Nottingham << NOT ihng uhm or NOT ihng `ham` >> is an industrial city in central England. It lies on the north bank of the River Trent. The unitary authority (local government area) of Nottingham, which includes the city and some surrounding areas, has a population of 323,632.
An old castle towers above the center of Nottingham. Other major landmarks include the University of Nottingham and St. Mary’s Church, which is a good example of English church architecture of the 1400’s. Sherwood Forest, near Nottingham, was supposedly the home of the legendary English outlaw Robin Hood (see Robin Hood).
Nottingham existed by the 800’s and became a major center of the wool trade during the Middle Ages. During the late 1700’s and early 1800’s, the city prospered and its population increased rapidly as a result of the development of hosiery, knitting, and lacemaking industries there. Factories built during the late 1800’s and early 1900’s manufacture such products as bicycles, cigarettes, and pharmaceutical goods.
