Watson Fothergill – Watson Fothergill Walk

Events, TC Hine, Watson Fothergill in Nottingham

The Hine Hike, The Castle Pub & Gift Vouche

December 8, 2025 watson

Book the newly renovated function room in a Fothergill building

Thanks to everyone who came to the Introducing TC Hine event at the University of Nottingham. It was great to see some familiar faces and to explore the City as Lab project.

If you missed it, here’s a blog about TC Hine’s scrapbook from the Manuscripts & Special Collections Department. Many thanks to Dr Charlotte May and everyone at the University of Nottingham Manuscripts & Special Collections for inviting me, and to Dan Simpkin (@theparkestate) for the photos.

Some pages from the digitisation of TC Hine’s scrapbook. (Photo: Lucy Brouwer)

To continue the TC Hine theme, I’m offering my Hine Hike tour on S unday 14 December, 11 am. This tour surveys the Nottingham city centre buildings of the Victorian architect Thomas Chambers Hine, from The Park Tunnel to The Lace Market and gives an introduction to his life and work.

The Hine Hike, 14 December, 11 am Tickets £20 each. Now also booking on Yuup.

News from The Castle Pub, part of Watson Fothergill’s Mortimer House, which features on The Watson Fothergill Walk.

The upstairs function room of The Castle has been renovated and is ready for pre-Christmas bookings. I took a look around inside.

(Photos of the interior courtesy of Eversosensible/ The Castle Pub).

Upstairs in The Archer’s Attic (so called because there’s a great view of the Robin Hood statue), there is a bar, two dining areas with plenty of room for parties or group events, and even space for your own DJ. There’s info on capacity and more photos on the pub’s website. It’s free to hire the room, and they have some pre-Christmas availability so drop them a line if you’re interested in booking.

Mortimer House, which is also home to Fothergill’s Pub & Bistro, was built in 1882-83, and represents the Old English elements of Fothergill’s architectural style. Built for Clement Tate, a business man and surveyor, who was based in Nottingham at the time, the building was originally six houses with shops at either end. The Old Castle Inn, as it was then known, has been a public house since 1980, with a brief stint as The Fletcher and Firkin in the 1990s (look for the old Firkin doormat!) It had previously been a tea room, an antique shop and the office of a bankruptcy accountant! These days, it is a listed building and the final stop on my Watson Fothergill Walk guided tour.

Mortimer House, now The Castle and Fothergill’s (Photo: Lucy Brouwer)

The Watson Fothergill Walk will be back in 2026, so make sure you are subscribed to receive dates as they are announced. Gift Vouchers for my tours are available from Gift Up, or you can book a private walk for small groups by contacting me via my website.

Thanks for reading Watson Fothergill Walk – Lucy Brouwer! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

Events, talk, Watson Fothergill in Nottingham

Watson Fothergill in The Park Estate

November 27, 2025 watson

An illustrated talk on houses by Fothergill and some of the people who lived in them

People often ask me about the houses in Nottingham’s Park Estate. So far, I have not presented a tour of The Park, mainly because it is so large, walking there involves climbing several steep hills, and there aren’t quite as many houses by architect Watson Fothergill as people might imagine …

… However, I have put together an illustrated talk on houses in the Estate that Fothergill worked on, as well as stories of some of the characters who lived in them.

This talk was originally researched and put together for the Park Residents Association, and I will be presenting an updated version at The Vat & Fiddle on Tuesday 17 February, doors 7.30 pm, (doors 7 pm). Tickets are £10 each.

W atson Fothergill in The Park Estate tickets.

Here’s more info:

Join Lucy Brouwer, the creator of Watson Fothergill Walk, for a look at Fothergill’s houses in Nottingham’s Park Estate. Learn about the original owners and some of the residents of these distinctive Victorian buildings.

Nottingham’s Park Estate was home to some of Nottingham’s most illustrious Victorians and their families. The properties created by the architect Watson Fothergill represent some of the most outstanding houses in the development. Lucy, who is known for her popular Watson Fothergill Walk tour, has researched the histories of these houses and traced some of their original residents. Hear stories of some of Nottingham’s prominent Suffragists, Timber Merchants, Members of Parliament, and Scientists of the late Victorian era.

This is an illustrated talk with a duration of approximately 1 hour. Doors to the Golding’s Room open at 7 pm; the talk starts at 7:30 pm. The Vat & Fiddle will be open until 9 pm. Tickets £10 each

With many thanks to Dan Simpkin for the use of his fantastic photos. More of these on The Park Estate Instagram account. I’m also on Instagram – WatsonFothergillWalk – join me, if that’s your thing!

