Things you didn't know about... Nottinghamshire

An important branch of history

Nottinghamshire is home to the biggest oak tree in Britain. The Major Oak is over 800 years old, weighs 23 tons and its branches spread to over 28 m (92 ft). The story that Robin Hood hid in the hollow tree is probably just legend—the tree would only have been a sapling in Robin's lifetime. However, the tree probably did once hide cockerels used in cock fights—hence its earlier name Cockpen Tree.

Nottingham is club class when it comes to longevity

The word's oldest professional football club was founded in Nottinghamshire. Notts County was established in 1862 and in 1888 became one of the 12 founder members of the Football League.

Nottinghamshire's is the oldest, bar none

Carved in to the rock beneath Nottingham Castle is Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem, a bar which is said to date back to 1189. Legend has it that the crusaders would have stopped here for a snifter on the way to the Holy Land.

Oscar Bravo, Nottinghamshire

In 1932 Nottinghamshire police force became the first in the country to introduce walkie-talkie radios.

Saucy business in Nottinghamshire

HP Sauce was invented by Nottinghamshire grocer F G Garton, who started to manufacture the fruity brown condiment in 1903. The sauce found favour in the Houses of Parliament—hence the name. However, Garton missed out on the big time as he had to sell the recipe to pay off an outstanding debt.

Einstein the greatest? It's all relative...

Albert Einstein may be known as one of the greatest scientists of all time but it was a man from Nottinghamshire that inspired him. On a visit to Nottingham University Einstein acknowledged how much he had been influenced by the work of George Green, a self-taught mathematician and miller's son.

Nottinghamshire helped create the US

The Pilgrims who set sail on the legendary voyage on The Mayflower for a new life in America can trace their roots back to Nottinghamshire. In 1607 the Founding Fathers left Bassetlaw in Nottinghamshire to start their new life in Holland, leaving in 1620 for America.

Not from Nottinghamshire? On your bike!

If you wanted to be the envy of your neighbourhood as a child in the 1970s, then you had to own a Raleigh Chopper. But did you know that the iconic bike was made in Nottinghamshire? Raleigh was named after the street where the workshop, founded in 1887, was based.

Nottinghamshire's got the write stuff

Best known for Sons and Lovers and Lady Chatterley's Lover, controversial novelist DH Lawrence was born in Eastwood, Nottinghamshire. Lawrence went on to study at Nottingham University.