It never fails to amaze me that people display such scant regard for their surroundings. Never is this more true than in the cities of the world - the hundrum of every day life appears to set invisible blinkers to each and every human pair of eyes, making the obvious beauty of surrounding buildings hidden from view.

This is simply due to the lack of ability to look upwards beyond the twentieth century spotlights to where a world of historical architecture awaits the unfamiliar.

Throughout the U.K. lie towns and villages whose character has been recognised, and maintained throughout the ages - Warwick town centre being a primary example. Within the sight of Warwick Castle, the black timbered wattle and daub buildings create the illusion of a town of another era having been trapped in a pocket of time. A closer inspection of the town reveals cobbled streets (some bearing cart tracks) that possibly date back to the time of the castle being built, but these require a careful search to find. A fine example of a Tudor town, upon which a thriving tourist industry has been built, is the result.

Nottingham has striven to follow the same path; here cobbled streets also remain, but without local knowledge, trying to locate them is a mammoth task. The ruins of Nottingham Castle are a good place to start from, as this is the oldest part of the city. Unfortunately, Nottingham has swelled in size greatly, and with that growth came many later styles of architecture. This has excluded the possibility of a theme presentation of the city (as with most others), but still presents an opportunity to study many varieties of decorative building design.

Despite the wide range of styles in historical buildings, there is always something to cause interest with those that study them. Whether they be Edwardian, Tudor or whatever, guaranteed history lies within the upper masonry. Even the quietest villages have their hidden gems - that are all a part of the "quaintness" of such places. This is a rich tapestry of life through history which escapes most people every time they go shopping, and could go a long way to making the weekly shop far more interesting (particularly for Dad!) So what are you waiting for? Raise your eyes, and behold something you didn't know existed!

© RIYAN Productions

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