Think Nottingham and you automatically associate it with Robin Hood. This city is just 30 miles south of Sheffield and of equal distance to Leicester. It was once part of the Kingdom of Mercia. The 11th Century Nottingham Castle has a chequered past and is known for the fact that it was besieged by King Richard the Lionheart upon his return from the Crusades and also as the place of the final showdown between the Sheriff of Nottingham and Robin Hood.
Nottingham is also famous as the home of the famous brand of Raleigh Bicycles. The castle on the sandstone hill is not the 11th century castle at all but a more recent structure in the form of a mansion built by the Duke of Newcastle in the late 17th century. This in itself was burned down by rioters in 1831 and today the building has been partly restored to house the city Museum and Art Collections.
Nottingham was notorious in the Industrial Era as a slum city. The housing conditions were atrocious with poor sanitary conditions and serious sewage and litter problems. In 1831 there were riots in the city which were caused when Parliament decided against reform to give Britain's industrial cities and towns better representation.
Modern day Nottingham is a very popular tourist destination and holds events throughout the year. This busy city has an excellent transport system and some good independent and branded shops with plenty of restaurants and cafes for the visitor.
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