"The monks of Nottingham" was an expression used at the dawn of the twelfth century, before any particular order appears to have existed in the town. It has been conjectured that the "Papist holes" in the vicinity of the castle, now formed into a suit of banquetting rooms in connexion with the bowling green, were in remote times the residences of anchories or hermits, or the "monachi de Nottingham," mentioned in the first year of Henry II.

In the reign of Henry III there was a cell for two monks in the CHAPEL of ST. MARY, in the rock under the castle. At the same time there was a CHAPEL of ST. SEPULCHRE, the rectory of which was valued in the king's books at £5. A college of secular priests was likewise fixed in the castle, the rectory of which was valued at £6.

The CHAPEL of ST. MARY, which formerly stood upon one of the arches of the Trent bridge, is mentioned by THOROTON, who himself saw a piece of the ancient "chapel arch." In the thirteenth year of Edward I John le PALMER of Nottingham, and Alice his wife, the sister of heir of Hugh de STAPLEFORD, son of Robert STAPLEFORD, of Nottingham, gave £6 13s. 5d. the rent of possessions in Nottingham, to a certain chaplain to celebrate Divine offices "for their souls" in the chapel on the bridge.

The brothers of ST. JOHN of JERUSALEM are said to have settled at Nottingham in 1215, and to have been endowed in 1534 with the yearly sum of £5 6s. 8d. Their house lay without the walls of the north side of the town, closely adjoining "the North road." Edward VI after the dissolution of monasteries, granted the lands to the mayor and burgesses, by whom the building was converted into a House of Correction, and the estates devoted to the keeping of the Trent bridges in repair.

The hospital of St. John contained both brethan and sisters, and in 1241 the Archbishop of York sent to Robert ALWIN, the master, ordering him to "promise two or more chaplains to celebrate Divine service for ever" for the good of his soul. The inmates had two cartloads of wood from the forest of Arnhall, possessed in the reign of Henry III by Hugh NEVIL.

The monastery of the GREYFRIARS, or followers of St. Francis, was founded by Henry III in 1250. It stood without the wall of the town, on the spot now forming the north-west corner of Broad marsh and Carrington street. Previous to the recent improvement of Carrington street, and the erection of Collin's hospitals, portions of the walls could be plainly discerned: they formed part of the lead works of Mr. GAWTHORNE, and extended a considerable distance down the adjoining street. The garden wall of the monastery extended southward to the river Leen. The house was surrended on the 5^th of February, 1539, by Thomas, the last warden, and seven friars. In 1548 the property was granted to Thomas HENEAGE.

The WHITEFRIARS' house, situated between Moot hall gate and St. James's lane, in the parish of St. Nicholas, was founded in 1276 by Reginald Lord GRAY of Wilton and Sir John SHIRLEY. In 1439 John FAREWEL was prior. Roger COPP, the prior, and six friars surrendered possession on the 5^th of February, 1539. A portion of the Carmelite or Whitefriars house still remains in good preservation, forming part of the houses situated on the right hand side in Friar yard, Friar lane, formerly called Moot hall gate.

The CHAPEL of ST. JAMES, the earliest establishment of the kind at Nottingham, as far as is now known, is supposed to have existed in Saxon times. It stood on the site now occupied by St. James's street Independent chapel. For nearly two centuries the court of pleas established by PEVEREL was held there, and, when in 1316 it was taken to a more suitable place, he chapel was removed by Edward II beyond the jurisdiction of the town, and given to the Whitefriars, whose monestery stood closely contiguous. Human bones have been frequently turned up in the vicinity, indicating that it was at one time a place of sepulture.

ST. LEONARD's HOSPITAL was devoted to the reception of lepers, and appears to have been more a benevolent than a religious institution. Its origin, constitution, and subsequent history, are unknown. In 1226 Henry III granted the hospital, of which William CHAUNDELER was at that time keeper, "reasonable estrover" of dead wood from the forest for the supply of the foundation. The large building lay at the south-west corner of Narrow marsh.