Nottingham Castle

The building seen here was built by William Cavendish, 1st Duke of Newcastle, in 1663. But there had been a castle on that site since 1068 when William I built a wooded structure. This was re-built in stone by Henry II in 1170. King John captured the castle and committed an atrocity there when he hanged 28 boys, and Charles I raised his standard there at the commencement the Civil War. The Reform Bill Rioters worked at the building with picks, shovels and gun-powder in a determined effort to destroy it. They succeeded, and the burned out building remained a gutted shell for 40 years until it was restored in 1878 to be used as a museum and art gallery. There is little doubt that if the mayor had called out the South Notts Yeomanry on the first day of the troubles the castle would have been saved.