IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Bennett Street, NOTTINGHAM, NG3 5GP

Bennett Street, a cul-de-sac off Woodborough Road (B684), showing a new housing development outside the boundary wall of the former Mapperley mental hospital. The institutional-style hospital building is part of "Duncan Macmillan House", a unit that continues to provide mental health care services. The name Mapperley is thought to be associated with a certain Mr Thomas Mappurley, an M.P. for Nottingham between 1353-56 who owned of an area of land known as "The Mappurley Closes" in 1377. It seems highly likely that the bricks used to build the hospital and its numerous extensions came from the Mapperley Brick Works that once existed immediately opposite the entrance to Bennett Street.

A view of the junction of Belvoir Street with Woodborough Road, looking towards Mapperley. Whilst at a first glance this stretch of properties looks like a row of terraced houses, the builder working on the property with the "For Sale" sign attached to it had just uncovered a long rectangular shop sign under some rendering he had removed. An elderly man walking past it confirmed that it had been a "beer off" (an off-licence) when he had been a lad and that he had gone into it occasionally and bought sweets there too. In our conversation it transpired that at one time this had in fact been a parade of shops.

A view of the cul-de-sac known as Belvoir Street. Almost opposite where it joins Woodborough Road (B684) Mapperley Community can be seen, occupying a single storey brick building that was previously part of the local brick factory that once produced the bricks for St Pancras Station, amongst other buildings. It seems likely that at least some of the terraced houses in Belvoir Street would have been occupied by employees from this nearby factory. It also seems possible that the larger property in the centre of the picture (currently being insulated externally) may have housed the family of one of the brick company's more senior employees?

Eaton Street, off the B684 (Woodborough Rd), comes to a dead end here where it reaches the boundary wall of what was once Mapperley psychiatric hospital. Originally called the Nottingham Borough Asylum it was designed to meet the needs of the city’s 70,000 inhabitants. However, by the time it was opened in 1880 the population of the borough had swollen to 180,000, placing an even heavier demand on it than had been envisaged. Most of the hospital was closed years ago as part of a governmental "Care in the Community" strategy although parts of it continue to provide mental health care facilities.

One of the many surviving suburban cinemas in Nottingham, but one that is not a Bingo hall. It houses a large golf equipment store.

A view across Woodborough Road (B684) from Eaton Street featuring Mapperley Methodist Church. The church occupies a prominent position in this neighbourhood, known is locally as "Mapperley Top". Behind the tree another landmark – the Mapperley Ridge radio transmitter – can be seen.

Nottingham City Council's "Mapperley Community Centre" is visible on the left-hand side of Woodborough Road (B684) in the direction of the suburb of Mapperley. This very building was part of the Mapperley Brick Works, at whose entrance it stood. Many millions of its bricks were purchased for use elsewhere in Great Britain, including those used in the construction of St.Pancras Station.

Detailing some of the Victorian architecture.

Much has happened since I photographed the building in 2009 https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1197724 . By around 2018 it was occupied by The Haunted Museum, but this closed in 2020 due to the Covid pandemic. Permanent closure was announced in 2021 due to the condition of the building, the Museum having moved to new premises. 2020 also saw the Listing (Grade II) of the building by Historic England https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1472567 which will be a constraint on any new occupier. The building remained unoccupied at the time of this visit, but this has the advantage that the frontage is free of signage, allowing the architecture to express itself.