Video: One of the virtual reality tours takes people beneath Nottingham Castle
Nottingham Caves Festival started on Monday, making the inaccessible accessible with a virtual reality tour.
It’s one of several activities available at the week-long festival, which also includes artificial caving and archaeology talks.
The experience will allow visitors to explore two caves, one of which is not open to the public, in an exhibition set up in Old Market square.
These are Mortimer’s Hole under Nottingham Castle, and King David’s Dungeon, which is normally closed, and where the Scottish King David II was held after losing the Battle of Neville’s Cross in 1346.
Both tours were developed by Hot Knife Digital Media, a local company which also developed the cave tour app and the Nottingham Riots app at the Castle.
Andrew Whitney, director of Hot Knife, said: “Most of the caves under the city are privately owned, so we used modern technology to open these up to the public.”
Nottingham City Council’s archaeologist Scott Lomax said: “Even if people can’t go in the caves for some reason or another, it’s like you’re really there because it’s so realistic.
“Over 700 networks have been discovered under the city which have been used to transport goods into the castle, brew ale and isolate the sick in the plague during the 17th century.
“It’s like walking around a labyrinth down there; obviously there are some health and safety issues to overcome, but I’m very confident they’ll open up.”
Nottingham’s own Robin Hood, Tim Pollard, got a chance to test out the software and was amazed.
He said: “Many are aware of the caves but don’t get to visit due to mobility issues, or because they’re worried or claustrophobic, so they can now get in touch with Nottingham’s history.
“I’d definitely recommend it; Robin Hood’s been trying to get into the castle for 800 years, so if the Sheriff won’t let me in this is a brilliant way of doing it!”
Video: Robin Hood takes the tour