Another architect, Thomas Chambers Hine, was responsible for the layout and overall look of The Park Estate. I will be introducing Hine and his work for University of Nottingham Manuscripts and Special Collections on Thursday, 4 December. Details in the previous post.

To accompany this event, I am staging a Hine Hike walking tour on Sunday, 14 December, at 11 am. This tour offers an introduction to Thomas Chambers Hine and his buildings in Nottingham city centre. Duration approx. 2 hours. Tickets £20 each.

The Hine Hike, Sunday, 14 December, 11 am

Thank you for all the interest in my Nottingham Art Deco Pubs talk. I am looking at staging it again, so make sure you’re subscribed to this mailing list for news of all future dates.

Thanks for reading Watson Fothergill Walk – Lucy Brouwer! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

Art Deco, Events

Autumn Walks and another chance to look for Deco in the Details

October 6, 2025 watson

Hello all. I’m back from my trip to Devon, where I attended some events at The International Agatha Christie Festival(such fun!) and visited a couple of excellent National Trust properties. I am now much better informed about seafood, scones, and murder mysteries.

Murder on the Torquay Footbridge. Photo: Lucy Brouwer

If you’re ever down that way, I’d recommend a visit not only to Agatha Christie’s house, Greenway, but also to Coleton Fishacre, the gorgeous Arts & Crafts meets Art Deco holiday home of the D’Oyly Carte family.

Coleton Fishacre (I had the best weather of the week at this National Trust property near Brixham, Devon) Photo: Lucy Brouwer

To continue celebrations of the Art Deco centenary year, I’m running both parts of my Nottingham Deco in the Details tour again this October.

These tours look at the architecture of the 1920s and 1930s in the city centre, searching for elements of Art Deco style in pubs, shops, dancehalls, and civic buildings. It’s in two parts because it’s too far to walk in one go, but you can do either or both in any order.

Deco in the Details Part 1 – Thursday 23 October, 11am – tickets £20 each

This walk starts and ends at TC Howitt’s Council House and takes in Montegue Burton – The Tailor of Taste, the Viyella building, a streamlined Deco Woolworths, and more.

Deco in the Details Part 2 – Thursday 30 October, 11am – tickets £20 each

This walk starts outside the Victoria Centre to view the YMCA building, then looks at shops, the Palais de Danse, Hockley, and Sneinton Market, ending with a look at The Bath Inn.

Both these routes, as well as my Watson Fothergill Walk are also available for private groups of 6 or more people. Please drop me a line to organise a private tour.

Here I am at Clawson Lodge at the end of the Carrington Crawl the other week. I’ll be back doing this walk again in 2026. Photo: Louise Hunter

Speaking of the Watson Fothergill Walk, the next one is on Sunday 12 October, 10am and I doubt there will be time for another before the Festive Markets on the square get underway,. There are limited places remaining, so if you’ve been putting it off, please book now!

Watson Fothergill Walk, Sunday 12 October, 10am – tickets £20 each

It would be great if you could join me to see Nottingham differently.

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Fothergill Buildings Outside Nottingham

Fothergill in Long Eaton

September 3, 2025 watson

I finally made it to Long Eaton to see the building Fothergill designed for Samuel Smith’s Bank. Just over the border into Derbyshire, Long Eaton is a half-hour bus ride away from the centre of Nottingham (I caught the Sky Link airport bus and met up with my friend Louise on the way).

The Halifax (former Samuel Smith & Co, Bank), 24 Market Place, Long Eaton. Architect: Fothergill Watson, 1889. (Photo: Louise Hunter).

Halifax are closing this branch in September 2025, so we wanted to visit while it was still possible to go inside. However, the interior was fairly modern with the only evidence of the original detail being the coffered wooden ceiling. I didn’t take a photo, as by then the counter assistants were wondering if I was casing the joint.

In March 1889, Fothergill Watson (pre-name change) submitted plans, commissioned by Messrs Samuel Smith & Co, Bankers, but these do not survive in archives. There are several other Fothergill buildings linked to this association with Smiths Bank, including alterations to a house on Cator Lane, Chilwell, for Mr F.C. Smith (see blogs passim), Hucknall Institute & Coffee Tavern (memorial stone laid by Mrs F. C. Smith), and a branch in Bullwell (now demolished).

The Grade II Listed bank makes good use of its location, with both side elevations projecting into the street; there is a porch on the south corner with a typical polished granite column.

Smith’s Bank, Long Eaton. South Elevation. (Photo: Lucy Brouwer)

The building uses Fothergill’s favoured red brick with blue brick bands, stone dressing the terracotta dressings. Elaborately moulded chimneys and a slate roof are also typical.

