by Ross Balzaretti Nottingham 1st May 2026 “There was an old person of Sestri” in Edward Lear, More Nonsense, Pictures, Rhymes, Botany, etc. (1872). Public Domain. Edward Lear (1812-1888) is best known today for his poem ‘The Owl and the Pussycat’, voted the most popular childhood poem in Britain in 2014. His fame in this field has continued from the 1840s to the present day. A typical verse is the following, first published in 1870:. There was an Old Person of Sestri, Who sate himself down...

by Emily White 16th April 2026 A much-loved attraction Nestled alongside the historic waterways of Nottinghamshire, the Beeston Canalside Heritage Centre stands as a living tribute to the area’s rich past and enduring community spirit. What was once a row of canal workers’ cottages—alive with the voices and livelihoods of families who depended on the water -the Centre is now an important hub for the local neighbourhood. The Centre first opened to the public in June 2017 and has since found...

Beauvale Priory. St John Houghton. St Robert Lawrence. Martyred 4th May 1585, Priors of Beauvale, Martyrs of England and Wales. By Marianne Coxon 2nd April 2026 Photography by Janine Moore It was one of those warm soft days we often enjoy in early September when I visited Beauvale Priory buried deep in the Nottinghamshire countryside. It was a place that was often talked of with fondness by my long passed mother-in-law May, My husband was also keen to visit as he too was curious about...