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Nottingham

list of events occurring in or near Nottingham.

Nottingham Castle

ery little remains of this important castle. In 852 the Danes built a tower on the rock that lies to the south-west of Nottingham. The Saxons could not remove the Danes by force but had to blockade supplies reaching the invaders to force them out. In 1068 William the Conqueror started the construction of a wooden castle on the site. After the Conquest the Conqueror bestowed the castle to William Peverell, one of his close supporters. A year before he became King of England Henry (II) attacked Nottingham resulting in a devastating fire that destroyed the town. In 1194 Richard I besieged the castle to remove supporters of his brother, John. After a few days the castle fell to the King. In 1330 King Henry III arrested Roger Mortimer at the castle by entering though a secret passage in the rocks.


Timeline

918

Edward the Elder captured Nottingham from the Danes.

1068

William and the Normans started construction of the castle at Nottingham. This would have been a wooden building. It was built on the high ground above the town using the steep slope down to the river Leen as a defence. [1]

1140

The city of Nottingham was attacked and set on fire by an army commanded by the Earl of Gloucester who was a supporter of Matilda and opposing King Stephen's right to the throne.

1153

Henry attacked Nottingham where a fire resulted in damage to the town. [1]

1194

The castle at Nottingham was being held by supporters of John but it fell to Richard I after a siege of several days. [1]

In Nottingham a council was called to hear the King's request for raising taxes. Although a large amount of money had been raised to free him from Germany even more was raised to fund Richard's expedition to France to deal with the King of France. Once the money was raised Richard left England and was never to return. [2]

1217

Royalists besieged the French controlled Mountsorrel Castle in Lincolnshire. When Louis sent reinforcements to assist those in the castle the royalists moved away to Nottingham. The French army then made the mistake of moving on to Lincoln where the royalists had held out against previous attacks. [2]

1319

While the best of the English army were at Berwick, a Scottish army led by Sir James Douglas invaded Yorkshire. With an untrained army the Archbishop of York, William Melton, tried to fight off the Scots but was defeated at Myton-in-Swalesdale. With the Scots threatening their lands in the north the earls, with Edward at Berwick, abandoned the siege and returned to their homes. Queen Isabella who was in York at the time managed to escape to safety at Nottingham.

1330

King Edward III ordered the arrest of Roger Mortimer. The King and some loyal supporters entered Nottingham Castle via a secret passage in the rocks and Roger Mortimer was arrested.

1469

Edward's army was insufficient to deal with the rebels alone and he had moved them to Nottingham to wait for a larger army to join them led by Sir William Herbert, the Earl of Pembroke. Pembroke's army was attacked and defeated by a combined rebel army led by Robin of Redesdale and the Earl of Warwick who had returned from France. The battle took place at Edgecote near Banbury. Sir William Herbert and his brother Richard were captured and executed.

1484

A three year truce was signed at Nottingham Castle by Richard and the Scottish king James III. [3]

1642

Charles I declared war by raising his standard at Nottingham Castle.

Sep 13 (to Sep 20)
Charles leaves Nottingham

Charles left Nottingham Castle and marched his army towards Shrewsbury.

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Selection of references used:

  • 1: John Kinross, Discovering Castles in England and Wales, Shire Publications Ltd
  • 2: H.W.C.Davis, England under the Normans and Angevins, 1949
  • 3: Anthony Cheetham, Life and times of Richard III, ISBN:0-297-83167-4, Weidenfield and Nicolson

    See Also

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    1: Location

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    3: Size

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