The Outer Gate

The Outer Gate

A few images of the Outer gate and towers that a present below. Not only is the an actual image but a mock up of the width, height and above views of what the bridge would have looked like.

Note the final image - wear in the floor where wheels of carriages have made a groove on the Middle Bailey Bridge.

Nottingham Castle A place Full Royal

Nottingham Castle A place Full Royal - Volume XCIII 1989 - Christopher Drage

I found this book in Nottingham Central Library and after having looked at it for about 5 minutes decided to buy it on the internet the next day. It has information on the castles history, when structures were built, what materials and also useful maps and image reconstructions throughout the book.

Over the next few days i shall blog many posts as I read through the book, highlighting important information and also images that will be used for the reconstruction of the castle (starting soon). Until then the cover of the book can be seen above.

This is volume XCIII and is a transaction of the Thoroton Sociery of Nottinghamshire.

The history of the caslte

The history of Nottingham Castle began shortly after the Battle of Hastings where King Harold met his end, and William became king of England, in 1066. The Norman king set about conquering the rest of England and quashing the Saxon uprisings, and in doing so had thirty new 'castles' constructed.

Here follows a chronological list of important events that have taken place at Nottingham Castle, from its very beginnings to present day....

• Who reigned,
• Important events and
• The castle construction/amendments and repairs

I found them on the BBC website and have printed out select information about the castle. This will be viewable via my Masters castle portfolio at the end of the year.

If you which to see the BBC website then the pages can be accessed below...


Nottingham Castle - from Normans to Tudors. 2008. http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A37235603

Nottingham Castle - from Stuarts to the 21st Century. 2008.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A37329276

Harry Gill 1904

After looking on the internet I found a few 'vintage' books at the nottingham history.org website. They all have varied information on Nottingham castle and they are;

A history of Nottinghamshire by Cornelius Brown (1896)
ALLEN'S Illustrated Guide to Nottingham by J Potter Briscoe (1888)
A Short History of Nottingham Castle by Harry Gill (1904)

Here are a few images that are in the books stated above...

What, where when why?

Nottingham castle virtual reconstruction

Below - Nottingham castle as it is in it's present day. I know...I know... it looks nothing like a castle - in fact it is a Museum & Art Gallery. I am sure that when visitors come to Nottigham they are a bit disappointed that the site of where the tales of Robin Hood once were has been completely transformed - due to Nottinghams history of course.

Thus bringing me to this years Masters project...


Over the last few years i have been a 3D visualiser - reconstructiong objects and places that are real and that i can see. THIS TIME i am reconsructing Nottingham Castle (in it's more tradition castle look) as it was in the early 17th Century.

Looking at plans, maps, drawings, images, archaelogical digs and anything else i can get my hands on i shall attempt to recreate the casle and its grounds as closely and realistically as possible.

Why?
Well below is an extract of my Master proposal and hopefully that shall answer the question.


The subject of study will focus on creating a 3D computer generated virtual historical reconstruction of Nottingham Castle’s in the early part of the 17th century. Using 3D real-time visualisation techniques a user will be able to move through the castle in a first person point of view and interact with a virtual environment on a computer display.
...the virtual model could potentially be beneficial for the castle museum and be used alongside the existing physical model and exhibits to entice visitors to interact and learn at the same time...as an educational and visual aid for museum visitors.

The project shall last the next 8 months but the model will be working in 5 (fingers x).

This Blog will be updated weekly (if not daily) and good luck to me!

Kick Off!

Well here we are - one last year of education and it's a Masters course at NTU that i am studying this year. So this is the official Blog that i will keep so that everyone (well my tutor) knows how i am going throughout the year.

SO WITOUT FURTHER ADO......

The journey begins here.....