77-523: The Old Market Square (Slab Square) is an open, pedestrianised city square in Nottingham , England, forming the heart of the city, and covering an area of approximately 12,000 square metres (130,000 sq ft), or about 3 acres (1.2 ha). It is one of the largest paved squares in the United Kingdom. Located in the heart of Nottingham City Centre , the square is bounded by Beastmarket Hill to
154-464: A plaza , public square or urban square ) is an open public space commonly found in the heart of a traditional town , and which is used for community gatherings. A square in a city may be called a city square . Related concepts are the civic center , the market square and the village green . Most squares are hardscapes suitable for open markets , concerts , political rallies, and other events that require firm ground. They are not necessarily
231-548: A "square" has a wider meaning. There are public squares of the type described above but the term is also used for formal open spaces surrounded by houses with private gardens at the centre, sometimes known as garden squares . Most of these were built in the 18th and 19th centuries. In some cases the gardens are now open to the public. See the Squares in London category. Additionally, many public squares were created in towns and cities across
308-476: A central public square, Victoria Square , and four public squares in the centre of each quarter of the city. North Adelaide has two public squares. The city was also designed to be surrounded by park lands , and all of these features still exist today, with the squares maintained as mostly green spaces. In Mainland China, People's Square is a common designation for the central town square of modern Chinese cities, established as part of urban modernization within
385-456: A given sector, then the industry-wide cost of production falls, which lowers the competitive price and increases the equilibrium supply point that, theoretically, will require an increase in aggregate labour inputs. During the 20th century and the first decade of the 21st century, the dominant view among economists has been that belief in long-term technological unemployment was indeed a fallacy . More recently, there has been increased support for
462-523: A legendary weaver whose name was used as a pseudonym in threatening letters to mill owners and government officials. The Luddite movement began in Nottingham, England , and spread to the North West and Yorkshire between 1811 and 1816. Mill and factory owners took to shooting protesters and eventually the movement was suppressed by legal and military force, which included execution and penal transportation of accused and convicted Luddites. Over time,
539-664: A man named George Mellor, ambushed and assassinated mill owner William Horsfall of Ottiwells Mill in Marsden, West Yorkshire , at Crosland Moor in Huddersfield . Horsfall had remarked that he would "Ride up to his saddle in Luddite blood". Mellor fired the fatal shot to Horsfall's groin, and all four men were arrested. One of the men, Benjamin Walker, turned informant, and the other three were hanged. Lord Byron denounced what he considered to be
616-534: A meeting place. When Joseph Else FRBS , the Principal of the Nottingham School of Art from 1923 to 1939, sculpted the two lions, they were named " Agamemnon and Menelaus ", after the two brothers from Greek mythology . Alternative colloquial names are, "Leo and Oscar", and sometimes, "Lennie and Ronnie". At the time of completion in 1929, there was a square area of grass, either side of the processional way at
693-623: A new memorial to Brian Clough . Due in part to the success of the Nottingham 'Corner', there are new plans for similar projects in Lichfield and Prague . Redesigned by Gustafson Porter in 2004 and completed in March 2007, the Old Market Square renovations cost taxpayers around £17 million. Not a single building was erected or demolished; the majority of the money was spent on granite paving stones and
770-613: A particle in a proper noun. Like the Italian piazza and the Portuguese praça , the plaza remains a center of community life that is only equaled by the market-place. A plaza de toros is a bullring . Shopping centers may incorporate 'plaza' into their names, and plaza comercial is used in some countries as a synonym for centro comercial i.e. "shopping center". In the United Kingdom, and especially in London and Edinburgh ,
847-472: A plaza can mean one of several things: Today's metropolitan landscapes often incorporate the plaza as a design element, or as an outcome of zoning regulations, building budgetary constraints, and the like. Sociologist William H. Whyte conducted an extensive study of plazas in New York City : his study humanized the way modern urban plazas are conceptualized, and helped usher in significant design changes in
