Old Market Square
Encyclopedia
The Old Market Square is an open, pedestrianised city square in Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...

, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

. It is the largest such surviving square in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

, forming the heart of the city, and covering an area of approximately 22,000 m².

Located in the heart of Nottingham city centre
Nottingham City Centre
Nottingham city centre is the cultural, commercial, financial and historical heart of Nottingham, England. Nottingham's city centre represents the central area of the Greater Nottingham conurbation....

, the square is bounded by Beast Market Hill to the West, Smithy Row to the North, and South Parade to the South. The Eastern end of the square is dominated by the Council House
Nottingham Council House
Nottingham Council House is the city hall of Nottingham, England. The iconic high dome that rises above the city is the centrepiece of the skyline and presides magnificently over the Old Market Square....

, which serves as Nottingham's city hall
City hall
In local government, a city hall, town hall or a municipal building or civic centre, is the chief administrative building of a city...

.

The nature of the square means it is often used for large local events, fairs, concerts and exhibitions.

History

The square has long been at the centre of Nottingham life. In the early days before the City of Nottingham was formed, the area was the centre-point between the old Norman town of Snottingham (situated around the Castle Rock) and the old Saxon town which was based around the current Lace Market
Lace Market
The Lace Market is an historic quarter-mile square area of Nottingham, England.Once the heart of the world's lace industry during the days of the British Empire, it is full of impressive examples of 19th century industrial architecture and thus is a protected heritage area...

 at St. Mary's Church
St. Mary's Church, Nottingham
The Church of St Mary the Virgin is the oldest religious foundation in the City of Nottingham, England, the largest church after the Roman Catholic Cathedral and the largest mediæval building in Nottingham....

. The central point between the two towns became a major market point, and hence the square has been at the centre of Nottingham's growth around it for hundreds of years since. The two towns were once divided by a wall. The old positioning of this historic wall was reinstated when the square was redesigned in the 2000s, with a granite line down the centre of the Square reminding visitors of a once divided city.

The square was the original setting of Nottingham Goose Fair
Nottingham Goose Fair
The Nottingham Goose Fair is an annual fun fair held in Nottingham, England, during the first week of October. It is largely provided by travelling fair people...

, an annual fair held in October originating over 700 years ago. The Goose Fair was moved in 1928 for redevelopment of the square.

The square was the location of Smith's Bank
Smith's Bank
Smith's Bank in Nottingham was one of the earliest banks established in England and was the first English bank outside London.-Thomas Smith :...

 which, established in 1688, was the earliest provincial bank in England. Its successor, the National Westminster Bank
National Westminster Bank
National Westminster Bank Plc, commonly known as NatWest, is the largest retail and commercial bank in the United Kingdom and has been part of The Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc since 2000. The Royal Bank of Scotland Group is ranked as the second largest bank in the world by assets...

, is still located in the same premises.

The Square was redesigned to complement the new Council House in 1927 with several platforms creating a central procession way. However, the decline in the quality, changes in function, and issues surrounding disabled access spurred a City Council-led international redevelopment competition in 2003 known as Square One.

Previously, the Square has been affectionately nicknamed 'Slab Square', owing to the high numbers of concrete paving slabs that made the former Square. There was a mosaic of the city coat of arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...

 in front of the Council House on the square. This fell into a state of dis-repair before the redesign.

Construction of the new design got under way in 2005. The Square was scheduled to reopen before the end of 2006, but following delays reopened in March 2007.

Historically the Square forms a meeting place for the people of Nottingham and is also the location for local events, civic protests, royal visits, celebrations, and public mourning. A number of Nottingham's defining moments have taken place in the Square.

One of the most significant civil protests to start here was the protest by Luddites (a social movement of British textile artisans) in the early nineteenth century, who protested growth in industrial machinery which was seen to be taking jobs. This protest eventually led to major destruction of the medieval Nottingham Castle
Nottingham Castle
Nottingham Castle is a castle in Nottingham, England. It is located in a commanding position on a natural promontory known as "'Castle Rock'", with cliffs high to the south and west. In the Middle Ages it was a major royal fortress and occasional royal residence...

