Nottingham City Centre - The Park - Canal - Wollaton Hall - The Arboretum - Corporation Oaks Circular
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Nottingham City Centre - The Park – Nottingham Canal – University Campus – Wollaton Hall – The Cemetery - The Arboretum – Corporation Oaks Circular
Nottingham is a mediaeval city that became wealthy during the nineteenth century through lace manufacture. The quarter called 'The Lace Market', which is today full of bars, restaurants and design companies, is where trade was carried out and garments created.
Nottingham had been widely known as a garden town in the eighteenth century, but had grown in upon itself since the 1780s as trade expanded, with very poor quality housing and sanitation. The much overdue Enclosure Act of 1845 finally changed that, allowing for expansion outside the city walls; and in the next forty years the population tripled to 150,000.
The good news was that at this time extensive provision was also made for green spaces. 120 acres were allotted to the corporation in trust for the people of Nottingham for public baths and walks, cricket and football grounds and a cemetery. This was in line with the provisions of the Act, which in turn reflected a growing recognition nationally of the need for 'green lungs' in the industrial towns. Parliament had adopted a standing order in 1839 that all future enclosure bills should make provision for open spaces for recreation.
As a result, the Forest (just to the north of our walk) was largely preserved, the Arboretum was opened in 1852 and a number of 'walks' were created which effectively produced a 'green collar' around the town. A visiting journalist wrote of how the 'recreation walks - which are, in truth, almost a continuous avenue of trees - completely encircle the town and afford a promenade of ten miles in extent... a proportion of open space that is still envied by other cities'. These open spaces are still in existence today - Elm Avenue, Corporation Oaks, Robin Hood Chase, Queen's Drive and the Forest – several of which our walk takes us along.
England - Central England - Nottinghamshire - Town or city
Features
Ancient Monument, Cafe, Castle, Church, Food Shop, Gift Shop, Good for Kids, Great Views, Lake/Loch, Mostly Flat, Museum, Play Area, Pub, Public Transport, Restaurant, River, Stately Home, Tea Shop, Toilets