City of Caves, Nottingham (must see)

The National Justice Museum attraction, the City of Caves, has been run by the Egalitarian Trust since 2004. Not one of the honeycomb of caves under the city of Nottingham is natural. The city is on a ridge of sandstone which may be easily cut with hand tools. Nottingham has been described as a "Place of Caves" since the 9th century.

The caves are listed as a "scheduled monument" by the Historic England Commission. They were officially called the "Caves at Drury Hill." Drury Hill is a medieval street and a former access to the caves. The caves are currently accessed from Garner's Hill. The current name of the attraction is "City of Caves."

More than 800 caves here have been cataloged by the city's archeologist. Since the middle ages the caves have been used as tanneries, pub basements, air raid shelters, and homes. People had made their homes in the caves of Nottingham since the time of King Alfred. In 1845 the St Mary's Enclosure Act banned the use of caves as living spaces for the poor.

Guided tours of the caves at present take place from late July until early September. Each tour lasts from 45 minutes to an hour.