Nottingham+Castle

Nottingham Castle is located at the top of Castle Rock, overlooking the beautiful city of Nottingham. In 1067, the first section of this castle was built by William the Conqueror. This structure was built from wood and was not very sturdy; it served its purpose of being the vantage point of Castle Rock, though. In 1070, the c astle was rebuilt by Henry II; this time it was built from stone. By then it was the Royal Fortress and was used mainly for protection.

Then in 1194, Richard the Lion Heart used siege tactics to reclaim this castle from his brother John. It was the only time in the life of Nottingham Castle that siege tactics were successful. In 1330, Roger Mortimer was captured and stored away in the castle, King Edward III broke into the castle by underground tunnels to save Roger. To this day, there is still a tunnel and it is one of the most famous parts of the castle; it is named Mortimer after Roger. In 1878, Nottingham Castle was opened to the public by the Prince of Wales who later became Edward VII. The town of Nottingham celebrated in joy for their first art and municipal museum.

Nottingham Castle played a huge part in the legends of Robin Hood. In the stories, it was the place evil King John lived while Robin Hood hid as an outlaw. This great castle was also a home and a safe house for many queens and kings over hundreds of years. This famous castle has overcome great obstacles and still stands strong. Although it was rebuilt, much of the original stone structure remains. Nottingham Castle is now an iconic representation of Nottingham and remains open to the public as a historical sight attracting over 270,000 visitors a year.

By: Madelyn Rogge and Alex Walker