Nottingham Castle is a tourist attraction which sits atop a huge rock in the heart of the city. As such, it can be seen all around Nottingham. The first thing you’ll notice is that it’s not actually a castle. This is because the original castle was destroyed in the English Civil War and what you see today is instead a stately home, built by the Duke of Newcastle, on the foundations of the old castle. There are many original castle features that remain though, most noticeably the Gatehouse and the ancient walls which surround the site.
Another historic feature of this castle is something you cant see though – the caves underneath it! These are open to the public with tours available for an additional fee and they are fascinating. There’s a complete network of tunnels throughout the ‘castle rock’ and one of them – Mortimer’s Hole – has a significant place in British history. In 1330, the young Edward III used his knowledge of the cave network to secretly enter the castle and take the throne from his mother and her lover, Sir Roger Mortimer. The caves were recently mapped and you can see this 3D video in a special room inside the castle.
Nottingham castle was updated as an attraction with a £30 million cash injection in 2021. The result is a top-class visitor experience with many interactive exhibits in 2 new galleries. The best way to experience these is to enter the Robin Hood gallery through the tunnel underneath the castle. You will be welcomed into a room with a circle of large screens which tell the story of Robin Hood. Behind the screens are some really fun experiences. An archery video game, a dressing up area, a collection of table top video games and your chance to learn how to fight with a staff.
Upstairs is a gallery dedicated to the rebellious spirit of Nottingham with more audio visual displays. The gallery highlights 3 moments in Nottingham’s past where rebellion made the city notorious. After that there are some more traditional galleries. The long gallery is where the art collection is displayed – look out for the Lowry and the incredible painting of Goose Fair. There are also displays highlighting Nottingham Lace and Nottingham pottery. Our 7 year old particularly enjoyed the virtual ‘make your own pot’ game.
LOCATION & CONTACT
Nottingham Castle is on the outskirts of the city centre near to Maid Marian Way, a short walk from the Old Market Square.
Address: Nottingham Castle, Friar Lane, Nottingham NG1 6EL
Tel: +44 (0) 115 876 3100
MORE ON NOTTINGHAM CASTLE
Nottingham Castle – Official website
Hotels near Nottingham Castle – Great rates from Hotels.com
Nottingham Castle – Wikipedia
Nottingham City Guide – From our sister site, Free-City-Guides.com
Books on Nottingham – Amazon.co.uk