Robin Hood Country ~ Nottingham, England
To enlarge images, click on the featured image below or thumbnail images at the bottom, or view in slideshow mode.
On 24th July 1952, the statue of Robin Hood was unveiled by the Duchess of Portland on the Robin Hood Lawn, beneath the walls of Nottingham Castle, in the remains of the moat on Castle Road.
This beautiful dome, rich in architectural detail, is the prime feature of the Exchange Buildings which were built between 1927 and 1929 as part of a major civic building project which included the Council House. The Exchange was Nottingham's first shopping centre, opened on 22nd May 1929 by the Prince of Wales, who later became Edward VIII. It has been at the centre of Nottingham retailing for over 85 years, and is now home to an unrivalled mix of exclusive stores.
I came across these men fishing on the Erewash Canel near the Trent Lock. It was a lovely warm evening as the sun set casing warm light and long shadows.
The settlement of Kedleston was recorded in the Domesday Book, and the first mention of a church here was in 1198–99. The only remaining part of that church is the Norman south doorway and the adjoining wall. The greater part of the present church dates from rebuilding in the 13th century and the building underwent a major restoration in 1884–85.
This photo was taken from the walls of Nottingham Castle. It struck me as appearing like a miniature village, but of course, it is real.
Derby Cathedral Tower (in distance)
Pedestrian Street (Iron Gate) leading to the Derby Cathedral.
Narrowboats on the Erewash Canal
We spoke to some of the residents of these boats some of which are homes all year long, others during the warmer summer months.
The church of All Saint's, at just 26 by 25 feet, is probably one of the smallest in the country. It shares a roof with an adjoining farmhouse. Dating from the mid-12th century, it was altered in 1480. It contains a pulpit from 1634. The adjoining farmhouse may have been used as an infirmary for the Abbey.
Located in a commanding position on a natural promontory known as "Castle Rock", with cliffs 130 feet (40 m) high to the south and west. In the Middle Ages it was a major royal fortress and occasional royal residence. In decline by the 16th century, it was largely demolished in 1649, with the Duke of Newcastle later building a mansion on the site.
I spoke with an elderly man who was obviously a custodian of the history of this beautiful building. He informed me that the original church was founded by King Edmund I in about 943 as a royal collegiate church; however, no traces of its structure survive. The 212-foot (65 m) tower dates from 1510 to 1530 and was built in the popular Perpendicular Gothic style of the time. Apart from the tower, the cathedral was rebuilt in a classical style to the designs of James Gibbs of 1725, and it was further enlarged in 1972. At the same time, the ciborium was added over the altar. The building, previously known as All Saints' Church, became a cathedral by Order in Council on 1 July 1927.
Dale Abby Ruins - Dale Abbey, UK
Dale Abbey is a village and civil parish in the borough of Erewash in Derbyshire in the East Midlands of England, 6 miles north east of Derby near Long Eton. Formerly known as Depedale or Deepdale, the village contains the remains of an abbey founded in the 12th or 13th century.
Located up against the Nottingham Castle walls, this building is claimed to be England's oldest pub (one of about twenty pubs making the same claim). The Trip (as it is known locally) is at the foot of Castle Rock in Nottingham's City Centre. According to local legend it takes its name from the 12th Century Crusades to the Holy Land: legend has it that knights who answered the calls of Richard I to join the crusades stopped off at this watering hole for a pint on their way to Jerusalem. The pub is famous for its caves, carved out of the soft sandstone rock against which the building is set. The larger ground level caverns are now used as the pub's rear drinking rooms. There is also a network of caves beneath the building, originally used as a brewery. They seem to date from around the time of the construction of the castle (1068 AD).
Sadler Gate is an historic street running through Derby nearly half a mile to the Derwent River. Much research has been done on this famous street with books written about its 1000 year history. If you are interested, try Google.
This bridge was designed by Robert Adam circa 1769. This view is from the meadow in front of Keddlestone Hall in Derbyshire, England.
Located in Nottingham, this shed was once used to load cargo (probably coal) into the holds of the boats. This shed accomodates two boats and is now a local pub.
Located at Trent Lock on the Erewash Canal.
An English country house in Kedleston, Derbyshire, approximately four miles north-west of Derby, and is the seat of the Curzon family whose name originates in Notre-Dame-de-Courson in Normandy. The Curzon family have owned the estate at Kedleston since at least 1297 and have lived in a succession of manor houses near to or on the site of the present Kedleston Hall.