SNEINTON HERMITAGE.

A GREAT portion of the old village of Sneinton consisted of habitations within the rock. Many of these had staircases leading up to the summit, upon which were gardens. The perpendicular face of the rock, with doors and windows hewn therein in tiers, presented a curious spectacle; the "hermits" showing their faces here and there from their rock-dwellings, and looking almost like inmates of another region. The coffee-house and ale-houses, cut out of the solid rock, were much frequented at one period; this unique feature in architecture being of much interest to visitors. These houses stood until a short time ago, when the blastings for railway purposes erased the whole of this series of ancient dwelling places.