MARJORIE YUE LOOKS IN NOTTINGHAM
BEYOND MERRY MEN FOR REAL ADVENTURE
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 nasturtiums and 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, crusaders stopped off at the inn on their way to the Holy Land (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 more than 100 years. The planet’s most powerful predator was discovered in the Montana Badlands in 2014. Standing 13ft tall and 36ft long, Titus is believed to have roamed the Earth 66 million years ago.
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).
We also strolled to The Cod’s Scallops on Bramcote Lane. This jolly chippie, complete with saucy seaside postcards, scooped the 2020 award for the UK’s best fish and chips.
And well deserved too, judging from my tasty – and substantial – mini fish, chips and mushy peas (£7.50, codsscallops.com).
Back in town we learned of Nottingham’s literary heritage on a tour of subscription library Bromley House, a fascinating hidden gem.
Dating back to 1752, the town house on Angel Row offers a glimpse into the history of the city in the Georgian era.
The library holds some 50,000 books that include local celebrated wordsmiths, DH Lawrence, Alan Sillitoe and Catharine Arnold (author of Pandemic 1918) and there’s even a walled garden (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 Nottingham 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 much 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. The Ducal Palace will also host major touring exhibitions – the first one is fittingly on local lad, Paul Smith, celebrating 50 years in the fashion industry (nottinghamcastle.org.uk).
Brimming with history, culture and with a burgeoning foodie and drink scene, for a great city break Nottingham delivers on every level.
Warehouses are home to trendy restaurants, hip bars and galleries