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#1732845325657924-582: A recognized public body that already openly negotiated with masters through named representatives. In North West England , textile workers lacked these long-standing trade institutions and their letters composed an attempt to achieve recognition as a united body of tradespeople. As such, they were more likely to include petitions for governmental reforms, such as increased minimum wages and the cessation of child labor. Northwestern Luddites were also more likely to use radical language linking their movement to that of American and French revolutionaries. In Yorkshire ,
1001-504: A tactic used in Britain since the Restoration because manufactories were scattered throughout the country, and that made it impractical to hold large-scale strikes. An agricultural variant of Luddism occurred during the widespread Swing Riots of 1830 in southern and eastern England, centring on breaking threshing machines . The Luddite movement emerged during the harsh economic climate of
1078-627: A threat to the particular industrial interests in each region. In the Midlands, these were the "wide" knitting frames used to make cheap and inferior lace articles. In the North West, weavers sought to eliminate the steam-powered looms threatening wages in the cotton trade. In Yorkshire, workers opposed the use of shearing frames and gig mills to finish woolen cloth. Many Luddite groups were highly organized and pursued machine-breaking as one of several tools for achieving specific political ends. In addition to
1155-400: A true geometric square . Being centrally located, town squares are usually surrounded by small shops such as bakeries, meat markets, cheese stores, and clothing stores. At their center is often a well , monument , statue or other feature. Those with fountains are sometimes called fountain squares . The term "town square" (especially via the term "public square") is synonymous with
1232-701: Is Platz , which also means "Place", and is a common term for central squares in German-speaking countries. These have been focal points of public life in towns and cities from the Middle Ages to today. Squares located opposite a Palace or Castle ( German : Schloss ) are commonly named Schlossplatz . Prominent Plätze include the Alexanderplatz , Pariser Platz and Potsdamer Platz in Berlin, Heldenplatz in Vienna, and
1309-462: Is "a leaderless movement of passive resistance to consumerism and the increasingly bizarre and frightening technologies of the Computer Age ". The term "Luddite fallacy" is used by economists about the fear that technological unemployment inevitably generates structural unemployment and is consequently macroeconomically injurious. If a technological innovation reduces necessary labour inputs in
1386-460: Is a back formation, since krásnaja (the term for "red") also means "beautiful" in archaic and poetic Russian, with many cities and towns throughout the region having locations with the name "Red Square." Gwanghwamun Plaza ( Korean : 광화문광장) also known as Gwanghwamun Square) is a public open space on Sejongno , Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea. It against the background of A Gwanghwamun Gate(Korean: 광화문). In 2009, Restoration of Gwanghwamun Gate made
1463-654: Is a cognate of Italian piazza and French place (which has also been borrowed into English). The term is used across Spanish-speaking territories in Spain and the Americas, as well as in the Philippines . In addition to smaller plazas, the Plaza Mayor (sometimes called in the Americas as Plaza de Armas , "armament square" where troops could be mustered) of each center of administration held three closely related institutions:
1540-464: Is a common term for an open area in the heart of the town . In a number of cities, the square has no individual name and is officially designated Central Square , for example Central Square (Tolyatti) . The most famous central square is the monumentally-proportioned Red Square which became a synecdoche for the Soviet Union during the 20th century; nevertheless, the association with "red communism"
1617-463: Is built with three shades of granite. The central open space is a light coloured granite, with white, beige and dark grey granite used for the fountains, terraces and flowerbeds. The final slab prior to the reopening was laid by the Lord Mayor. The new square is a single tier area, including the re-creation of an ancient border which once divided Nottingham. A new water feature dominates the west side of
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#17328453256571694-500: Is considered one of the essential features in urban planning and they are often adjacent to bazaars, large mosques and other public buildings. Naqsh-e Jahan Square in Isfahan and Azadi Square in Tehran are examples of classic and modern squares. Several countries use the term "maidan" across Eastern Europe and Central Asia, including Ukraine, in which the term became well-known globally during
1771-584: Is known in the Southwestern United States , is a common feature within the boundaries of the former provincial kingdom of Santa Fe de Nuevo México . They are a blend of Hispano and Pueblo design styles, several of which continue to be hubs for cities and towns in New Mexico , including Santa Fe Plaza , Old Town Albuquerque , Acoma Pueblo 's plaza, Taos Downtown Historic District , Mesilla Plaza , Mora , and Las Vegas Plaza . In U.S. English ,