The front has five moulded Caernarvon arched windows with polished granite columns with foliage capitals. (Caernarvon arch is a term often used by Historic England and refers to an arch comprising a wide keystone resting on two corbels shaped to fit the keystone.)

Caernarvon arched window. (Photo: Lucy Brouwer)

Below the windows is a continuous moulded sill band and above a moulded terracotta frieze (now mostly visible thanks to a smaller Halifax signboard).

Close up of the terracotta moulding. (Photo: Lucy Brouwer)

The porch has semi-circular headed stone arches supported by a large polished granite column with foliage capital. There is wrought ironwork in the tympanums and grid iron work below (it looks like originally there would have been another grid gate to close off the entrance).

Porch with wrought ironwork. (Photo: Lucy Brouwer)

The date stone overlaps 1889 and is rather discreetly placed in the stone arch of the window.

Date stone in window arch. (Photo: Lucy Brouwer)

On the north corner, a canted oriel mullioned and transomed window with terracotta panels to the base and coloured brick corbels below.

Canted Oriel window. (Photo: Lucy Brouwer)

On the north side, facing into the church yard, a grand stair window with a stepped base and below a large moulded arch with a door and window.

While we were exploring Long Eaton, I was pleasantly surprised to discover there were several other buildings of note. More coming up…

If you’d like to learn more about the architect Watson Fothergill, why is swapped his names around, how to spot his buildings, and much more, then join me for The Watson Fothergill Walk, an architectural walking tour of Nottingham City Centre. Next date 7 September 2025.

Art Deco, Events, Watson Fothergill in Nottingham

Join me to see Nottingham differently

August 31, 2025 watson

Thanks to everyone who came down to The Vat & Fiddle for my Nottingham Art Deco Pubs talk. I’ve heard that a few of you have been visiting these fabulous buildings – here’s a recap if you’d like to find some Art Deco gems in the Nottingham area: A Guide to Nottingham Art Deco Pubs

There are still a few tickets remaining for Nottingham: Deco in the Details for Art Deco Society UK on 13 September, 2 pm. This is a version of Deco in the Details Part 2. It’s also open to non-members and the Deco-curious! We might even finish off with a look inside The Bath Inn.

Tickets: Nottingham: Deco in the Details £22 each with a discount for ADSUK members.

Also, coming up: Wa tson Fothergill Walks on Sunday 7 September, 10 am, and Sunday 12 October, 10 am.

Join me for my original tour looking at Nottingham’s Victorian Architecture by its most flamboyant architect. Last chances this year, so don’t put it off book today!

See what folks are saying about Watson Fothergill Walk in my TripAdvisor reviews – It’s 5-star rated doncha know!

Tickets £20 each

Watson Fothergill Walk, Sunday 7 Sept, 10 am

Watson Fothergill Walk, Sunday 12 Oct, 10 am

Or book any of these walks on Yuup

Photos of Fothergill’s Nottingham and Notts Bank and Express Newspaper Offices from 1897 issue of “The Builder” (from Internet Archive).

There is also a rare opportunity to do T he Carrington Crawl on Saturday, 27 September, 1 pm

This tour looks at some of the houses designed by Watson Fothergill, architect, and his chief assistant Lawrence George Summers in Mapperley Park, Sherwood Rise and Carrington. There’s lots more about their lives and work too. Plus a chance to take a closer look at Clawson Lodge, a large house on Mansfield Road, now home to the Nottingham Ukrainian Cultural Centre.

Tickets £20 each.

Carrington Crawl, Saturday, 27 Sept, 1 pm

Clawson Lodge – prior to restoration – it looks even more glorious now! (Photo: Lucy Brouwer)

I hope you can join me for a walking tour soon!

Lucy – WatsonFothergillWalk.com

Art Deco, Events, Mansfield, Watson Fothergill in Nottingham

More Art Deco Pubs & Mansfield Meander

July 8, 2025 watson

Extra dates for my new projects! Plus more Watson Fothergill Walks this summer.

Hello to new subscribers, and thank you to everyone who has already joined me for a walk or talk so far…

I’m lining up to repeat my new Art Deco Pubs talk at The Abdication on 22 July. This one is now SOLD OUT, so I’m staging it again, this time at The Vat & Fiddle in their Golding’s Room, on Tuesday 19 August, doors 6.30 pm. Tickets £10 (including fees) from Eventbrite or from the pub if you’d like to pay in cash.

