During my recent quest for alleyways to #wander, I discovered that there are surprisingly few left in Nottingham. It seems that it has been common practice to either gate them off, or extend shop façades to cover the alley.
For example, the area on Nottingham between Long Row North and Upper Parliament contains a large number of buildings that do not face the street, or have any public access. It must be a warren in there.
One surviving public right of way through this area is called Hurt's Yard.
The unremarkable upper entrance to Hurt's Yard is from Upper Parliament Street, it has obviously survived many many changes of the building surrounding it.
There are at least 4 'ceiling' levels in the passageway leading to the alleyway.
Old timber - and presumably rather newer plaster - is exposed on the ceiling.
Turning round, I walked backwards down the passageway...
And two more shots, moving away, to show the other end of the passageway.
It is clear that Hurt's Yard hasn't been a commercial success since it's late 20th Century regeneration. It has more closed and abandoned shops that it does working ones.
This partially burned-out building has scaffolding, but nobody working on it.
This is Robs Records Mart - it is bursting with vinyl, and is apparently rather famous amongst Nottingham's music aficionados.
Walking further down reveals a short terrace of beautiful, but unloved Georgian shops. I peeked inside one, and although it was completely empty, it wasn't in bad order, and it appeared to have been properly re-plastered, but never decorated.
Here is a shot, almost at the bottom, looking up.
And facing down again - revealing a strange, squashed outbuilding.
Nearly at the end, this is the back of one of the shops on the main road.
And then through the bottom passageway. Looking down....
...and looking back up...
...almost out...
And back on the street, where another unremarkable entrance conceals a remarkable little piece of Nottingham
I hope you enjoyed this wander. If you know anything about the history of Hurt's Yard, please get in touch via the comments, or to me at @thom_white on Twitter.
T
That is rather wonderful, in a scary, Dickensian kind of way. Wouldn't like to walk down there in the dark.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting -- too bad it's not succeeding as a commercial area, it seems like it would be a great touristy thing, but maybe it's too hard to find...
ReplyDeleteI've only just found this! Terrifically interesting - I love hidden old alleys and such.
ReplyDeleteHurts Yard is named after Charles Hurt who was landlord of the adjoining Fox and Owl Inn on Parliament Street for over four decades in the latter half of the 19th century. The yard would have orginally been connected with the Inn's business, but may have had some small residences on it. At some point the demand for retail was such that the current row of shops and alley was built in the yard.
ReplyDeleteThe frontage of the inn itself was rebuilt in the 1920s/30s into the art deco building that stands today, explaining the multiple ceilings you saw in the entrance - the lower ones probably connected with the old inn.
(my wife is a descendent of Charles Hurt and her parents still have several pieces of furniture from the inn that have been passed down in the family).
I am looking for as much history as I can find with regards to Hurts Yard.
ReplyDeleteCan anyone help?