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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Nottinghamshire => Topic started by: tedscout on Thursday 19 January 12 08:20 GMT (UK)
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This is purely for interest sake.
One of my favorite parts of a trip back to England 2 1/2 years ago (from Australia) was visiting the caves in Nottingham.
Since then I have followed the survey of the caves and read all about the history of them.
This has led me to believe the people who lived in them must have been on the census, and I wonder if any of you wonderful Nottingham experts can tell me where I can find if this is true.
Cheers From Ted - the Aussie
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My husbands great great grandparents lived in The Hermitage, Sneinton.They are on the census under this address.
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Ted, many many many thanks for this post! I thought I knew a reasonable amount about the UK but am amazed and ashamed that I have never heard of these caves. I've just been googling and am hooked. I've just got to go and see them! ;D
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I went to the caves a couple of years ago and took quite a few photos. I may go on one of the frightnights in the salutation inn as there's caves under there. I also been in the galleries of justice on a frightnight. I thought the caves was brill witheir history and the war time uses. The weird thing was the entrance via the shopping centre. My brother did some work in the shopping centre . He kicked himself when he realised he had n't noticed that he could have visited whilst he was there! We also went to the castle to have a look round. This one city break i enjoyed.
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Ruskie do go! I went to nottingham previously but did n't get much out of. We went ater the robin hood series and decided to go to nottingham as there was a frightnight and also that we could visit the castle, i did n't know about the caves until i got there. It was interesting about the history of leather as i come from a town which had a strong leather industry, mom used to do outwork. They had an interesting use for one of our body wastes!
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Yes, great post Ted, have you seen this site?
http://nottinghamcavessurvey.org.uk/
Best wishes,
Copperbeech5
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The records of the Borough of Nottingham contain several references to properties rented out to 'cave dwellers'
The following is an extract from the 1809 records, showing tennant, property and annual rent in part of the Chambers Estate. (Note 5s =five shillings -pre decimal coinage)
William Bradley A rock hole in York St 5s
Joseph Hallam A house in the rock in York St 5s
Thomas Porter A rock hole in York St 5s
Joseph Rawson A rock hole in York St 5s
John Abbot &
Michael McLoghland A rock hole on the Long Stairs 8s
Thomas Wood A rock hole on Gilliflower Hill,
he agreeing to pay all arrears of rent
now due from the time of his first
occupation thereof £1
William Oakland A rock hole in St Michaels Row 5s
Robert Hutchinson A rock hole in Mansfield Road 15s
Perhaps it was a better class of hole in Mansfield Road 8)
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'Perhaps it was a better class of hole in Mansfield Road'
Well caves were lived in in Mansfield as well, they were known as the Rock Houses, and what's left of them is still there, the road is called...... Rock Hill.
If you google 'Rock Houses Mansfield' you will see images of them, and I go past them every time I go into town.
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Wow this is fascinating thank you. GFHWP. I will have to google and find out where they are.
Fancy having to live in a "rock hole" :-[
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Rock Hole....LOOGSHURY!!!...wun i wer a lass we dreeeeemed of livin' in a rock 'ole.....
;D
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Don't get me started annmck. I'm a Monty Python tragic from a long line of Monty Python tragics ;D
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I did n't vote for 'em.
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The Nottingham caves 'tour' gets a slamming on Trip Advisor. :-\
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In the mid-late 1970s I was involved with a group called 'Nottingham Historical Arts Society' that concerned itself with 'digging the caves' for the sake of archaeological interest and preservation. By 'digging' I mean emptying the caves of the soil and other waste with which they were filled.
The unique thing about Nottingham caves is that they were man-made, carved into the Bunter sandstone on which most of the city stands. They were often below public houses (used as store rooms for the ale due to constant temperature). Other were used as tanneries. There are many connected in 'complexes'.
