Nottingham

Nottingham sits in the East Midlands as a compact city and administrative district centred on Old Market Square and Nottingham Railway Station. The city is served by mainline rail, an urban tram network (Nottingham Express Transit) and radial roads that link industrial suburbs and riverside areas. The River Trent marks part of the city's southern boundary and docks and wharves on its banks once supported local trade. Universities, civic buildings and the council headquarters are concentrated close to the central square, giving the district a clear civic core.

The Lace Market area preserves rows of 19th-century lace warehouses and former framework-knitting workshops, many repurposed for offices and housing. Nottingham Castle stands on a sandstone outcrop above the centre and the castle precinct overlooks streets that slope down to older merchant quarters. Beneath several streets lies a network of sandstone caves that historically served brewing, tanning and storage; sections of that underground system are presented in city heritage displays. Contemporary shopping, theatres and parks are woven into the same street pattern that grew up around the lace and trade economy.