1848-561: Is still located in the same premises. When the Nottingham Exchange was demolished and the new Nottingham Council House built, the square was redesigned in 1927 with several platforms creating a central procession way. However, the decline in the quality, changes in function, and issues around disabled access spurred a City Council-led international redevelopment competition in 2003 known as Square One . The square continues to be affectionately nicknamed, 'Slab Square', in reference to
1925-709: The Euromaidan . A piazza ( Italian pronunciation: [ˈpjattsa] ) is a city square in Italy , Malta , along the Dalmatian coast and in surrounding regions. Possibly influenced by the centrality of the Forum (Roman) to ancient Mediterranean culture, the piazze of Italy are central to most towns and cities. Shops, businesses, metro stations, and bus stops are commonly found on piazzas, and in multiple locations also feature Roman Catholic Churches , such as in places known as
2002-724: The Grand-Place in Brussels and the Grote Markt in Antwerp ). The Grote Markt or Grand-Place is often the location of the town hall , hence also the political centre of the town. The Dutch word for square is plein , which is another common name for squares in Dutch-speaking regions (for example Het Plein in The Hague ). In the 17th and 18th centuries, another type of square emerged,
2079-585: The Königsplatz in Munich. A large open square common in villages, towns and cities of Indonesia is known as alun-alun . It is a Javanese term which in modern-day Indonesia refers to the two large open squares of kraton compounds. It is typically located adjacent a mosque or a palace. It is a place for public spectacles, court celebrations and general non-court entertainments. In traditional Persian architecture, town squares are known as maydan or meydan. A maydan
2156-543: The Napoleonic Wars , which saw a rise in difficult working conditions in the new textile factories. Luddites objected primarily to the rising popularity of automated textile equipment, threatening the jobs and livelihoods of skilled workers as this technology allowed them to be replaced by cheaper and less skilled workers. The movement began in Arnold, Nottinghamshire , on 11 March 1811 and spread rapidly throughout England over
2233-823: The Parliament Building and the City Hall officially named John Mackintosh Square is referred to as The Piazza. In the Low Countries , squares are often called "markets" because of their usage as marketplaces . Most towns and cities in Belgium and the southern part of the Netherlands have in their historical centre a Grote Markt (literally "Big Market") in Dutch or Grand-Place (literally "Grand Square") in French (for example
2310-644: The Pentrich Rising . While this was a general uprising unrelated to machinery, it can be viewed as the last major Luddite act. 12,000 government troops, most of them belonging to militia or yeomanry units, were involved in suppression of Luddite activity, which historian Eric Hobsbawm claimed was a larger number than the British army which the Duke of Wellington led during the Peninsular War . Four Luddites, led by
2387-650: The Piazza del Duomo , with the most famous perhaps being at Duomo di Milan , or government buildings, such as the Piazza del Quirinale adjacent from the Quirinal Palace of the Italian president. The Piazza San Marco in Venice and Piazza del Popolo in Rome are among the world's best known. The Italian piazzas historically played a major role in the political developments of Italy in both
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2464-671: The Protection of Stocking Frames, etc. Act 1788 . Periodic uprisings relating to asset prices also occurred in other contexts in the century before Luddism. Irregular rises in food prices provoked the Keelmen to riot in the port of Tyne in 1710 and tin miners to steal from granaries at Falmouth in 1727. There was a rebellion in Northumberland and Durham in 1740, and an assault on Quaker corn dealers in 1756. Malcolm L. Thomas argued in his 1970 history The Luddites that machine-breaking
2541-449: The cathedral , the cantabile or administrative center, which might be incorporated in a wing of a governor's palace , and the audiencia or law court. The plaza might be large enough to serve as a military parade ground. At times of crisis or fiestas , it serves as the gathering space for large crowds. Diminutives of plaza include plazuela and the latter's double diminutive plazoleta , which can be occasionally used as
2618-419: The 11th century until 1928, covered an area of about 5.5 acres (22,260 square metres), with its narrow western edge near Mount Street, broadening out to its eastern edge, adjacent to High Street. The then perimeter was formed by what are now: Long Row West , Long Row , Long Row East , High Street, Poultry , South Parade , Beastmarket Hill , and Angel Row. Because of its size during these several centuries, it
