NOTTINGHANI. Few towns occupy a more com manding, and, at the same time, delightful situation, than this large and respectable capital 01 the shire to which it gives name. Spreading over the swift declivity, par tially along the base, but vet y principally over the level summit, of a terrace-like eminence, that here rises from the rich vale of Trent, and fronts the south, Nottingham greets the eye of strangers approaching from the south ern districts of England, with a prospect of equal dignity and beauty. When sufficiently near, they sec, in the fore ground, besides a bri(112,.e across thc smaller river Lene, which runs close in beneath the town, a large and noble bridge of twenty arches, actoss the lull s:ream already named as that which laves the vale ; they behold, on the west or the compact body of houses that on the east decline gradually into the plain, a stately modern cha teau, (the castic,) proudly seated on the point of an in land promontory ; and view, rising from the town itself, a church, that, in form, magnitude, and architecture, might vic with many cathedrals. If, on a close ap proach, dm redness of the brick which composes, and of the tiles that roof the houses of Nottingham, impress somewhat unlavourably the eye, let the town be entered, and its general neatness, the elegance of some of its parts, its clean appearance, and the air of comfort dif 'used almost throughout, will change that impression into one highly advarilageous to the place, which really merits to be be regarded as a kind of provincial me tropolis.
Its name is the ancient Saxon one or Snottingahanz,t slightly altered, but very palpably improved ; a name derived, it is said, front excavations made in the sides of those soft rocky eminences that distinguish the site, and which were occupied as dwelling places by some of the aborigines of England, from perhaps a vely remote pe riod. In attempting to establish the origin of Notting ham, conjecture has oft indulged her wildest mood. Ebranr, fifth king of the Trojano•British dynasty, and whose reign is said to have commenced 1030 years be fore Christ, has been named as its founder; although much more modestly it has been said to be proved to have then existed as a town, by being chosen for the bu rial place of Coilus, the last of the pagan kings of Bri tain, and reported founder of the town of Colchester.
Dismissing these idle tales, and passing ovcr other le gends respecting the antc-christian and early Christian period of the history of Nottingham, as equally undeserv ing of serious notice, it may be remarked, that reasons not devoid of plausibility have been urged in favour of a conclusion formed by some antiquaries; viz. that here was the Roman Causennis, a station given in the Itine rary Antoninus, as that between Durobrivis, now Brig Casterton, and Lindum, the present Lincoln. De scending upon the annuls of the Saxon period, we find it generally, nay, universally allowed, that the place had become considerable ; and was even defended by a tower or fort. It kept advancing, and, as we learn from Domesday-book, had, in the time of the Confessor, 173 burgesses, and 19 villeins, resident within it. Like al most every other place of that early consequence, Not tingham suffered from the Norman invader's merciless severity. When the Domesday Survey was made, only 120 resident householders Were found in the place. This depression was, however, probably short-lived, as the burgesses seem to have possessed at the time very eon siderable privileges; of the chief of which, viz. the proprietary and occupation, as a body, of six caru cats, each carucat being about 120 acres of land, to plough, besides pasture and meadow in proportionable quantity, with barns, stables, and dwellings, correspon dent, they do not appear to have been deprived by Wil liam. The great prosperity of Nottingham is, never theless, to be referred to modern times : although, as the slight sketch of its annals subjoined to this article, will show, it has from an early period, occupied a pro minent place among the more distinguished towns of England.