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Opposite the steeple-end of St. Peter's Church is Hounds-gate and in continuation of the tram route is a newly-widened thoroughfare—Wheeler-gate, with its handsome new shops, leading to The GREAT MARKET PLACE. This immense open area is, perhaps, the most distinctive feature of the whole town, and the inhabitants very justly boast that it is "the largest in England." It is well paved, and occupies a triangular area of about five and a half acres. Leland, who wrote in the reign of Henry VIII., says, "both for the buildings on the side of it, for the very great wideness of the streets, and the clean paving of it, it is the fairest without exception of all England." It is now surrounded with lofty and well-built houses, the fronts of which project over the basement storey, and being supported by pillars, form long piazzas, under which are shops. The range of buildings on the north side is upwards of 400 yards in length, and is called the Long-row. The houses and shops on the south side bear the name of Angel-row, the Beast-market-hill, the Poultry, and South-parade. At the east end, betwixt the Long-row and the Poultry, is a centre pile of building, the west end of which presents to the Market-place the spacious front of the Exchange. This building is of but slight architectural pretensions. The large room, which is 75 feet by 30, was formerly used for Public Meetings, Concerts, &c., but is now furnished as a Municipal Council Chamber. A small portion of "The Exchange" is reserved for the accommodation of the Mayor, and is styled the Mayor's Parlour. The Butchers' Shambles occupy part of the ground space; the remainder being used for other trading purposes. On Wednesdays and Saturdays the whole extensive area of the Market-place is occupied with stalls of provisions, fish, fruit, vegetables, furniture, earthenware, &c.

Leaving the Market Place (to be seen at a later stage), visitors should proceed along Friar-lane—to the left of Wheeler-gate, and in a line with South-parade—for a tour of inspection of art treasures, public buildings, &c. The Gothic stuccoed and painted structure on the left-hand side, standing a little back, is an Independent Chapel. On the opposite side of the street, a little distance beyond, is an appropriately plain brick building—The Friends' Meeting House and Schools. In close proximity is a building of an unmistakeable ancient appearance, the original Collins’ Hospital, the history of which is inscribed upon a tablet over one of the entrances. Facing the end of this thoroughfare—Park-street—is the time-worn gateway of Nottingham Castle.

Before, however, proceeding to it, visitors would do well to see the ancient archways which support the roadway to the gateway (of which an illustration is here given), and the Drill Hall of the famous Robin Hood Rifle Volunteer Corps (opened in 1874), which faces, and which was formerly used as a Riding School.

The Castle grounds are now tastefully laid-out, and the "Castle" itself (having been restored by the Corporation and Subscribers) is utilized as a Fine Art Gallery and Museum— a visit to which is well worthy of a journey of many miles—with its eleven rooms of pictures and objects of fine and industrial art. Our illustration is of the aspect presented from "the Meadows." The charge for admission is posted up at the inner gates. Visitors to the Castle should approach by the carriage drive by the lawn, where an extensive view of The Park—a fashionable and beautifully situated residential district—is generally to be obtained. The best, entrance is the further one. The stairs should be mounted and the upper rooms examined, when the lower rooms (approached by the North staircase) should be traversed. [The first storey is devoted to works of pictorial art executed in oil, water colours, &c. whilst the ground floor is assigned to objects of fine and industrial art, and consist of porcelain, pottery, glass, carvings in various materials, metal work in great variety, electrotype reproductions, textile-fabrics, laces, coins, and medals, arms, local antiquities, &c.] This done, visitors may obtain refreshments. The Terrace, to which access is gained by passing through the Refreshment Room, should next engage attention, because of the extensive and varied panoramic view which is to be obtained from this position.

To the right, at a distance of nearly two miles, on the Derby-road, is Wollaton Hall, the fine Elizabethan residence of Lord Middleton ; "the silvery winding Trent;" Wilford Church, embowered in trees; Clifton Grove, a resort of Kirke White, up the hill beyond; whilst to the left, on a favourable day, may be seen, far away, Belvoir Castle, the baronial home of the Duke of Rutland. A still finer and wider view of this great stretch of country is obtained from the Castle roof, to which there is admission on payment of a small fee.

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