2695-435: The 25 August, and to the south, the 'Gents' on Thursday the 2 October. As the grass and flowerbeds were re-instated at this time, there were once again four grassed areas each with a circular flowerbed, and additional borders, but no fountains. Subsequently, in the 1960s, the two squares flanking the central processional way at the east end, were rebuilt as two pools with a multiple fountain display in each. These remained until
2772-460: The Council House balcony following their famous Olympic Triumph. In 2004, a memorial service to remember the life of Nottingham Forest's former manager Brian Clough was held there in front of national television cameras and thousands of local football supporters. A statue of Brian Clough is located just off the square at the junction of King Street and Queen Street. Folklore has it that it
2849-838: The Italian Medieval Era and the Italian Renaissance. For example, the Piazza della Signoria in Florence remains synonymous with the return of the Medici from their exile in 1530 as well as the burning at the stake of Savonarola during the Italian Inquisition . The Italian term is roughly equivalent to the Spanish plaza , the French term place, the Portuguese praça, and the German Platz. Not to be confused, other countries use
2926-764: The Luddite movement with a mass trial at York in January 1813, following the attack on Cartwrights Mill at Rawfolds near Cleckheaton. The government charged over 60 men, including Mellor and his companions, with various crimes in connection with Luddite activities. While some of those charged were actual Luddites, many had no connection to the movement. Although the proceedings were legitimate jury trials, many were abandoned due to lack of evidence and 30 men were acquitted. These trials were certainly intended to act as show trials to deter other Luddites from continuing their activities. The harsh sentences of those found guilty, which included execution and penal transportation , quickly ended
3003-909: The UK as part of urban redevelopment following the Blitz . Squares can also be quite small and resemble courtyards, especially in the City of London . In some cities, especially in New England , the term "square" (as its Spanish equivalent, plaza ) is applied to a commercial area (like Central Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts ), usually formed around the intersection of three or more streets, and which originally consisted of some open area (many of which have been filled in with traffic islands and other traffic calming features). Many of these intersections are irregular rather than square. The placita (Spanish for "little plaza"), as it
3080-618: The West, Long Row to the North, and South Parade to the South. The Eastern end of the square is dominated by the Council House , which served as Nottingham's town hall until 2010, when the administration moved to the newly acquired Loxley House on Station Street. The nature of the square means it is often used for large local events, fairs, concerts, exhibitions and vigils. The early market square, from
3157-568: The agricultural feed and foodstuffs. The square was the original setting of Nottingham Goose Fair , an annual fair held in October originating over 700 years ago. The Goose Fair was moved in 1928 for redevelopment of the square. The square was the location of Smith's Bank which, established in 1688, was the earliest provincial bank in England. Its successor, the National Westminster Bank ,
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3234-492: The concrete slabs that made up the former Square, and the granite slabs in place after the 2007 redesign. There was a mosaic of the city coat of arms in front of the Council House on the square. This fell into a state of disrepair before the redesign, and was subsequently removed, renovated and installed near the Royal Concert Hall entrance. Construction of the new design began in 2005 at a cost of £17 million. The square
3311-973: The croppers of Yorkshire, who used a power hammer dubbed "Enoch" to break the frames of the cropping machines. They called it Enoch to mock Enoch Taylor, and when they broke the frames they purportedly shouted "Enoch made them, and Enoch shall break them." Luddites clashed with government troops at Burton's Mill in Middleton and at Westhoughton Mill , both in Lancashire. The Luddites and their supporters anonymously sent death threats to, and possibly attacked, magistrates and food merchants. Activists smashed Heathcote's lace making machine in Loughborough in 1816. He and other industrialists had secret chambers constructed in their buildings that could be used as hiding places during an attack. In 1817 Jeremiah Brandreth , an unemployed Nottingham stockinger and probable ex-Luddite, led
3388-691: The earlier medieval castle. The mansion house, the grounds, and the remaining fortifications including the renovated gatehouse, are referred to collectively as ' Nottingham Castle '. Also colloquially known as 'the Castle'. Trophies won by Nottingham Forest Football Club including the European Cup and the FA Cup have all been held aloft in front of crowds here. The square also has been the place where other local sporting achievements have been celebrated. In 1984, Nottingham ice dance legends Torvill and Dean also stood on