. Trophies won by Nottingham Forest Football Club including the European Cup
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...

 and the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...

 have all been held aloft in front of crowds here. Nottingham ice dance legends Torvill and Dean
Torvill and Dean
Torvill and Dean are British ice dancers and former British-, European-, Olympic- and World champions...

 also stood on the Council House balcony following their famous Olympic Triumph. In 2004, a memorial service to remember the life of Nottingham Forest's former manager Brian Clough
Brian Clough
Brian Howard Clough, OBE was an English footballer and football manager. He is most notable for his success with Derby County and Nottingham Forest. His achievement of winning back-to-back European Cups with Nottingham Forest, a traditionally moderate provincial English club, is considered to be...

 was held there in front of national television cameras and thousands of local football supporters. A statue of Brian Clough, the only statue of a (once) living person to stand in the centre of Nottingham, is also located just off the square at the junction of King and Queen Street.

As well as many shops, bars and department stores, the Square is also home to the Nottingham City Transport Travel Centre. The city tourist information centre and Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire is a county in the East Midlands of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west...

 Angel Row central library
Library
In a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...

 are also both just near the Square. The Bell Inn
The Bell Inn
The Bell Inn is a Grade II listed public house dating from around 1437 that lays claim to being the oldest in Nottingham.-Foundation and early history:...

, thought to be one of the UK's oldest pubs dating back to around 1276, also sits at the back of the Square.
Folklore
Folklore
Folklore consists of legends, music, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs, fairy tales and customs that are the traditions of a culture, subculture, or group. It is also the set of practices through which those expressive genres are shared. The study of folklore is sometimes called...

 has it that it was in the Market Square where outlaw
Outlaw
In historical legal systems, an outlaw is declared as outside the protection of the law. In pre-modern societies, this takes the burden of active prosecution of a criminal from the authorities. Instead, the criminal is withdrawn all legal protection, so that anyone is legally empowered to persecute...

 Robin Hood
Robin Hood
Robin Hood was a heroic outlaw in English folklore. A highly skilled archer and swordsman, he is known for "robbing from the rich and giving to the poor", assisted by a group of fellow outlaws known as his "Merry Men". Traditionally, Robin Hood and his men are depicted wearing Lincoln green clothes....

 took advantage of an amnesty
Amnesty
Amnesty is a legislative or executive act by which a state restores those who may have been guilty of an offense against it to the positions of innocent people, without changing the laws defining the offense. It includes more than pardon, in as much as it obliterates all legal remembrance of the...

 and won the coveted silver arrow in a contest devised by the Sheriff of Nottingham
Sheriff of Nottingham
The Sheriff of Nottingham was historically the office responsible for enforcing law and order in Nottingham and bringing criminals to justice. For years the post has been directly appointed by the Lord Mayor of Nottingham and in modern times, with the existence of the police force, the position is...

. This contest forms the central plot to the Disney version of Robin Hood
Robin Hood (1973 film)
Robin Hood is an 1973 American animated film produced by the Walt Disney Productions, first released in the United States on November 8, 1973...

.

The Square has been the focal point of Nottingham's entry to the Britain in Bloom
Britain in Bloom
RHS Britain in Bloom, supported by Anglian Home Improvements, is the largest horticultural campaign in the United Kingdom. It was first held in 1963, initiated by the British Tourist Board based on the example set by Fleurissement de France. It has been organised by the Royal Horticultural Society ...

competition in recent years, taking the title four times (1997, 2001, 2003 and 2007).

In December every year, the Square hosts a Weihnachtsmarkt (German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

 Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...

 Market), and is the centre of local New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve is observed annually on December 31, the final day of any given year in the Gregorian calendar. In modern societies, New Year's Eve is often celebrated at social gatherings, during which participants dance, eat, consume alcoholic beverages, and watch or light fireworks to mark the...

 celebrations. The Nottingham Christmas Lights switch-on event also takes place here.

