There we stood before a waist high lectern on which was a sculptured relief of the building, offering a tactile guide to its contours. Having the architecture explained in the honeyed tones of Joanna Lumley was uniquely engrossing as you felt your way around it in front of you and then stood back to gaze upon it as a whole, this surely one of the oldest and prettiest houses in Nottingham. Crossing the road to the 'Pitcher and Piano' we learnt about the history of this former church with its tall spire and radical history. Then up to the Law Courts (Galleries of Justice), where standing next to a Victorian pillar box we were told of the hangings - not too many - which took place there and how at one of them there was such a throng of spectators crushed together that several people including children were killed.
The fourth place was St. Mary's church and then on to the splendid Adams building - the Place for Lace, with its magnificent façade five storeys high. Two more stops to take in a Watson Fothergill building and the last, the National Ice-Centre built in the year 2000.
This is truly fascinating tour through one of the glories of Nottingham, and ample praise should be given to the artist Alec Keeper and all the many people involved who helped to make this possible. All it needs is some strategically placed seats - it gets rather tiring as some of the descriptions are over long. You can fast forward the tape of course but then you don't want to miss anything, at least I didn't, but if you had listened to everything all the way through it would take two hours. Could the answer be to have a choice of two tours, one on architecture and one on social history, thus reducing them to a more manageable length? This would have the added advantage of coaxing people to return, for it is well worth it.
Access off-peak. Nov
1st to March 31st Tuesday to Sunday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Last issue 2.30 p.m. Telephone 0115 952 0555
Shirley M Brookes
January 2003
Shirley, one of our visually impaired members, took advantage of the tactile heritage trail that was previewed in January 2002.