Nottingham - a City with Two Halves

In some ways Nottingham itself is a city with two halves. One half belongs to the city's most famous sons: Robin Hood, Lord Byron and D.H. Lawrence, whereas the other half forms the industrial heritage of Britain. They may seem in opposition with each other, but after visiting the area you will se how they work together in harmony.

The county of Nottinghamshire is at the heart of England, south Derbyshire's beautiful Peak District National Park. And with the rugged Pennies and Yorkshire Moors beyond this, it makes a convenient area to stop off on a tour of the country, or a holiday location itself.

The county's most famous son is Robin Hood, immortalized in legends and fables for centuries, and known throughout the world. His has been one of the most popular stories - the inspiration of filmmakers time and time again: who can forget Errol Flynn taking on Basil Rathbone and Claude Rains in the definitive 1938 classic, or Kevin Costner and Alan Rickman in, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves?

Although there is no historical document to authenticate the tales about him, it can be proved that adventures in the 12^th century were well known by 1261, as documents recently uncovered have shown. Of all stories that were being told of Robin Hood in the Middle Ages, only six have survived, one of which is: The Gest of Robin Hood. Many stories were made up in the 17^th and 18^th centuries, in the same tradition as they are invented today for television and radio.

Tales of Robin Hood, in the center of the city of Nottingham, take the visitor on a journey trough medieval Nottinghamshire, trough a series of tableaux depicting some of the famous tales. Alternatively, there is the World of Robin Hood just outside Sherwood Forest where modern technology has been used to transport the visitor back in time to the Crusades, to witness life in a medieval village, constructed out of sets from Kevin Costner's film, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.