Nottingham or Snotta-inga-ham, as it was originally called, has a long and rich history with many stories and fables written about it or its people. Once a Royal Bastion that then fell out of favour, labelled as a rebellious town and later a City. But the world has a lot to thank Nottingham for. This list isn't extensive but gives you a flavour: ● Tarmac, the first road being laid in West Bridgford
● Running Water
● Traffic Lights
● Lace
● VCR (Video Cassette Recorder)
● Raleigh bikes
● Flying bedstead that became the Harrier Jump Jet
● MRI Scanner
● Ibuprofen
● HP Sauce This is not mentioning the very many hundreds of thousands of talented people born, reared and/or who chose to live in Nottingham; just as Snotta did nearly 1500 years ago. People full of ingenuity, wit and fun; after all with a greeting of 'Ey up me duck, y'alreet" in the local dialogue you must enjoy a laugh. In 2001 unveiled just outside the Nottingham Playhouse was the Sky Mirror designed by renowned sculptor Sir Anish Kapoor. Sky Mirror is a 6-metre-wide (20 ft)-wide concave dish of polished stainless steel weighing 10 tonnes (9.8 long tons) that is angled up towards the sky. Its surface reflects the ever-changing environment but it allows you to look straight into the very soul of the City. Deep in the heart of the Sky Mirror were these amazing untold historical stories which provided the answers to the following questions: ● Why was Snotta-inga-ham so important to the Danish Vikings?
● Why was it so crucial that King John found and made a hunting lodge near Edwinstowe his own?
● How was the 'real' Mortimer's Hole really lost and what part did it play in the Gunpowder Plot?
● How did a public house on Castle Gate really get its name?
● How did the City hold the key to solving the puzzles to the location of King John's and the Blackbeard's treasure?
● Why did they really shoot a Batman Film at Wollaton Hall in Nottingham?
● Who was the Ghost of Chilwell and his involvement in building the 1st Golf Course in England?
● What do Ghandi, Einsten, Mao Zadong and Hitler have in common?
● Where did a rebellious young royal go to seek his future? Are or could these stories be true, that is for you to decide.