The Vat & Fiddle, Architect WB Starr & Hall, 1937-8, previously known as The Grove, Miami, Ziggy’s, Tom Hoskins… Photo: Lucy Brouwer

I’m also offering a shorter version of Watson Fothergill Walk in honour of the 184th anniversary of his birth on Saturday 12 July, 2 pm. This was organised to coincide with a talk about architect George Gilbert Scott at Bromley House Library. We will explore some of Scott’s influence on Fothergill’s work and take a leisurely stroll back to the Library to look in the garden. It was initially only open to Bromley House Library members, but if you’re not a member and would like to join in, you can visit as my guest (as long as you’re on your best behaviour!)

Tickets for the Shorter Fothergill Birthday Walk here.

There are just 3 tickets remaining for the Hine Hike on Sunday 27 July, 2 pm.

After the amazing response to the release of tickets for T he Mansfield Meander, I’ve added a new date – Sunday, 3 August, 3 pm. Tickets here . We will explore some of Fothergill’s early buildings and look for traces of his work on the streets of his home town.

The next Carrington Crawl – a look at the work of Fothergill and his chief assistant LG Summers in Mapperley Park, Sherwood Rise and Carrington is on Saturday, 27 September, 1 pm. This finishes up Clawson Lodge Ukrainian Cultural Centre with a chance for a cuppa and a look at their turret!

Extra turret! Clawson Lodge. Photo: Lucy Brouwer

There are a couple of summer dates scheduled for the original Watson Fothergill Walk, these are Sunday mornings, in an attempt to beat the rush of Nottingham city centre in the holiday period… Sunday, 17 August, 10 am and Sunday, 7 September, 10 am. All ticket links and info here. I hope you can join me.

I’ve got limited availability for private weekday walks this summer – so send me a message if you’d like to bring a group of 6 or more on The Watson Fothergill Walk, Hine Hike or Deco in the Details.

Events

Phew! More dates because you can’t get enough buildings!

July 2, 2025 watson

Mansfield & Art Deco pubs sell out! More dates coming up in August & September.

Thank you so much to everyone who has shown an interest in my new events.

My new Nottingham Art Deco Pubs talk at The Abdication Micropub has sold out both nights and I’m looking for a venue to hold another performance! More news as it is confirmed.

The Mansfield Meander on 31 August is now full up… so I’m going to squeeze in another one on Sunday 3 Augus t – this will probably fill up fast so don’t delay. I’m also hoping to do this walk for private groups, so if you have 6 or more people who’d be able to do it on a weekday or evening then please, get in touch.

Watson Fothergill Walk – Mansfield Meander: Sunday 3 August, 3 pm

I’m also doing a shortened version of the Watson Fothergill Walk to mark the anniversary of the Architect’s birth on 12th July 1841. Starting at 2 pm outside Bromley House Library (following on from Nigel Lowey’s sold-out talk about architect George Gilbert Scott). I will lead a shorter than usual walk to look at some of Watson Fothergill’s buildings in Nottingham city centre and explore his use of Nottingham bricks, the influence of George Gilbert Scott and the Gothic Revival on his work. At the end of the walk, there will be an opportunity for a short visit to Bromley House Library (as my guest) to see the wonderful hidden garden. Tickets: £15 with a discount for Bromley House Library Members.

Watson Fothergill Birthday Walk: Shorter Walk Special, Saturday 12 July, 2 pm

There are currently tickets available for the original City Centre Watson Fothergill Walk and Hine Hike on the following dates:

Hine Hike: Buildings of Thomas Chambers Hine, Sunday 27 July, 2 pm – 5 tickets remaining.

W atson Fothergill Walk, Sunday 17 August, 10 am – back to early starts to beat the beach rush!

Watson Fothergill Walk, Sunday 7 September, 10 am

There will be another chance to join me for The Carrington Crawl looking at houses by Fothergill and his chief assistant Lawrence George Summers in Mapperley Park, Sherwood Rise and Carrington. Carrington Crawl, Saturday 27 September, 1 pm

And Finally…

I will be running Nottingham Deco in the Details Part 2 for the Art Deco Society UK on Saturday 13 September, at 2 pm. There is a discount for ADSUK members. More details and tickets from ADSUK: Deco In The Details Part 2

As ever – if you’d like a tour or talk for you and your group I have some availability on weekdays – so drop me a message.

Events, Mansfield, New Tour, The Park Estate

At Last! A Mansfield Walk!

June 16, 2025 watson

You asked for it and it’s finally happening – a tour of the buildings in Fothergill’s home town.

There are still tickets remaining for this week’s Watson Fothergill Walk on Wednesday evening – so bring your sun hats… Tickets here:

Watson Fothergill Walk, Wednesday 18 June, 6 pm

Plus I’ve added an extra date so we can fit in a walk before Nottingham Beach takes over the market square. Please note this has a 4 pm start time.

