If you spend a couple of hours wandering around the streets of Nottingham, then chances are you’ll walk past a building designed by Watson Fothergill.
Born in Mansfield in 1841, Fothergill would go on to become one of the most revered architects of the Victorian era.
After leaving school at the age of 15 in 1856, Fothergill worked as a trainee with Nottingham-based architect Frederick Jackson.
After a couple of years learning his trade, Fothergill moved on to a permanent position with fellow architect I.C. Gilbert.
After a stint with I.C. Gilbert, an ambitious Fothergill headed south for London and spent several years plying his trade in the capital, before moving back to Nottingham in 1864 to set up his own practice.
His return to Nottingham would coincide with a boom in demand for factories, offices and warehouses as heavy industry developed at pace.
Throughout his 35-year career in Nottingham, Fothergill designed more than 100 buildings in the city.
Many of his distinctive Gothic revival and Old English vernacular designs still exist today.
We’ve picked out five of Fothergill’s most iconic Nottingham buildings. See how many you can recognise.
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Watson Fothergill's offices, in George Street, were built in 1894. The Grade II listed building was completed in Fothergill's trademark Gothic style, with several carvings and other intricate features. Photo: Claire Jones
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The Norris Almshouses, in Berridge Road, were designed by Fothergill in the early 1890s. They are now managed by the Nottingham Community Housing Association. Photo: John Sutton/Geograph
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The Nottingham Express offices were built between 1875 and 1876 to serve the local newspaper. The Upper Parliament Street building housed journalists until the paper stopped in 1918. Photo: Andrew Abbott/Wikimedia Commons
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Fothergill designed Cleave House, a private dwelling in Sherwood Rise, in 1893. The property was named as a listed building by Historic England in 2005. Photo: David Lally/Geograph