Nottingham - Family time

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The next part of my trip was a quick visit to see family. The last year and a half has been amazing as I've been able to spend time with them three times now! So, after I visited Lincoln Castle, I drove towards Nottingham. My gps directions crapped out, so I had to use a map. My cousins and I were laughing - I'm young enough to rely on my phone gps to go places, but old enough to know how to use a real foldout map, which I already had with me (I always do when I drive). So, it was a bit confusing within the city itself, but other than that it was super easy. I parked at the Mount Castle parking structure and easily found my way to our meeting point.

I met Andy and Mary at the town square at the Lion to the left, and we walked a little ways to the restaurant Dino's. It was a nice quiet place in a side street. I got my first fish and trips of the trip and we were able to catch up pretty well. Afterwards, we headed towards the castle area and saw the Robin Hood statue and then down to Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem. It was funny as Mary, who's lived in Nottingham her whole life, had never been and Andy said he had only ever been downstairs. So, we ordered a pint and head upstairs to sit, beneath some of the holes in the sandstone, one of which is called "Mortimer's Hole." This was where the young king Edward III was able to stage a coup that overthrew his mother's lover as regent of the kingdom by telling guards of secret access through this tunnel; a month later, Mortimer was executed.

They went back with me to my car and from there I drove to my other cousins' house in Long Eaton. The directions were fairly straightforward, but the signs in this country are a bit weird, so I missed the exit and this meant I was on the motorway for another 10miles before I drove the backroad arriving about 20 minutes late. We caught up, going through some of their old photos of family. Then we headed to Beeston to have dinner at a tapas restaurant - The Frustrated Chef, and it was delicious. After C went home because he was not feeling well, (having broken his arm a few weeks before), we continued to the Beeston Parish Church, where my grandparents got married. They were a bit disappointed; it appears the church kind of "sold out" having moved the graves, removed the roses and other shrubs, and at the moment it was a bingo hall, with no pews - it looked a little strange on the inside, but the exterior was still lovely and I was so glad to see it. Then we walked down to the Crown pub for a quick pint, enjoying the lively atmosphere and great weather.

The next day, my cousins to me to Wollaton Hall, which was one of the places The Dark Knight Rises was filmed, representing the exterior of Wayne Manor. Beyond that, it was just a great place in general. The week was such great weather and there were so many people out: walking, dog walking, playing with their kids... there was also an artisan market, where I got a new necklace. We took a tour inside the manor which was pretty neat. It was the three of us and another couple, led by a dead pan young tour guide. At first I was worried because he was so dead pan, I thought he was just boring, but it was actually a very fun, informative tour. We got to go beyond the public rooms (such as the great hall), and through the back stairs, up to the upper floor of the home which was intended as a ballroom, but the stairs up were so steep and narrow, it was not practical for women. The hall was designed by Robert Smythson, who also built Longleat and Hardwick Hall. Due to some of the laws of the day, it was difficult to import materials from Europe, though they jumped at the opportunities, so the building is a mish-mash of different European styles.

We were also able to walk out on the roof, which overlooks the entire countryside, including all the way to Nottingham Castle. It was interesting because I knew the previous castle was burned down in the 1830's, but did not know why. He explained that there was a large riot in 1831 due to poor wages and the local Duke's opposition to the Reform Bill; Nottingham at the time was home to the biggest British slums outside of India. The riot started in the city, the rioters burning their way along. They made it through the gates of the hall, when the armed guards then shut the gates behind the mob, stating they could go home and be done, or be shot on the spot. They chose to go home, but the muskets the guards held are now hung up in the great hall. So pretty cool history.

We then made our way down the kitchens, which were set up like they would have been. About 500 years before, the servants would cook with the stove on basically 18 hours a day, two 7-year old boys tending the meat the whole time. When the fire was down, they would clean out the oven and then wash all the pots. Very typical of the time period, and makes the riots seems extremely justifiable, right? There was also the beer cellars, which were super dark and we were to imagine coming down with just a single candle to get the beers. Then basically the tour was over and we wandered around the garden a bit before heading to lunch.

Lunch was at a pub in Beeston called The Victoria. It was hopping and part of the appeal of this place is the authenticity. Good local beers on tap, rotating menu board (no paper menus) and then you order at the bar. We booked a table from 2-4 and we each ordered roast beef with Yorkshire pudding (my favorite!). It was so busy, but so good. Then we went back home and I picked up my car and headed down to Oxford for a week of training. Such a great, brief time with family.

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Photos

Wollaton Hall - service bells
each bell had a different ring that the staff had to know

Comments

[D MJ Binkley]

Food and beverage
So much to taste and drink... so little time.