We unlock the heavy iron gate and get down. The temperature drops and the distant chatter of voices above the earth falls silent.
Suddenly my guide stopped. “This is Mortimer’s Hole – a place that changed the course of British history,” says Keri Usherwood, describing the spot where Sir Roger Mortimer was dragged from his bedroom in 1330 and imprisoned in the cavernous cells beneath Nottingham Castle. Eduard III carried out the coup. against his mother, Isabella of France, and her lover, the “gentle Mortimer”, hanged at Tyburn in London.
The castle later played a pivotal role in the English Civil War, when King Charles I raised his royal standard in 1642, only to discover that Nottingham was a hotbed of Parliamentary sympathizers.
The tunnels of the Norman castle look eerie, but I discover that the entire Anglo-Saxon founded city is built on sandstone soil, leaving a labyrinthine system of 800 man-made caves beneath the modern city. In the darkest corners lurk stories of their use as temporary prisons and torture chambers.
“Rebellious Nottingham has very dark stories,” says Keri. “From Robin Hood to the luxurious Luddites of the 19th-century textile trade, these stories help us understand our place in today’s world.”
During his visit to Nottingham, David Atkinson explores the ‘dark’ side of the city’s history, with Nottingham Castle (above) as one of the stops on his tour
A bird’s eye view of Nottingham and its castle. The city “was built on sandstone rock, leaving behind a labyrinthine system of 800 man-made caves beneath the modern city”, reveals David
Enter if you dare: David visits Mortimer’s Hole (pictured), which lies beneath Nottingham Castle. It had a “creepy” feel, he says
The dark side of the city’s history is also well represented in the National Justice Museum, considered one of the most haunted buildings in Britain. It houses the HM Prison Service collection. Originally the 1375 Shire Hall in Nottingham, the building was used as a court, prison and police station.
Halloween night tours focus on the building’s dark legacy as Nottingham’s former County Gaol, including the story of William Saville, who cut the throats of his wife and three children in 1844. When he was hanged, the crowd was so great that twelve spectators were present. died in love for a view.
Exhibits range from the Victoria Courtroom to Oubliettes, medieval dungeons where people were simply left to die. The History of Transport tells how approximately 162,000 people were sent to Australia’s penal colonies between 1787 and 1868.
David says the “spookiest” place in Nottingham is Ye Olde Trip To Jerusalem, an old pub built into the rock face of the castle
David visits the National Justice Museum, “said to be one of the most haunted buildings in Britain.”
Murder was punishable by execution. The training ground where condemned prisoners were buried in quicklime illustrates human tragedies with wall-mounted monuments recounting their fates.
But the scariest place in Nottingham is an old pub. Dating back to 1189, Ye Olde Trip To Jerusalem was a stop built into the castle rock for pilgrims seeking refreshments. I’m joined in the Rock Lounge with a pint of Olde Trip, rather bitter, by owner Karl Gibson, who has experienced paranormal activity since taking over in 2012. “I learned to respect the history of the pub and the town. said Karel. “When I’m alone here, I feel like these walls are telling me something.”
The crowning glory of the Ghostbusters is the cursed galleon that an old sailor used to pay his bar bill. It sits on the top bar in a glass display case and comes with a warning: Clean the dust-covered wooden model of a ship and you will meet a terrible end. I’m going to relax and finish my pint. Sir Roger Mortimer may not have survived a trip to Nottingham, but I’d like to get home alive.
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James is an author and travel journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a love for exploring new cultures and discovering unique destinations, James brings his readers on a journey with him through his articles.
