A bit more of Nottingham

How is it that we can live in city for years and not see half the sites. Then you get a visitor and decide there's a million and one places they MUST be seen even though you haven't bothered to get there yet yourself. .

So anyway our friend Paul came to visit the other weekend... needless to say we got to see a bit more of NottinghamHe's made a home for himself as a Youth Worker in Northampton (which is south of Birmingham) not too far from Notts. We thought of all the places we could take him in Notts that might be somewhat interesting. So we packed in a few sites and also some new ones that we ourselves had yet to experience. And I've got to say that I was impressed.

We went to the Galleries of Justice - The old courtrooms and prison were in use from the 1780s to the 1980s - although there has been a court on the site since at least 1375 and a prison since 1449 (oh the history in the country!)

They want you to relive the experience so you're each given a prisoners identity. Paul actaully ended up on trial and in the dock being asked to explain his actions! Was quite amusing.

The prison cells looked to be horrible places to spend your days. Small, dark, damp, not the slightest bit cozy... I don't think those who occupied them would have looked quite as cheerful as we do in these pics either!

Ryan and I in an isolation cell

Paul wins the award for the scariest looking prisoner!

Doesn't Ryan look just the part with his ball and chain?

Hmm look whose talking....

That weekend we also went and explored the caves beneath Nottingham castle and more under Nottingham City centre. These caves date back... well a long long time.There's an amazing maze of tunnels and things. People used to live and work in these caves and also used them as shelters during the war.

This is part of the tunnel beneath Nottingham Castle

You can just make out in the wall of the cave the holes carved out to hold

the canon balls they would shoot out from the side of the Castle.

Beside this old wooden chair, found in the Old Trip to Jerusalem Pub (the oldest pub in Notts we're told) one finds this very interesting sign.

For those of you that can't make out what is says (because even at your young age your eyesight is failing you) it reads:

"Here sits the 'Pregnancy Chair'. Legend has it that any female who dared to sit upon this ancient chair very quickly became pregnant"

Well I'm not the least bit superstitious but you still wouldn't find me sitting on it...

...but I came close!!