Nottingham Castle was a originally a fortress built on the orders of William the Conqueror in 1067, atop massive cliffs and carved into the stones, commanding an incredible view and granting maximum defences. Used mainly for leisure and hunting by royalty, not only in Sherwood Forest, but it's own, fenced, private deer park. King John Lackland, the brother of Richard, the Lionhearted, captured the castle in 1194 while Richard was on his Crusades, yet allowed the castle to be occupied by the Sheriff of Nottingham, also lending to Robin's legend. When Richard returned, he took back the castle with war machines he brought back from Jerusalem. Edward III supposedly used the secret passageway, Mortimer's Hole, to enter the castle and have his mother's lover, Roger Mortimer, arrested for the murder of his father. The ducal mansion is new and pristine, compared to the old gate house and King Richard's tower, which give you a true feel of its history.