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Castle Road ("The Hollows")
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CASTLE-ROAD, Nottingham, which used to be known as "The Hollows," is the modern representative of the dry moat outside the Edwardian walls of Nottingham Castle, whose reconstructed representatives frown down upon us to-day.
It is a picturesque enough thoroughfare in spite of its noisy and increasing traffic and bears ample evidence of its original use. By far the most interesting features in the neighbourhood are the "Bug holes," a series of caves probably deriving their unpleasant name from the great family of Bugge, a wealthy clothing family, who in the thirteenth century or thereabouts, wisely changed their name to Willoughby.
These caves were the mediaeval plague hospitals for the town. Medical science had not got beyond the fact that it was advisable to isolate plague cases and to these caves were brought patients from the town afflicted with the malady.
Brewhouse Yard being outside the town boundaries a similar set of caves in it were used to accommodate unfortunate victims front the neighbouring parts of the country. That these unfortunate people received some attention is attested by the fact that in 1541 the Mayor ordered Thomas Guymer to be paid 2s. for carrying water to them.
Later on, more humane methods of dealing with the afflicted prevailed and huts were built for their accommodation on Gorsey Close, where Gorsey-road is now erected.