Martin de Alteriis, The Traveling Cartoonist: |
Nottingham is an interesting city to visit -- providing you can put Robin Hood to the back of your mind. For while the city has some fascinating attractions, virtually nothing at all remains of Robin and his merry men.
"So where should do you think we go?" Jack, a sixtysomething from Minnesota, asked as our train sped out of London on a bright December morning. He and his wife, Jenny, did not appear to have done much research. So I brandished four brochures from the Nottingham's city's tourist board.
The first was for "The Lace Hall," a museum dedicated to lace, once Nottingham's main industry. The next promoted the "Caves of Nottingham," and told me I'd discover a secret world underground. The most intriguing was for the "Galleries of Justice" which offered to transport me back to the grim reality of 19th Century courtrooms and prisons." The final brochure advertised the "Robin Hood Experience," which took place in a plate-glass theme house.
Jeannie, a sharp lady with a large nose, wanted to know about the castle. "Well Robin Hood was supposed to have existed in the late 12th and early 13th century," I explained, turning to the relevant section of my guidebook. "Nottingham's medieval castle was almost completely destroyed in England's Civil War. Its replacement dates from the 18th century."
As Jeannie stared at me in dismay, I proceeded to tell her about Sherwood Forest, which has shrunk considerably since Robin's day, and is now an hour from the city by bus.
When I left the couple at Nottingham's Victorian station, I realized Jenny was not convinced. "Well, I don't care. I still want to see that castle," she muttered to Jack.
In about an hour or so, I'd seen most of the city center. Like many big English cities nowadays, Nottingham is dominated by massive shopping centers and hideous bus garages. An old fellow in a pub called the "Maid Marian" told me that Nottingham used to have a rugged charm. "Then, the sixties town planners got rid of most of what Hitler's Luftwaffe didn't destroy," he lamented.
Fortunately, a few sections of the older city remain, especially around the Victorian Lace Market. Even though the magnificent red brick factories no longer manufacture lace, they still convey the confidence -- and arrogance -- of Britain's industrial heyday.
The history of the lace industry is preserved in the Lace Hall, a former church which boasts stained windows by the pre-Raphaelite artist, Burne Jones. Like many newer museums in Britain, it tells its story using period furniture, costumed waxworks, videos and audio devices. Even though I've never had the slightest interest in lace, I was interested by the exhibits, which explained what the industry meant for all involved, from factory girls to prosperous merchants.
After I'd left the Lace Hall, and was searching for the Caves of Nottingham, I ran into Jack and Jeannie. They'd been disappointed by the castle but were hopeful about St.Mary's, one of the oldest parish churches in Nottingham. "It's by the Lace Market," I told them enthusiastically, "in a fascinating area....." Before I could expand, Jeannie informed me that Robin Hood might once have been arrested there by the Sherriff. It was time to go underground.
The entrance to the Caves of Nottingham is on the second floor of the Broad Marsh shopping center. Much of the center of Victorian Nottingham had been demolished to make way for this shopping center, and the caves themselves were only spared after a vigorous campaign by local activists.
I took the 35 minutes self-guided "journey" through the Caves, with an audio-headphone that described the many purposes served by Nottingham's extensive network of manmade caves. From what I could tell, everyone – apart from Robin Hood -- had found a use for these caves.
Up until the last century, people carved cellars in the soft sandstone beneath their houses and shops. Pubs used their cavernous cellars to brew and store beer – and also to hold illegal gambling dens in secret chambers.
Wells were cut through the stone to the underground rivers and springs. The guide noted that privies -- primitive pit toilets -- were cut close to the wells. Strangely no one associated the city's frequent outbreaks of cholera with these unsanitary arrangements.
The most remarkable caves contain the remains of a fourteenth century tannery, where the odor of the dung used to cure the leather still seem to linger.
After emerging from the Caves, I wandered over to Nottingham's nineteenth century "Shire Hall" (County Hall), which contains the "Galleries of Justice," Nottingham's award winning tourist attraction. Like the Lace Hall and the Caves, the object is to make the visitor experience bygone times.
Only here, they take matters further. Upon arrival, I was issued a number and greeted by an Usher in flowing black robes. "All you are is a number now," the Usher pronounced before leading my tour group into the early nineteenth century Crown Court. We sat close to the dock while a trial was re-enacted. Following the guilty verdict, we were led down narrow stairs to the jail below.
A wooden panel indicated the crimes associated with our numbers, and the punishments meted out. I'd been convicted of poaching and sentenced to be transported to Australia.
A stern warder lectured us about the jail's rules, then curtly ordered us to our cells. We marched down narrow brick corridors where little daylight could penetrate. The darkest cells had been carved into the sandstone. Troublesome prisoners were slapped in holding irons; exceptionally difficult ones were flung into circular pits.
I was directed to a windowless holding cell where I'd spend several days with about 8 to 10 other prisoners before being sent to Liverpool for embarcation.
"You should count yourself lucky," the warder hectored me. "There's some never make it out of here." On my way out, I passed the gallows in the courtyard, and saw the sunlight fading on the hangman's noose.
As night fell, and I was waiting at the railway station's waiting room, Jack and Jeannie appeared. After St. Mary's, they'd gone to the Robin Hood Experience. "They had waxworks of Friar Tuck and all them," Jeannie declared, "and we shot arrows at the Sheriff."
I sighed. It seemed she was pursuing me like the Sherriff, and I tried to think of some appropriate evasive action. But fortunately, Jack determined that they had enough time before their train for another foray into the city. "Come on," Jeannie exhorted, "we've got time to find that statue of Robin Hood."
Sidebar 1: Nottingham is a two hour train ride from London. Information on trains to and from Nottingham can be obtained from British Rail on (01332) 257000 or www.britrail.com. Nottingham's train station is a short walk from the city center, and all the sites described in this article. Information on hotels and restaurants can be obtained from Nottingham's tourist information board at (0115) 915-5330 or the City Council at (0115) 947-3500. You can also check out www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk or www.visitnottingham.com
Sidebar 2: What about Robin Hood? Visitors who are determined to follow the legendary outlaw should consider the Sherwood Forest Visitor Centre at Edwinstowe, a village traditionally associated with Robin Hood. The Visitor Centre contains an exhibition about Robin Hood, a studio for slide shows and a cafe. Edwinstowe Church is where Robin and Maid Marion are reputed to have married. Close by is an ancient tree called "Major Oak" that Robin is reputed to have hidden in. The Visitor Center has designed an official walking tour which passes through a number of sites that also have connections with the Robin and the Merry Men. One of these is Blidworth Churchyard, which contains the tomb of Will Scarlett. Another is Pappleworth Churchyard, where Robin is said to have fashioned his first bow from a Yew tree by the Church door. As mentioned in this article, the city of Nottingham has several sites connected with Robin. The castle is foremost among these, despite the fact that its medieval predecessor was destroyed in seventeenth century. Outside the present castle is a much photographed statue of Robin Hood. St. Mary's Church, in the Lace Market, is where Robin is said to have fought and killed several of the Sherriff's men. Finally, the "Tales of Robin Hood" offers historical memorabilia, an audio-visual show, and a collection of Robin Hood folk lore. For more information contact the Nottingham tourist information board or write to the Sherwood Forest Tourist Information Centre, Sherwood Forest, Edwinstowe, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, Notts, NG22 9HN, England. Or visit www.sherwoodcastle.gov.uk or www.robintourism.com