far to walk for a postprandial drink at Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem. Carved into the cliff beneath the Castle, it’s said to be England’s oldest hostelry, dating back to 1189,(greeneking-pubs.co.uk).
Next morning a hearty full English set us up for a meeting with Titus. The tyrannosaurus rex dinosaur skeleton is on show in the Natural History Museum housed in Wollaton Hall, on the city outskirts, and the first real T-Rex to be displayed in England for over 100 years.
We could have whiled away the whole
day at Wollaton Hall. Apart from the exhibition, the Grade I Elizabethan mansion and its 500 acres of parkland is home to 200 red and fallow deer, and are worth exploring (wollatonhall.org.uk).
Back in town we learned of Nottingham’s literary heritage on a tour of subscription library Bromley House, which dates back to 1752.
The library holds some 50,000 books that include local celebrated wordsmiths, DH Lawrence, Alan Sillitoe and Catharine Arnold – author of Pandemic 1918 (free guided tours, bromleyhouse.org).
We rounded off the day tasting pop-up street food – a classic Canadian poutine (fries with cheese and gravy) at the Bodega Secret Garden in Pelham Street, to the backdrop of a lively DJ (bodeganottingham.com/secretgarden to book).
But we couldn’t leave without a visit to the city’s jewel in the crown, the 1,000-year old castle on the rock.
After a £30million three-year long makeover, it’s reopened with nine galleries, including the Rebellion Gallery, exploring the city’s turbulent past, and creative spaces showcasing lace, ceramics and more. Kids will be delighted to find the moat has been transformed into Hood’s Hideout adventure playground and all the family can have some digital fun battling Little John with a quarterstaff or firing a longbow at the Robin Hood Adventure Experience.
Brimming with history, culture and with a burgeoning foodie and drink scene, for a great city break Nottingham delivers on every level.