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Newdigate House, Castle-Gate
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NEWDIGATE HOUSE was erected about 1675 and is, therefore, contemporary with Nottingham Castle as we now know it. This is hardly the place in which to write of the wonderful architectural interest of this house; suffice it to say that it is in itself a satisfying study of early Renaissance design.
It was built for the family of Newdigate, the well-known Lion's paws of whose arms may be seen on a faded hatchment in St. Nicholas’ Church.
In 1704 the great Duke of Marlborough defeated the French forces under Marshal Tallard at Blenheim, and captured their illustrious general. Marshal Tallard was sent to live in Nottingham under parole, and, being a sensible man, lie settled down to live a happy and useful life amid his erstwhile enemies.
His courtesy and innate goodness soon made him popular, and to him our forefathers owed many novel and useful innovations. He taught their wives how to make white bread and how to prepare salads, and he taught the men how to grow roses. The greatest gift we owe to him is celery. He had known the plant in France, and sadly missed it in England, where its use was unknown.
He found it growing wild in the marshes at Lenton, and cultivated it in his garden, which still remains, and whose wall is shown in this picture.