Nottingham: A Place of Historical Beauty and Romantic Getaways

Nottingham is an area in England that has long been a part of world culture. It has given us Robin Hood and his merry men along with the romantic myths and stories of a time we all think is so beautiful. Imagine being able to visit this area that has been such a big part of our lives in one way or another. Imagine yourself walking in the woods, the fog swirling quietly about you as you expect to see Robin Hood come out of the darkness. What an awesome place to go to vacation.

Some of the places you can visit while in Nottingham:

Sherwood Forest -

Sherwood Forest is a Royal Forest that is most famous for the legend of Robin Hood. Although a smaller version of her former glory one can still to this day walk in the woods and imagine Robin and his band of merry men waiting in a road to relieve some poor rich Lord of his gold. Robin was in fact more than a myth, he was real. He was the son of the Earl of Huntingdon of Locksley. While King Richard was away in the Crusades, his brother Prince John decided to take all the lands held by Saxons. He had the Earl killed and declared his son, Robin an outlaw. A trust now takes care of Sherwood Forest and the legend of Robin for all visitors to come and enjoy.

Lace market -

The Lace Market is a historic area of Nottingham that was once the center of the world's lace industry. Here a visitor will find many fine examples of architecture that has made England so famous. One such example is St. Mary's Church. The center is located on the exact spot of the original Saxon settlement that became Nottingham. This is also said to be the church where Robin Hood was said to have been betrayed by a Monk.

Nottingham Castle -

Nottingham Castle has very impressive 130 foot cliffs on which it stands. While not positively known whether this castle was in this spot before the Norman Conquest this castle none the less inspires one to see how the cliffs were protective during the many invasions England saw during her history.

Theaters -

If you love the theater, Nottingham will not disappoint. There are two main theaters, the Nottingham playhouse and the Royal Theater which was built in 1865. The Scarlet Pimpernel was first produced in this theater.

City of caves -

A labyrinth, under the city itself, is a place that few people are even aware of. The caves are accessed by going through the Broadmarsh Shopping Center. The entire region of Nottingham is situated on a sandstone ridge, which made building these manmade caves very easy to do. Back in Saxon times before the invasions of the chieftain Snot it was called Tigguo Cobauc, "place of caves'. These caves were inhabited by people for a thousand years, until the year 1845 when the church banned renting the caves to the poor for homes. Each and every cave is manmade, none are natural. Inside these caves a visitor will find a tannery built in 1250, and was even used in WWII as air raid shelters.

Where can you stay while in Nottingham?

There are many places to stay while in Nottingham from a guest house experience to a bed & breakfast stay. You do not have to stay in the hotels if you really want to experience life in Nottingham first hand. You will be able to stay at a Guest house either inside the Nottingham city limits or out in the country and the same holds true for staying in a bed & breakfast. A bed & breakfast will afford you family like rooms where you will feel truly a part of the Nottingham people's daily lives. A guest house will give the same feel to the smart traveler who wants to live the local economy first hand.

Some bed & breakfast locations are newer and some can be found that have a more historical feel to them. One such bed & breakfast with historical feel to it is the Old Rectory Farm Bed & Breakfast, situated quite close to the All Saints Church in Stelley, Nottingham. If you desire a stay in a guest house close to Nottingham Castle, there is one called the Greenwood Lodge situated about 1.5 miles from the Castle. Whether you choose a bed & breakfast or a guest house, your time in Nottingham will be filled with sights and sounds of a beautiful area that has captured our imaginations, how romantic that will be for the lucky traveler who stops to spend time here.