Nottinghamshire: History and Archaeology
Home buttonAbout the Nottinghamshire history and archaeology websiteWhat's new on the websiteNottinghamshire worthies and notable familiesPlacesEventsHistorical themesResourcesSearch the website
 

Cover

Origins | The Borough | Population | Industries | Railway stations

The Trent | Cricket geound | Wilford Bridge | Clifton Grove

The tram | Queen's Walk | Carrington Street | Lister Gate | St Peter's

Wheeler Gate | The Market Place | Friar Lane | The castle | Wollaton Hall

Mortimer's Hole | Caves beneath Nottingham Castle

General Hospital | Park Row | Roman Catholic cathedral | General Cemetery

Blind Institute | Albert Hall | Arboretum | High School

Church Cemetery | Forest Ground | Mansfield Road

Woodborough Road | Lunatic Asylum | University College

Poor Law Office | Library and Museum | The Guild Hall

Theatres | The Shambles | Victoria St | Pelham St | St Paul's Church

Prison | Sneinton Market Place | St Mary's Church | County Hall | Town Hall | Weekday Cross

The Coppice Lunatic AsylumOpposite this is Woodborough-road. Nearly opposite the Blue Coat School, at the angle of two roads, is a Wesleyan Methodist Chapel, of original design, in brick, with stone dressings. The huge unpretentious building to the right is the Nottingham Union Workhouse, and the turret to the left of that surmounts one of the Board Schools—the Huntingdon-street Board School, a neat brick building, in the first street to the left. On the hill side is an unfinished and well-attended stone church of excellent design—Emmanuel Church. A little beyond are approaches to "The Corporation Oaks" (see page 30), and its continuation, "Robin Hood's Chase." A little further on may be seen (on the right hand, looking down Sycamore-road), some of the garden allotments, by which Nottingham is famous; and further on is a Water-pumping Station. Close by, and distant from the Market-place about two miles, is the Borough Asylum; and beautifully situated on an eminence, which commands an extensive view of the surrounding country, is The Coppice Lunatic Asylum for private patients only. It was built by private subscription, at a cost of £20,000, from the designs of Mr. T. C. Hine, F.S.A., and is 270 feet in length. Of this building we give an illustration on the following page. Visitors are now in the immediate locality of allotment gardens, close to the Robin Hood Rifle Butts, and only a short walk from 'buses which convey passengers (for 2d. from the “Westminster Abbey”) to Nottingham Market-place. This detour will occupy about two hours (or more) of the time of visitors. The route laid down in this Guide may, however, be followed, if visitors alight from the 'bus in St. John's-street. Passing the Police and Fire Stations, Her Majesty's Prison, and turning up the main road (Milton-street) to the right, visitors will pass Trinity Church, the Mechanics' Institution, and at the corner of the next street (on the same side), Morley House—a brick and stone building—will be reached.

The next building on the main road of any note is on the right, and is known as The Tabernacle (formerly Exeter Hall), and is a Baptist Chapel, with a horse-shoe plan for the tabernacle proper. In the side street is The Cobden Club, a popular Liberal Club.

Adjoining the Tabernacle is a brick building, with stone dressings, called Morley House, with its cafe; Morley Club, which is worked on total abstinence lines, with abstaining and non-abstaining members; offices for the Band of Hope Union; Building societies and money clubs; and rooms for Good Templar, Odd-fellow, and Rechabite meetings. Next door, round the corner, and in Shakespeare-street, is the Christadelphian Hall, a brick erection of unusual style, used as a place of religious meeting by the Christadelphians. Opposite is the Board School for deaf and dumb mutes, a building which is commonly known as "the Coffin Chapel," from its plan. A little further on, and on the right-hand side of the road, is the Children's Free Public Lending Library and Reading Room of three-thousand carefully-chosen volumes— the gift of the late Mr. Samuel Morley, M.P. It is open from 4 to 8 on week-days. Immediately opposite are the Firemen's Cottages, in close proximity to the new Fire Brigade Station— part of the new Guild Hall buildings, about which more anon.

[Visitors who did not visit the Catholic Cathedral, General Cemetery, &c., should follow the tram lines past the Mechanics' Institution, Trinity Church, the Express Office, down Market-street into the Market-place, and continue the route laid down in the Guide on page 40.]

University College and Free Public LibraryThe University College buildings, with their surrounding grounds, occupy the whole of a plot of land in South Sherwood, Shakespeare, and Bilbie-streets, which was until recently known as "The Horse-fair Close," having been used for that purpose for a long period. It is the finest pile of public buildings in Nottinghamshire: is Gothic in design, and is built of Ancaster stone. This fine range was erected by the Corporation of Nottingham at a cost of about £75,000. These buildings have three facades, as already suggested, the principal of which is in Shakespeare-street. This frontage, and a centre block behind, is the University College proper. It consists of three lecture theatres, examination and class rooms; chemical, physical, and biological laboratories; professors' and committee rooms, offices, &c. In this building Students are educated for University careers and degrees, under the direction and tuition of a Principal and Board of Professors, assisted by an efficient staff of demonstrators, lecturers, and teachers, with every modern appliance. The Government Science Classes are also held here, and are taught by very efficient teachers. The curriculum is a broad one. The College is attended by about fifteen hundred non-resident students, some of whom have taken up their residence in Nottingham in order to avail themselves of the many educational advantages which are offered by the College authorities. A Committee of the Corporation, with representatives of the old Universities, and a few other "outsiders," manage the affairs of the College. The building is not accessible to the general public during term time, but no objection is offered to visitors inspecting the entrance hall and, possibly, one of the lecture theatres.

[<<Previous] [Next>>]

 

 

© A P NICHOLSON | PAGE LAST UPDATED: 27 APRIL 2003