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Opposite the end of Castle-gate, immediately under the old castle wall, is the
RIDING SCHOOL,
a good brick building, thirty-five yards by fifteen, in the north end of which is a stone, with the following inscription:
This Riding School
was erected by
the Nottingham Troop
of Yeomanry Cavalry
A. D. MDCCXCVIII.
The cavalry make very little use of this build. ing now; and it is occasionally fitted up as a circus, or amphitheatre, for displays of horse. manship, pantomime, &c. for which it is exceedingly well calculated. Going south, down Gilli-flower-hill, the stranger will see some tenements on the left, hewn out of the solid rock, fitted up with windows, doors, chimneys, &c. and forming habitations which are by no means despicable. A little further, we come to the Leen, which we cross by a bridge, and on the right is a beautiful view of the south of the castle,
with its massy rock, which has bid defiance to the storms of ages. There is an enchanting walk up the bank of the Leen; on the right are the beautiful gardens on what was formerly the fish pond of the castle, and on the left, with merely the path between, is the Nottingham canal, on which there is a great traffic. At the right, a little further on, you have a view across the Leen, of the celebrated
DRUIDS OR PAPISTS' HOLES,
which are unquestionably of great antiquity, but are fast falling to decay, by the devouring tooth of time, and the rude hand of boys, who laake this a place of amusement. It is supposed these caves, which formerly were, of much greater extent, were hewn out by the ancient Britons; and were used as places of worship by the Druids. Dr. Stukeley, the celebrated antiquarian, describes them thus:— "This is a ledge of perpendicular rock, hewn out into a church, houses, chambers, dovecotes, &c. The church is like those in the rocks at Bethlehem, and other places in the holy land: the altar is a natural rock, and there has been painting upon the walls, a steeple, I suppose, where a bell hung, and regular pillars; the river Leen winding about makes a fortification to it, for it comes at both ends of the cliff, leaving a plain in the middle." Such was the state of these caves, prior to the troubles in the reign of Charles I. when they were injured by the Parliamentary troops, in consequence of having been converted into a place of worship for the Roman Catholics or Papists, and hence the name of Papists' Holes. In another century there will probably be no remains of this wondrous work of human industry.—Those of my readers who have time for a further excursion, will find it a very pleasant walk, to pursue the course of the Leen to Lenton, where there are some delightful tea gardens, but as a description of these does not enter into the scope of our design, we shall torn back, and retrace oar steps on the south bank of the Leen. till we arrive at the
WATER-WORKS,
at the bottom of Wilford-street, from whence a large part of the town is supplied with water. When there is an abundance of water, the necessary quantity is forced into the pipes by means of a water wheel, but when there is a scarcity of this useful element, the works are driven by steam, an engine having been erected for that purpose in 1824, The company obtained their original lease from the corporation of Nottingham, in the year 1696, but in 1827, they obtained an act of Parlia. ment, very much increasing their powers.— On the north bank of the Leen, between Fink-hill-street and Greyfriars'-gate, are
ST. NICHOLAS'S WHITE RENTS,
eight tenements occupied by poor parishioners, pat in at the will of the churchwardens and overseers for the time being; they live rent-free, but have no allowance, the endowment for it being lost—The water in the Leen is here diverted into the canal, and the ancient course of the river serves as the outlet for the town sewers. Proceeding up Greyfriars'-gate, the land on the right formerly belonged to the Minorites or Grey Friars, but has now become the property of various individuals. The convent was situate at the south-west corner of Broad-marsh, but all traces, both of this ancient pile, and its grey-clad inhabitants, have long since fallen before the all-destroying scythe of Time. In Broad-marsh is situate
ST. PETERS WORKHOUSE,
the entrance to which is narrow and confined, but the building itself is airy and spacious, and well adapted for its purpose. At the back of Sussex-street, which immediately adjoins, is the
PRIMITIVE METHODIST CHAPEL,
a plain brick building, without a gallery, built in the year 1823, and capable of seating about sixhundred hearers. Service is performed here on the Sabbath, at halfpast ten, halfpast two, and six, and on Wednesday evenings, at seven.—Retracing our steps, and going along Middle-marsh and up Charity or Garner's-hill, a part of the old wall which once surrounded the town, may be discerned at the angle between Garner's-hill and Middle-hill. This wall was built by Edward the elder, in 910. At the top of Middle-hill is the
TOWN HALL AND JAIL,
A good brick building, faced with stucco. In the front is a dock, which strikes the hour upon a bell on the roof of the building. The west front is guarded by iron palisades, through which we pass by a flight of stone steps into the hall, where the assizes and sessions are held, and also the Mayor and Sheriffs' court once a fortnight, and the Sheriffs' county court once a month. Here also the corporation elections are carried on. The hall is thirty-nine feet four inches by thirty feet. To the east of the hall is the council chamber of the corporation, which at the assizes and sessions forms the grand jury room. It is tastefully fitted up, and adorned with paintings of Sir Thomas White, a great benefactor of the town, George Coldham, Esq. formerly town clerk, and other distinguished characters. The entrance to the jail, which is a very small contracted place, is by a. door from the High-pavement. The whole length of the building, comprising the hall, council chamber, and prison, is not more than one hundred and four feet.—High-pavement is one of the most considerable streets in the town, and contains a number of very handsome buildings. Those on the south side have spacious gardens at the back, with a delightful view over the meadows, &c. At the north side, opposite Garner's-hill, is the
CHARITY OR BLUE-COAT SCHOOL;
called by the latter name, on account of the boys and girls clothed by this charity, wearing blue garments. Two statues, representing a boy and girl in their school costume, are in niches at the front of the building. Sixty boys and twenty girls are clothed and educated therein. On a brass plate, in the boys' room, is the following inscription:—
Nottingham Charity School, founded in 1706, and supported by the Contributions of the Corporation and others, was in 1723 remoued to this Building; which was then Erected for the Use and Benefit of Such School, at the Charge of many Benefactors in and nigh this town, upon a piece of Ground giuen by Mr. William Thorpe for that purpose.
The present master of this excellent charity is Mr. Thomas Cokayne.