Things to do > Heritage & history
From the Ice Age drawings at Creswell Crags to a perfectly preserved snapshot of a typical 1920s home at Mr Straw’s House in Worksop, Nottinghamshire is crammed with historical attractions. Creswell Crags, near Worksop, will take you back in time thousands of years. At this unique site, with its network of limestone caves and rocky crags you can see one of the most northerly places on Earth to have been visited by our prehistoric ancestors. The recently discovered cave paintings at this outstanding archaeological site have led to it being dubbed ‘the Sistine Chapel of the Ice Age’. Yet Nottingham too has its own remarkable caves. Most of these were cut by hand from the local sandstone in early medieval times and used for storage and industries like tanning. They proved useful again in the last century when they were used as safe havens during the World War II bombing raids. You can explore some of the caves for yourself at the City of Caves. As well as its caves, Nottingham is also world famous world as home to the Sheriff of Nottingham, but its story goes far beyond its association with a certain outlaw in green tights. The original Castle was constructed by William Peverel, a grandchild of William the Conqueror in the years following the Norman invasion. The Castle was to see a turbulent history. After the English Civil War it was completely destroyed by the Parliamentarians. The present day ‘Castle’ was built in 1674 as a mansion house for the first Duke of Newcastle but it was badly damaged when it was set on fire by Reform rioters in 1831. All was not lost though: it was eventually sold by the Duke to Nottingham Corporation and opened to the public as a Museum and Art Gallery in 1878. The county is also well known for the village of Laxton, the last ‘Open Field Village’ in Europe. It is still farmed by a medieval system with each farmer allotted separate ‘strips’ in the open or common fields by a manor court. A local visitor centre provides a fascinating glimpse into this unique village. If more recent times capture your interest, The Workhouse at Southwell and Nottingham’s Galleries of Justice offer a unique glimpse into British social history. Follow the path of hundreds of 19th Century paupers whose only option was to submit to enforced separation from their husbands, wives and children under the harsh regime of The Workhouse. Built in 1824 by local reformer Reverend J T Becher, Southwell Workhouse was used to introduce a revolutionary 'welfare' system in 1824 and as the prototype for the Poor Law of 1834 when hundreds of workhouses were built across the country. Almost unchanged since the 19th century, the Grade II listed building is the least altered workhouse structure in existence today. Refurbished by the National Trust (at a cost of £4.5 million) to its original layout and staffed by inmates, teachers and the imposing Master, it is a vivid historical experience. For school and other groups there are teachers to help interpret the workhouse experience. The Southwell Workhouse is today a fascinating and informative place to visit. Not for the faint-hearted, the award-winning Galleries of Justice take visitors into the dark corridors of a Victorian courthouse and prison. Gaolers and prisoners act as your guides as you find yourself tried in the dock, thrown into a cell or sentenced to death by an imposing judge. The Galleries are also home to the country’s most important collection of resources relating to law and order. So, whether you like your history ancient or modern, elegant or gory, interactive or informative, we’ve got it all in Nottinghamshire. If you're staying over in the city then check out our list of approved Nottingham hotels. Nottinghamshire and Sherwood Forest are great options for UK family holidays and our Robin Hood breaks website has everything you need. For that home away from home try our range of Nottingham bed and breakfasts (B&Bs) or our approved Nottingham holiday cottages. For weekend or short break packages, check out our brand new Nottingham breaks website for deals on Nottingham city breaks Nottingham family breaks and holidays Nottingham stag party Nottingham hen party Nottingham activity breaks
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