In February 2008, a Ferris wheel
Ferris wheel
A Ferris wheel is a nonbuilding structure consisting of a rotating upright wheel with passenger cars attached to the rim in such a way that as the wheel turns, the cars are kept upright, usually by gravity.Some of the largest and most modern Ferris wheels have cars mounted on...

 was installed in Market Square. The wheel was nicknamed the Nottingham Eye and this name was adopted by the owners, however it was changed to the Wheel of Nottingham after legal pressure from the owners of the London Eye. At 60 metres tall, the wheel provided panoramic views of the city and was the centre piece of Nottingham City Council's "Light Night".

Features

The Lions

Two large stone lions guard the Council House steps, and they have historically been a popular symbol of the city, with the City Council
Nottingham City Council
Nottingham City Council is the non-metropolitan district council for the unitary authority of Nottingham in Nottinghamshire. It consists of 55 councillors, representing a total of 20 wards, elected every four years. It is led by Jon Collins, of the majority Labour Party. The deputy leader of the...

 recently adopting the lion on some of its recent 'Nottingham Proud' campaign posters. The 'Left Lion' has long since been adopted by locals as a meeting place. There are alternative 'names' attached to them, some people call them "Menelaus and Agamemnon", others "Leo and Oscar".

Fountains

Since the 1927 design of the square, there have been water fountains present. Two fountains flanked the central procession and were in the centre of individual square pools. These remained until the redesign was completed in 2007, when a new fountain and water feature was added towards the top end of the square.

Tram Stop

On the southern side of the Market Square, along South Parade, is a Nottingham Express Transit
Nottingham Express Transit
Nottingham Express Transit is a light-rail tramway in the Nottingham area in England. The first line opened to the public on 9 March 2004, having cost £200 million to construct. The scheme took sixteen years from conception to implementation...

 tram
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...

 stop. The two tram lines run in both directions, skirting around the edge of the main square from Market Street in the north west and along South Parade towards Hockley
Hockley Village
Hockley Village is a marketing term for Hockley - an area near the centre of Nottingham, England. Hockley Village lies adjacent to the Lace Market. With many bars, restaurants and trendy clothes shops, it is a vibrant, modern section of the city, and has been described as...

. The Market Square was once at the heart of the city's road network; today it is closed to all traffic except buses along Beast Market Hill and the tram.

Speaker's Corner

On 22 February 2009 Nottingham's Speaker's Corner was officially opened by Jack Straw
Jack Straw
Jack Straw , British politician.Jack Straw may also refer to:* Jack Straw , English* "Jack Straw" , 1971 song by the Grateful Dead* Jack Straw by W...

, the UK Justice Secretary. A new extension to the Market Square was added at the junction of King Street and Queen Street, with landscaping, planting, and a new memorial to Brian Clough
Brian Clough
Brian Howard Clough, OBE was an English footballer and football manager. He is most notable for his success with Derby County and Nottingham Forest. His achievement of winning back-to-back European Cups with Nottingham Forest, a traditionally moderate provincial English club, is considered to be...

, becoming the first official Speaker's Corner outside of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...

. Due in part to the success of the Nottingham corner, there are new plans for similar projects in Lichfield
Lichfield
Lichfield is a cathedral city, civil parish and district in Staffordshire, England. One of eight civil parishes with city status in England, Lichfield is situated roughly north of Birmingham...

 and Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...

.

Redesign

Redesigned by Gustafson Porter in 2004 and completed in March 2007, the Old Market Square is built with three shades of granite. The central open space is a slippery, light coloured granite, with white, beige and dark grey granite used for the fountains, terraces and flowerbeds.
The final slab prior to the reopening was laid by the Lord Mayor and Mrs Elizabeth Strongman, who was previously married to former Nottingham Panthers captain, Les Strongman.

The new square is a single tier area, including the recreation of an ancient border which once divided Nottingham. A new water feature dominates the west side of the Square, with jet fountains and waterfalls. These water features can be turned off if required, allowing an amphitheatre
Amphitheatre
An amphitheatre is an open-air venue used for entertainment and performances.There are two similar, but distinct, types of structure for which the word "amphitheatre" is used: Ancient Roman amphitheatres were large central performance spaces surrounded by ascending seating, and were commonly used...

-like seating area to be created for shows and concerts.

The opening events included concerts and parades, with plans being made for May Day and St Georges Day celebrations, as well as to bring back a regular local farmers market, reflecting the original purpose of the Square.

External links

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