Beneath the surface of Nottinghamshire lies a hidden world. The area was associated with coal mining for centuries and although today the last mines have closed, the county has a rich mining heritage, and physical remnants of the coal industry still abound. The city of Nottingham is built on Triassic sandstone which has been worked and hollowed out over many centuries. Over a thousand caves have been identified and the settlement was once described as ‘cave house’ in the language of the ancient Britons. Many of Nottingham’s iconic buildings are built into the rock, whilst Nottingham Castle is home to a tunnel which altered the course of English history. Further afield, Cresswell Crags has numerous natural caves that were occupied in the Stone Age. One of these still contains prehistoric works of art. There are various crypts beneath the county’s churches, one of which is now used as a treasury, filled with priceless silver.

This book takes readers on a tour of Nottinghamshire’s underground spaces, exploring natural and man-made features with tales to tell. The stories include the strange and unusual, and this fascinating portrait will interest both those who know the county well and those that are just visiting.