The tram, at its terminus at the Trent Bridge, should be utilized for the journey to the "town' '—fare, one penny. This will convey passengers to the St. Peter's-square terminus. On the right-hand side of Arkwright-street is St. Saviour's Church, in the Early Decorated style, built of a local (Bulwell) stone; with Ancaster dressings, complete in its members, and with accommodation for seven hundred worshippers. On the left-hand side, a little distance beyond, at the rise of the incline to the railway bridge, is Queen's-walk, a rate-maintained public tree-lined walk, three-quarters of a mile in length, the end of which is close to Wilford Bridge, to which reference has already been made. At the entrance to this walk is a statue, in stone, of the late Sir Robert Juckes Clifton, Bart., a popular Member of Parliament,who died May 30, 1869. The statue was unveiled May 24, 1883,and was the work of a Nottingham sculptor, Mr. Ph. Smith. The bridge just spoken of crosses the Midland Railway. The Goods Office, a good polished stone building, is on the same side of the street, just over the bridge; and opposite is Station—street, with its two railway stations and the extensive buildings (opposite the Midland Station) of thc Nottingham Manufacturing Company—one among many illustratioas of the commercial importance of the town.
Still on the left-hand of the journey—now in Carrington-street—visitors may notice Collin's Hospital, for persons in reduced circumstances, one of a numerous class of similar benevolent institutions with which the town is ornamented. This group of twenty houses was erected in 1830 and 1834, upon the site of the old Greyfriars' Gate. In close proximity to the north end of the hospital grounds is the handsome Gothic Walter Memorial Fountain. This is of stone, is octagonal in plan, and about fifty feet high. It was erected in 1865-6, at a cost of £1000, by Mr. John Walter, to the memory of his father, of Times celebrity, who was M.P. for this town 1847-57. It consists of a drinking-fountain, with two medallions of Mr. Walter, of Bearwood. It was designed by Mr. Councillor R. C. Sutton, and is of the "Eleanor-Cross" order. The continuation of the street is Lister-gate, widened in 1864, one of the best thoroughfares of the town. The hilly street on the right is the Low-pavement, in which are located the Assembly Rooms, a commodious structure of the Corinthian order of architecture; and the Savings Bank, erected in 1837. On the opposite side of Lister-gate is Castle-gate, in which are the Congregational Chapel, one of the finest and most commodious of the nonconformist places of worship in Nottingham, which is in the Lombardo-Venetian style; the Women's Hospital, opened in 1875; and St. Nicholas' Church (near the Castle, of which more anon), a brick structure, built soon after the Civil Wars of the 17th century, the former one having been demolished by the cannon of the Castle. Albert-street—which runs into St. Peter's-square, and is a continuation, in almost a straight line, of the Arkwright-street approach of the Trent Bridge—is now reached, with its lofty shops, and the Municipal Offices, formerly the Post Office, erected in 1848. The Medical Officer of Health and the Sanitary officers and clerks, and the rate collectors have offices here—the Town Clerk and Borough Engineer are to be located in the new municipal buildings—the Guild Hall—in South Sherwood-street.
St. Peter's Church is close to this public building and to tile tram terminus. St. Peter's is a structure with a graceful spire, and dates from the time of Henry V. ; has a sweet peal of eight bells; and contains a valuable painting of "The Agony," by Barber, a native artist of more than local fame. The vestry was battered down by the Parliamentarian soldiers in 1644, in order to drive some Newark Royalists therefrom. St. Peter's has very recently been re-pewed, and in other respects the interior has been greatly improved in appearance. The grave-yard, previous to this restoration, was curtailed, in order that St. Peter's-gate might be widened to its present extent. On the left-hand side of this "gate" are the Water and the Borough Accountant s Offices, a substantial stone building, the former being on the ground floor, and the latter on the first floor. It was designed by a Pugin. Next to this is the County Court, another stone edifice— erected within about the last twenty years.
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© A P NICHOLSON | PAGE LAST UPDATED: 27 APRIL 2003