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Showing posts with label Nottingham Castle. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nottingham Castle. Show all posts
These pictures show how Nottingham Castle was depicted in Robin Hood movies across the decades. Not all of them were specifically about Nottingham, but the castle was always where the “bad guys” lived.
To the left of Nottingham Castle Gatehouse is the Castle Green, host to the most famous Robin Hood statue in the world. Sculpted by James Woodford, it was presented along with a series of wall plaques to the city by Philip E Clay to commemorate Queen Elizabeth's visit to Nottingham in 1949, the city's Quin-centennial year. The plaques depict famous scenes from the Legend of Robin Hood. Shown here are Robin and Little John over the river, the fight against Gisborne's men, the marriage of Robin and Marian, Robin Hood's death.
Two other sculptures, dated 1951, are also by James Woodford and portray several of Robin Hood's better known outlaws: Will Stuteley (also known as Will the Bowman), Little John, Friar Tuck, Alan A Dale, and Will Scarlet. Will Stuteley's presence is linked to the story that he was rescued from the Sheriff of Nottingham's gallows on this very spot by Robin Hood.
Above: All those depicted on the statue are named in the video. Below: A film crew taking photos for promotional purposes.
A terrible curse hangs over Nottingham Castle. One day, whilst King John was out hunting from his favoured place of residence at Clipstone, now known as King Johns Palace, he received news from his sister Joan (wife of Llewellyn, Prince of Wales), of a Welsh uprising. Interrupting King John when he was engaged in such leisurely pursuits was never going to be a good idea.
He summoned those barons and distinguished persons based either in the Palace, or residing locally, to assemble under the Parliament Oak. Once there, and in a state of some considerable rage, he demanded they consent to the immediate execution of 28 welsh hostages already being held in Nottingham Castle. All were the young sons of welsh noblemen, some merely children. The King then rode directly to Nottingham and ordered the Castle Governor to have the hostages bound and tied, before hanging each of them one by one, kicking and screaming in a row from the Castle walls. After which, King John rode back to Clipstone in time for supper.
It is said that, if one walks by the Castle Gatehouse, on a winter night when the wind is calm, you can still hear the pitiful cries of the Welsh boys, and their heels kicking against the old stone walls.
(Note: Internet sources dispute how many boys were hung, ranging from two in number to twenty eight).
Below: From "Robin Hood", 1922, depicting some of King John's punishments.
With no mention of a Nottingham Castle in the Doomsday Book, there is some debate as to when the first castle was built. The Romans may have occupied the hill as there are historic references to a "strong tower" or "Caesar's Tower" still standing here in the 8th Century. Following the invasion of 600 AD the town was named Snottingham ("home of Snot's people"), after the Anglo-Saxon chieftain Snot (meaning "the wise"). Whether the Anglo Saxons were involved in significant new construction or not is unclear, but there is speculation that the old Roman tower was used as a place for negotiations between Saxons and Danes.
In the 11th century the invading Normans met fierce resistance from the Anglo-Saxons in Nottingham, leading to a stalemate between two settlements: The "French Borough", between Castle Rock and Market Square, and the "English Borough", between St Mary's and Goose Gate. William the Conqueror ordered the building of a Motte & Bailey Castle here in 1067, forcing the town's occupants to assist with the task, and bringing the timbers in from Thieves Wood / Harlow Wood. The 130 feet red sandstone cliff, within easy access of the River Trent, presented obvious military potential. The Normans built approximately 500 such castles across England in the first 20 years after the conquest to keep the Saxons in their place. In the winter of 1069 / 70, William carried out the notorious "Harrying (Harrowing) of the North", burning lands and replacing Anglo-Saxon lords with Normans. An estimated 100,000 died as a result, mostly from starvation. One popular theory about Robin Hood is that Robin was motivated by the confiscation of his property. Had Robin been a Saxon Yeoman during the Harrying he may have owned a small amount of land, and would certainly have been expected to defend that of his superiors. Even as a descendant of such aggrieved land owners, Robin Hood's avowed dislike of "bishops, archbishops, and the Sheriff of Nottingham" (persons he may have perceived to benefit from Norman rule), might be explained in this way. But all this is just enjoyable speculation, and it should be noted that, unlike the movies, the old ballads make no mention of Robin Hood being so foolish as to enter the castle itself!
In the 12th century King Henry II ordered a stone Castle to be built here as his main Royal fortress in the Midlands, in close proximity to the leisurely pursuits of the hunting lodges of Sherwood Forest, and with its own deer park to the west, still known today as The Park. That castle began to fall derelict during King Richard's absence in the Crusades. (It may possibly have been occupied by the Sheriff of Nottingham at this time, but was never the Sheriff's normal place of business.) Supporters of Prince John captured Nottingham Castle in 1194, only to lose it again when Richard returned from Jerusalem with his "siege machines" and took it back.
In 1330 Edward 3rd staged a coupe here against his mother Isabella of France, thus gaining the throne. In 1346 King David 2nd of Scotland was held a prisoner here. In the early 15th century Nottingham Castle was the main residence of Henry IV's wife, Joan. During the 15th century Wars of the Roses, Nottingham Castle again became a military stronghold. Edward IV proclaimed himself King here in 1476. It remained a royal fortress during the reign of King Henry VII, when the castle was further reinforced and its garrison increased from a few dozen soldiers to a few hundred. But by 1600 it had stopped being a royal residence, and would have been unable to withstand 16th century developments in artillery. Though fast becoming a ruin, Nottingham Castle was the site where Charles 1st rallied his armies at the start of the English Civil War. However, no sooner had he departed than the Parliamentarians took it over. When Charles was executed the castle was burnt to the ground, effectively destroying its royal connections forever.
The first "ducal mansion" (i.e., Duke's Mansion), was built by Henry Cavendish, the 2nd Duke of Newcastle, between 1674 and 1679 on the foundations of the previous castle. But as Nottingham thrived during the Industrial Revolution, the mansion fell from favour with those Dukes deterred by the presence of the city’s slums. Much of that mansion was destroyed by fire as protesters rioted against the Duke of Newcastle's opposition to the 1832 Reform Act. The present mansion, which will ever be affectionately known as Nottingham Castle, is the result of an 1875 restoration. Some of the original stone castle's features still remain, including "Mortimer's Hole" (a passage from the upper medieval bailey to the rocks beneath), the foundations of the "Black Tower" (King Richard Tower), and traces of the bailey wall with its two round towers and large gatehouse (mostly of Edwardian reconstruction).