3465-399: The east end of the square. At the west end was a similar arrangement, but at the centre of each of these two areas of grass, was a circular pool with a single central fountain. During the 1930s, the water was drained from these pools, and instead, plants and flowers were arranged in its place. A similar circular arrangement of plants and flowers was created in each of the two squares of grass at
3542-405: The east end. Around 1940, the grass, flowerbeds and earth at the west end were removed, and the two areas utilized as reservoirs to provide a ready supply of water for use by fire-fighters during the war years. These two reservoirs, also known as 'fire ponds', continued to exist until work started on the provision of toilets beneath each of them. Opening in 1947, to the north, the 'Ladies' on Monday
3619-411: The following two years. The British economy suffered greatly in 1810 to 1812, especially in terms of high unemployment and inflation. The causes included the high cost of the wars with Napoleon, Napoleon's Continental System of economic warfare, and escalating conflict with the United States. The crisis led to widespread protest and violence, but the middle classes and upper classes strongly supported
3696-408: The former Angel Row Central Library are also both just near the square. The Bell Inn , thought to be one of the United Kingdom's oldest pubs, dating back to around 1276, also sits at the back of the square. The square has been the focal point of Nottingham's entry to the Britain in Bloom competition in recent years, taking the title four times (1997, 2001, 2003 and 2007). In December every year,
3773-494: The gate's front space as a public plaza. The square has been renovated to modern style has new waterways & rest Areas, exhibition Hall for Excavated Cultural Assets in 2022 Aug. The Spanish-language term for a public square is plaza ( [ˈplasa] or [ˈplaθa] depending on the dialectal variety). It comes from Latin platea , with the meaning of 'broad street' or 'public square'. Ultimately coming from Greek πλατεῖα (ὁδός) plateia (hodos) , it
3850-451: The government, which used the army to suppress all working-class unrest, especially the Luddite movement. The Luddites met at night on the moors surrounding industrial towns to practice military-like drills and manoeuvres. Their main areas of operation began in Nottinghamshire in November 1811, followed by the West Riding of Yorkshire in early 1812, and then Lancashire by March 1813. They wrecked specific types of machinery that posed
3927-511: The introduction of cropping machinery, and thus had more to lose and more reason to rebel against the factory owners' use of machinery. Another traditional song which celebrates the Luddites is the song "The Triumph of General Ludd," which was recorded by Chumbawamba for their 1988 album English Rebel Songs . In the 19th century, occupations that arose from the growth of trade and shipping in ports, also as "domestic" manufacturers, were notorious for precarious employment prospects. Underemployment
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#17328453256574004-429: The last few decades. These squares are the site of government buildings, museums and other public buildings. One such square, Tiananmen Square , is a famous site in Chinese history due to it being the site of the May Fourth Movement , the Proclamation of the People's Republic of China , the 1976 Tiananmen Incident , the 1989 Tiananmen Square Protests , and all Chinese National Day Parades . The German word for square
4081-663: The legends place his residence in Anstey , near Leicester, or Sherwood Forest like Robin Hood . The machine-breaking of the Luddites followed from previous outbreaks of sabotage in the English textile industry, especially in the hosiery and woolen trades. Organized action by stockingers had occurred at various times since 1675. In Lancashire , new cotton spinning technologies were met with violent resistance in 1768 and 1779. These new inventions produced textiles faster and cheaper because they could be operated by less-skilled, low-wage labourers. These struggles sometimes resulted in government suppression, via Parliamentary acts such as
4158-409: The letter-writing campaign shifted to more violent threats against local authorities viewed as complicit in the use of offensive machinery to exert greater commercial control over the labor market. In Yorkshire , the croppers (who were highly skilled and highly paid) faced mass unemployment due to the introduction of cropping machines by Enoch Taylor of Marsden. This sparked the Luddite movement among
4235-451: The making of plazas. They can be used to open spaces for low-income neighborhoods, and can also the overall aesthetic of the surrounding area boosting economic vitality, pedestrian mobility and safety for pedestrians. Most plazas are created out of a collaboration between local non-profit applicants and city officials which requires approval from the city. Throughout North America, words like place , square , or plaza frequently appear in
