The Flying Horse – Nottingham, England - Atlas Obscura
Places near me Random place

The Flying Horse

Nottingham, England

A 15th-century former coaching inn forms the implausibly grand entrance to a 1980s shopping mall. 

View all photos
The Flying Horse Arcade. Capemarsh (Atlas Obscura User)
The Flying Horse. Capemarsh (Atlas Obscura User)
The Flying Horse. Capemarsh (Atlas Obscura User)
178
123
Top Places in Nottingham
Tunnel with steps cut into a cliff face.
The Caves of Nottingham
Nottingham, England
Church Cemetery
Nottingham, England
The Arboretum
Nottingham, England
 See All

Dating to 1483, the Flying Horse nestles modestly in the shadows of its 19th and 20th-century neighbors. This 500-year-old city center stalwart has been used as a private home, a coaching inn, a public house, and a shop. Since 1989, it has formed the somewhat improbable ingress to a charmingly winding arcade of boutiques.

The building was originally constructed as a home for wealthy merchants. But by its 300th birthday, it had been repurposed as a popular coaching tavern called the Travellers Inn. In the following century, the Inn had a change of name to The Flying Horse, possibly to tempt would-be horse-drawn coach travelers away from the competition by creating an association between the inn, fleet-footed steeds, and swift journey times.

The coaching inn eventually morphed into a public house, which persisted long after horses and carriages had disappeared from the city streets, finally closing its door to drinkers in 1989. Happily, the listed historic building was given a new lease on life, being incorporated into and giving its name to the tiny shopping mall that was constructed behind it. As if to keep the building’s boozy past alive, a popular craft ale shop occupies one of the shop units in the Flying Horse Arcade.

Know Before You Go

The mall has two entrances. The 1483 frontage is on Cheapside, close to the Old Market Square, with a rear entrance on St Peters Gate.

malls architectural oddities architecture
Nearby
The Exchange Murals
0.03 miles
Bell Inn Caves
0.13 miles
The Caves of Nottingham
0.16 miles
Want to see fewer ads? Become a Member.
Near This Place
William the Conqueror (and the architect to his left).
Nottingham, England

The Exchange Murals

These 90-year-old murals of local kings, Vikings, and outlaws hide in plain sight in a beautifully baroque shopping arcade.
Brick supports hold the crumbly cave up.
Nottingham, England

Bell Inn Caves

There's a labyrinth of medieval chambers hidden deep below a 15th-century pub.
Tunnel with steps cut into a cliff face.
Nottingham, England

The Caves of Nottingham

A labyrinthine underworld of tunnels and caverns hides beneath the city.
Three stories of eccentricity
Nottingham, England

Watson Fothergill's Office

When it came to designing his own small office building, the eccentric architect wasn't afraid to show the world what he could do.
Related Places
Garden Santa Fe.
Mexico City, Mexico

Garden Santa Fe

The underground mall's skylights look like they could be part of a spaceship.
Hereford, England

Black and White House Museum

This iconic Tudor home-turned-museum offers a unique glimpse into the everyday life of a prosperous family during the early modern period.
Copenhagen, Denmark

The V House

This striking structure, with balconies jutting out like hedgehog spines, combine cutting-edge design with a playful approach to light and space.
Chino, Japan

Fujimori Tea Houses

High in the trees or suspended between cables, these surreal structures are the works of a unique Japanese architect.
In partnership with KAYAK

Plan Your Trip

From Around the Web