Watson Fothergill Walk, Sunday 29 June, 4 pm

A few tickets are also available for the scheduled Watson Fothergill Walk on Sunday 6 July, 2 pm

The Hine Hike, Sunday 27 July, 2 pm is just over half full so get your skates on if you’re thinking of joining us. Tickets for all these walks are £20 each including booking fees.

Look out for more dates coming up in July and August.

After much prevaricating, I’ve decided to organise a walk in Mansfield!

Introducing The Mansfield Meander! This walk will look at the remaining buildings built by Fothergill in his home town, and we will search for traces of some of his earlier work. There will also be a chance to look at Mansfield’s massive viaduct and to stay for a drink or a meal at Ciao Bella Italian Restaurant (booking required). More details and tickets at the special introductory rate of £15 plus fees via this link:

Watson Fothergill Walk: The Mansfield Meander, Sunday 31 August, 3 pm

After an overwhelming response, there will now be two “performances” of my Art Deco Pubs talk at The Abdication in Daybrook (24 June & 22 July) These are now both full. If you’d like me to present my illustrated talk for your group or club then please get in touch via my website.

Thanks again to Lamar for collaborating on our Smartphone Photography Workshop Walk looking at some of Nottingham’s public art last week. Lamar knows so much about how to get the best out of even the smallest camera and we got some great shots. If you’re interested in taking part in one of these events in the future we’d like to hear from you – it might be possible to organise private sessions for small groups. Drop me a line to express an interest.

Nottingham Playhouse & Sky Mirror through filters… as taken on the Smartphone Photography Workshop Walk. Photo: Lucy Brouwer

Finally, Sunday 22 June is The Park Garden Trail – the best time to see the architecture (and gardens) in Nottingham’s Park Estate. Explore the heart of Victorian Nottingham and benefit a host of local charities… I will be there wandering around with my flyers, probably pointing out the Fothergill buildings… see you there!

The Park Garden Trail 2023, 5 & 7 Lenton Road, (1873, Fothergill Watson). Photo: Lucy Brouwer

Research, Watson Fothergill in Nottingham

Another Fothergill on the market

May 2, 2025 watson

A couple of small flats are for sale in another Fothergill building, the former Marhill Brewery building at Carlton, to the north of the city centre.

The former Marhill Brewery, Carlton from the listing for a flat in the upper floor on Rightmove

Originally built for Mr Vickers in 1899, it was converted to residential use around 2005. It seems that the Brewery was quite a short-lived enterprise, The Vickers family held the licence at The Black’s Head pub close by in Carlton in the late 1800s.

“Brewing in Nottinghamshire” has an older picture of the building and states that the Carlton Brewery was short-lived. With Mrs Vickers there in 1902 and Willam (her son?) there between 1904-1906. It was sold in 1904, 1906 and 1909. It became a laundry, then a print works and then it was used as a dye works owned by the Ilkeston Hosiery Finishing Company. The sequence of these changes is not entirely clear according to the official listing on Historic England.

This building is too far out of the city centre to feature on my tour but you can reach it by bus then walk from Carlton Square.

More pictures of my FothergillSpotting on the Watson Fothergill Walk Instagram!

Events, Lawrence G Summers, Watson Fothergill in Nottingham

Spotlight on The Carrington Crawl

May 2, 2025 watson

The Carrington Crawl is my deep dive into the history and architecture of the houses built by architect Watson Fothergill and his chief assistant Lawrence George Summers in Mapperley Park, Sherwood Rise and Carrington, just outside Nottingham city centre. On this walk, you’ll find out more about Fothergill’s family home and his life there with his wife and seven children. You’ll also discover the two most complete known designs carried out by Fothergill’s talented Chief Assistant, a fine architect in his own right, L.G. Summers, FRIBA.

One of the houses that features on the tour is St Andrew’s House, on Mapperley Road which happens to be on the market at the moment.

A rare view of St Andrew’s House, Mapperley Road. On the market as we speak. Photo from the listing on Rightmove.

Fothergill actually added to an existing house and you can see his characteristic polychrome brickwork, tourelle with spire roof and squat attic floor with brick nogging, along with flourishes in the windows, stained glass and other features. The house was extended for Dr Stewart in 1886. Interestingly this building later served as the office for another architect, Thomas Cecil Howitt, who had gone into private practice after his work on Nottingham’s Council House. Several of his buildings from the 1930s feature on my Deco in the Details tours.

I’m only able to do the Carrington Crawl occasionally so don’t miss out on the next date: Saturday 7 June, 1 pm. Finishing up with a visit to Clawson Lodge, where we can have tea with the AUGB who use it as their Ukrainian Cultural Centre.