4312-583: The movement. Parliament made "machine breaking" (i.e. industrial sabotage ) a capital crime with the Frame Breaking Act of 1812. Lord Byron opposed this legislation, becoming one of the few prominent defenders of the Luddites after the treatment of the defendants at the York trials. The Luddites (specifically the croppers, those who operated cropping machinery) are memorialized in the Yorkshire -area folk song "The Cropper Lads," which has been recorded by artists such as Lou Killen and Maddy Prior . The croppers were very highly skilled and highly paid before
4389-449: The names of commercial developments such as shopping centers and hotels. Luddites The Luddites were members of a 19th-century movement of English textile workers who opposed the use of certain types of automated machinery due to concerns relating to worker pay and output quality. They often destroyed the machines in organised raids. Members of the group referred to themselves as Luddites, self-described followers of " Ned Ludd ",
4466-465: The owners of the London Eye . At 60 metres (200 ft) tall, the wheel provided panoramic views of the city and was the centrepiece of Nottingham City Council's "Light Night". Two large stone lions guard the Council House steps, and they have historically been a popular symbol of the city, with the City Council recently adopting the lion on some of its recent 'Nottingham Proud' campaign posters. The 'Left Lion' has long since been adopted by locals as
4543-495: The phrase to refer to an unrelated feature of architectural or urban design, such as the "piazza" at King's Cross station in London or piazza as used by some in the United States, to refer to a verandah or front porch of a house or apartment, such as at George Washington's historic home Mount Vernon . Several countries, especially around the Mediterranean Sea, feature Italian-style town squares. In Gibraltar, one such town square just off Gibraltar 's Main Street , between
4620-413: The plight of the working class, the government's inane policies and ruthless repression in the House of Lords on 27 February 1812: "I have been in some of the most oppressed provinces of Turkey; but never, under the most despotic of infidel governments, did I behold such squalid wretchedness as I have seen since my return, in the very heart of a Christian country". Government officials sought to suppress
4697-409: The politics of many cultures, and the names of a certain town squares, such as the Euromaidan or Red Square , have become symbolic of specific political events throughout history. The city centre of Adelaide and the adjacent suburb of North Adelaide , in South Australia, were planned by Colonel William Light in 1837. The city streets were laid out in a grid plan , with the city centre including
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#17328453256574774-403: The raids, Luddites coordinated public demonstrations and the mailing of letters to local industrialists and government officials. These letters explained their reasons for destroying the machinery and threatened further action if the use of "obnoxious" machines continued. The writings of Midlands Luddites often justified their demands through the legitimacy of the Company of Framework Knitters,
4851-462: The redesign by Kathryn Gustafson which was completed in 2007, when new fountains and water feature, were added at the west end of the new square. On the southern side of the Market Square, along South Parade, is Nottingham Express Transit 's Old Market Square tram stop . The two tram lines run in both directions, skirting around the edge of the main square from Market Street in the north west and along South Parade towards Hockley . The Market Square
4928-563: The so-called royal square (French: Place royale , Dutch: Koningsplein ). Such squares did not serve as a marketplace but were built in front of large palaces or public buildings to emphasise their grandeur, as well as to accommodate military parades and ceremonies, among others (for example the Place Royale in Brussels and the Koningsplein in Amsterdam ). Palace squares are usually more symmetrical than their older market counterparts. In Russia, central square ( Russian : центра́льная пло́щадь , romanised : tsentráĺnaya plóshchad́ )
5005-423: The square hosts a Weihnachtsmarkt (German Christmas Market), and is the centre of local New Year's Eve celebrations. The Nottingham Christmas Lights switch-on event also takes place here. In February 2008, a Ferris wheel was installed in Market Square. The wheel was nicknamed the Nottingham Eye and this name was adopted by the owners, however it was changed to the Wheel of Nottingham after legal pressure from