The complex under the Broad Marsh shopping centre (near Middle Hill) was discovered during excavations to build the centre, and the developer was persuaded to take measures to avoid total destruction (they would have just filled them with concrete to ensure good foundations). For several years the access was via an external door near to where the new Contemporary Arts Centre is. That was until someone had the idea of commercialising them into a visitor attraction.
Sherwood.
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There is another complex under Peel Street, one under Cliff Road and a further one under Bridlesmith Gate. I went 'digging' at Bridlesmith Gate and Cliff Road.
There were often wells and cesspits. At one site there was a well right next to a cesspit. We figured that 'stuff' must have seeped from the cesspit into the well.
Under Bridlesmith Gate I remember excavating lots of earth and broken Victorian china and clay pipes. At the bottom of a cesspit were the bones of a dog. Did it fall in or was it simply dumped after dying? Who knows! The 'soil' we took out of the cesspit was black loamy compost.
It got quite hot and humid working down there so my mate rigged up piped fresh air (12 volt car blower motors and pipe made from strips of black bin liners. Worked a treat! He also sorted out proper lighting because we had been working like miners with battery lamps on out safety helmets.
Sherwood.
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Fascinating stories Sherwood - thanks for telling us about your digs. :)
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Hi Sherwood,
So, would you say that the caves are worth a visit?
I feel slightly apprehensive in that I am a bit claustrophobic, but feel quite fascinated by the thought of them, so what would you say - are they a must??
Thanks,
Copperbeech5
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Sherwood, from what you say it sounds like the touristy part of the caves is possibly a bit of an' afterthought' to exploit the caves commercially (nothing wrong with that - at least they were saved from the developer's cement ;)). Are they less interesting than some of the other caves in the area? Have you been in any other caves? I take it that many/most are privately owned?
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Looking at this site http://www.cityofcaves.com/index.asp?getpage=true&sid=41 it seems as if the only cenus they might be on would be the 1841 "Many were inhabited until 1845, when the St. Mary’s Enclosure Act banned the rental of cellars and caves as homes for the poor, though the practice continued underground! "
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This is so fascinating...I have never heard of these caves. Not that I am from Nottingham of course.
But what is so interesting is that we have a similar thing in Stockport (Cheshire) which has aso been turned into a visitor attraction showing how they were used as air raid shelters in the war. We always knew the stories of them so it was great to be able to visit. It sounds like there are so many more in Nottingham though and they had so many interesting uses. I hope the visitor attraction is not too tacky - the website doesn't really sell it too well ::)
One interesting story we learnt in theStockport ones is that the caves were originaly dug behind people's homes to avoid them having to pay tax on extra rooms.... they just dug back secretly and no one knew they were there until years later.
I do love Rootschat ;D I learn something knew every day!!
Milly
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You can also go on a fright nights tour! I found the historical side of leather tanning in the caves very interesting. Try guessing what they used, very freely available! Also were used as air raid shelters. Did n't realise there were some in stockport.
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I found the historical side of leather tanning in the caves very interesting. Try guessing what they used, very freely available!
Urine.
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Yep! You've been reading up.
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No,not reading up. I think I saw it on that Tony Robinson 'Worst Jobs in History' programme years ago .... ;)
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There will be an open day at Sneinton Hermitage, Nottingham on Sunday 9th September from 2-4pm.
Check out website- www.nottinghamessense.co.uk/sneinton-hermitage-caves
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Gate 3, Park Rock Apartments, Castle Boulevard, Nottingham caves open on Saturday 8th September at various times.
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I work in one of Nottingham's shops that has part of the caves as its basement. A lot of shops have boarded or plastered their basements over, but we still have the original bricks.
We can't move through them though, I don't think a well known department store would be happy if we just kept popping up from down below!
It can be quite eerie at night if you're down there alone, but still amazing.
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Hi Dawnn,
Welcome to Rootschat!
Wow, what a wonderful bit of information, it is all so amazing to think of these caves under our feet, with so much history attached!
Can also imagine they can seem a bit eerie at night!!
Best wishes,
Copperbeech5