Views of Nottingham

Severn’s (Lace Centre), Castle Road, Nottingham

This Medieval merchant’s oak framed house originally stood on Middle Pavement. In 1969, when the area was cleared to build the Broadmarsh shopping centre, it was dismantled and rebuilt on Castle Road near Nottingham Castle. Unfortunately many other fine buildings in the area were lost.

In 1735 John and James Severn used the building to start a wine importing business. Over the years the building was altered and extended, but only the medieval part was saved.

In 1929 J. Holland Walker said in ‘An itinerary of Nottingham‘:

perhaps the quaintest object in it [Middle Pavement] is the curious little yard which leads off the western side to the rear of Messrs. Severn’s wine and spirit stores, for by some curious freak of chance this has remained almost unaltered for centuries and still presents an ancient inn yard such as must have existed in plenty throughout the town when Nottingham was little more than a country market town.

It is now the Nottingham Lace Centre, showing the history of and selling Nottingham lace

Picture the past has a photograph of Severn’s in its original location.