5082-460: The square, with jet fountains and waterfalls. The square was designed to host public events and since the opening in 2007 a variety of successful events have been held including concerts and parades, May Day and St George's Day celebrations, cycling events, and a regular local farmers' market . 52°57′12″N 1°09′01″W / 52.95333°N 1.15028°W / 52.95333; -1.15028 City square A town square (also
5159-466: The term "Luddite" often is used to describe someone who is opposed or resistant to new technologies. In 1956, during a British Parliamentary debate, a Labour spokesman said that "organised workers were by no means wedded to a 'Luddite Philosophy'." By 2006, the term neo-Luddism had emerged to describe opposition to many forms of technology. According to a manifesto drawn up by the Second Luddite Congress (April 1996; Barnesville, Ohio ), neo-Luddism
5236-459: The term has been used to refer to those opposed to the introduction of new technologies. The name Luddite ( / ˈ l ʌ d aɪ t / ) occurs in the movement's writings as early as 1811. The movement utilised the eponym of Ned Ludd , an apocryphal apprentice who allegedly smashed two stocking frames in 1779 after being criticized and instructed to change his method. The name often appears as captain, General, or King Ludd. Different versions of
5313-416: The two towns became a major market point, and hence the square has been at the centre of Nottingham's growth around it for hundreds of years since. The two towns were once divided by a wall. The old positioning of this historic wall was reinstated when the square was redesigned in the 2000s, with a stainless steel drainage channel down the centre of the square. This marks the Wall that divided the livestock from
5390-410: Was chronic during this period, and it was common practice to retain a larger workforce than was typically necessary for insurance against labour shortages in boom times. Moreover, the organization of manufacture by merchant capitalists in the textile industry was inherently unstable. While the financiers' capital was still largely invested in raw materials, it was easy to increase commitment when trade
5467-478: Was frequently referred to as the, 'Great Market Place'. This public square has long been at the centre of Nottingham life. In the early days before the City of Nottingham was formed, the area was the centre-point between the Norman town of Nottingham, situated around the Castle Rock, and the old Anglo-Saxon town which was based around the current Lace Market at St. Mary's Church , also called Snothryngham, Snottingaham or Snottingham. The central point between
5544-423: Was good and almost as easy to cut back when times were bad. Merchant capitalists lacked the incentive of later factory owners, whose capital was invested in buildings and plants, to maintain a steady rate of production and return on fixed capital. The combination of seasonal variations in wage rates and violent short-term fluctuations springing from harvests and war produced periodic outbreaks of violence. Nowadays,
5621-694: Was in the Market Square where outlaw Robin Hood took advantage of an amnesty and won the coveted silver arrow in a contest devised by the Sheriff of Nottingham . This contest forms the central plot to the Disney version of Robin Hood . As well as many shops, bars and department stores, the square is also home to the Nottingham City Transport Travel Centre. The city tourist information centre and
5698-474: Was once at the heart of the city's road network; today it is closed to all traffic except buses along Beast Market Hill and the tram. On 22 February 2009 Nottingham's Speaker's Corner was officially opened by Jack Straw (at the time, UK Justice Secretary). It was the first official Speakers' Corner outside London. It is located on a new extension to the Market Square, which was added at the junction of King Street and Queen Street; with landscaping, planting, and
5775-453: Was one of the very few tactics that workers could use to increase pressure on employers, undermine lower-paid competing workers, and create solidarity among workers. "These attacks on machines did not imply any necessary hostility to machinery as such; machinery was just a conveniently exposed target against which an attack could be made." Historian Eric Hobsbawm has called their machine wrecking " collective bargaining by riot", which had been
5852-410: Was scheduled to reopen before the end of 2006, and following delays reopened in March 2007. Historically the square forms a meeting place for the people of Nottingham and is also the location for local events, civil protests, royal visits, celebrations, and public mourning. A number of Nottingham's defining moments have taken place in the square. One of the most significant civil protests to start here
5929-465: Was the protest by Luddites (a social movement of British textile artisans) in the early nineteenth century, who protested growth in industrial machinery which was seen to be taking jobs. October 1831 saw rioting against the rejection of the Reform Bill and led to the destruction by fire of the 4th Duke of Newcastle 's mansion house, which was built for the 2nd Duke in 1679 on the remaining foundations of
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