***

"the last letter of the 
Name has been written".

Ah, we are here at the Council House on the Square, 

The center of Market Square is dominated by the Council House, built by Cecil Howitt in the 1920's.  But Market Square as the site of the famous Nottingham Markets goes back for centuries.  It is here that, in 1155, King Henry II issued the town charter providing for two markets to be held here.  At one of these, Robin Hood is supposed to have come disguised as a potter.  The ballad tells how he sold his pots to the Sheriff's wife in a ruse to draw the Sheriff into the Forest.  "St. Matthew's Fair" was also held in the Market Square, every 27th September, and this was, traditionally, the scene of the famous archery competition to win a gold and silver arrow.  It was a trap, of course, to capture Robin Hood, but the outlaw won the competition and still got away.

More About the Council House

Nottingham was granted its city status by Queen Victoria in 1897.  The Council House stands in Market Square [known as "Slab Square" by the locals] in the heart of the City.  For centuries, since 1284, Market Square was home to the Goose Fair [also known at St. Matthew's Fair]; now the successor, the "funfair," has been moved to the Forest Recreation Ground just outside the City Centre.  Market Square is a little safer now than in past days, when the so-called cheese riots needed quelling by the Dragoons. In 1766, cheese vendors were chased out of town, and the Mayor was flattened by a 100lb cheese while attempting to read the Riot Act!  

Find out more about The Council House and Square on the WWW.

Read what has been written in the Book.  Write your own episode.

Find another site.

Create a Character

Return to the Great Hall

© M.D. Coverley 2002