1st December

In the winter of 1838, Nottingham solicitor and diarist William Parsons described the River Trent as a “frothy, frozen river of snow”. It made a great ice rink!

2nd December

Come to the castle and visit Santa in the bastion every weekend in December

3rd December

Give away time! Email in to nottinghamcastleproject@nottinghamcity.gov.uk for a chance of winning a pair of tickets to the In Accord Chamber Choir concert to be held at the Castle on the 9^th December (details can be found at http://bit.ly/castlecarols)

4th December

It’s the Nottingham City Museums and Galleries Volunteer Christmas Party this evening and we’re all very excited! Here’s a pic from the festivities in 2015.

5th December

Visit Nottingham Castle for some festive fun! Place a wish on the Christmas tree, make paperchains and write a letter to Santa

6th December

During Christmas 1179 King Henry II entertained King William of Scotland in Nottingham Castle

7th December

In her “Recollections of Old Nottingham” (1901) Ann Gilbert recalls there being a great snowstorm on Christmas day of 1836. It was a Sunday but there were no church bells ringing because everyone was snowed in!

8th December

Come along to the Castle’s very own stall at Nottingham’s Winter Wonderland in the Market Square. Staff from the Museum Service will be on hand selling fabulous Robin Hood and historical goodies – perfect for stocking fillers!

9th December

In 1790 a gingerbread baker John Chambers had a lucky escape when he survived falling 133 feet from the Castle Terrace into a garden below while “much in liquor!”

10th December!

This is a leather Christmas card from the Nottingham City Museums and Galleries social history collection, dating from the 1890’s. It was made by John Turney of Alexandra Park, Nottingham.

11th December

From the 11th to the 15th December you can get FREE entry to the castle for showing a lottery ticket at the gatehouse as part of the HLF National Lottery THANK YOU week!

12th December

Give away time! Email nottinghamcastleproject@nottinghamcity.gov.uk for a chance of winning a Nottingham Castle family pass to be used on the 18th, 19th or 23rd of December. (Free site entry for up to 2 adults and 2 children).

13th December

“Call off Christmas” is a famous line spoken by the Sheriff of Nottingham in “Robin Hood Prince of Thieves” (1991), but in 1647 Cromwell & the Puritans really did call it off – Christmas celebrations were banned for 13 years in total until the Restoration

14th December

The Nottingham Evening Post of 1879 stated that the Castle Museum was open on Christmas Day at 2pm, with an admission charge of sixpence. A ‘concert of sacred music’ was also held in the Long Gallery at 7pm.

15th December

This is a photograph from the Nottingham City Museums and Galleries collection of contemporary photography, part of the ‘Living Room series’ by Nick Waplington. It depicts a family from the Broxtowe Estate in Nottingham, showing the family group in their living room at Christmas time.

16th December

Since 1867 Robin Hood has appeared in the Babes in the Wood pantomime where he guides the Babes safely back to Nottingham Castle.

17th December

These unique Christmas cards were sent and personalised by George Campion ‘Mr Nottingham Archaeology’, leader of the Thoroton Society Excavation Committee, who excavated many times at Nottingham Castle

18th December

Give away time! Email in to nottinghamcastleproject@nottinghamcity.gov.uk for a chance to win 2 spaces on a ‘hard hat behind the scenes tour’ of the castle once the transformation work begins

19th December

Our Christmas Object of the Month featured in the December Transformation newsletter is an oil painting by Dutch artist Anthonie Palamedes (1601 1673). It is one of his series of “Merry Company” paintings titled Merry Company (Interior with Cavaliers and Ladies).

20th December

William the Conqueror, who ordered William Peveril to build the first castle at Nottingham, was crowned in Westminster Abbey on Christmas day 1066.

21st December

In 1815 the Malt Kiln Cave at the castle was used as an ice-house by a confectioner named Mr Topott. The Topott family’s house in Radcliffe-on Trent was known locally as “Sugar Plum Hall”.

22nd December

Here is a Christmas card from the Nottingham City Museums and Galleries lace collection. It is made from white Raschel machine-made lace, and dates from 1985

23rd December

King John spent Christmas 1215 at Nottingham Castle, the Crowland Chronicler describes his Christmas being celebrated “not as usual but as if in warlike expedition.”

Christmas Eve

Merry Christmas from the Nottingham Castle Project team!

Merry Christmas