Hidden Heritage Sound Trail
This trail features four soundtracks in different spots on University Park campus, connected by a walk through the university grounds. Each location features a different track about the history of the University of Nottingham, bringing our hidden history into the present.
The trail is completely free, with maps available at various collection points around campus and online.
We hope you enjoy the tracks, learn about the history of University Park, and are inspired to find out more!
Sound trail map
To help you find the right spot for our soundscapes, we've put together a simple map showing the best spot to stand to fully understand each particular track. These are labelled one to four and correspond to the numbers in the section below.
There are also a selection of other points on the map, marked A to D. These showcase other places that you may want to stop at as you follow our sound trail. We don't have sound tracks for these but they are some of our favourite places on campus, with great view, interesting artwork, or beautiful surroundings to enjoy.
Check out the locations of our sound trail boxes and other key points of interest on the map to start your walk. You can view a full size version of the map by clicking the link below or download the map as a pdf. You can also pick up a paper copy free at various locations around campus, including Lakeside Arts!
View the sound trail map pdf online.
Our sound trail stations
Want to experience the audio from the trail from the comfort of your own home? Check out the tiles below to get a sneak preview of the four stations and listen to the recordings.
Sound station one - Jubilee Avenue
Found at site number 1 on the map, this sound station talks about what happened on University Park during the Second World War, whilst University College was being expanded. The station featured murals of local industries, which featured on purpose-built baffle walls.
Sound station two - Trent Building
Found at site number 2 on the map, this sound station talks about Jesse Boot, who gifted University Park to the University in the 1920s. The station also shows a photo from the year the University received a Royal Charter and features MRI sounds, as Nottingham is the home of MRI.
Sound station three - Botanical Garden
Found at site number 3 on the map, this sound station takes us to the 1920s and talks about the Botanical Garden as a teaching space on University Park.
Sound station four - Lenton Firs
Found at site number 4 on the map, this sound station talks about the rockery and summer house on University Park. It discusses the former owners of Lenton Firs and the site's history.
How was the trail created?
The Sound Trail was co-created by a group of young people alongside members of the university. During Easter 2024 the public engagement team and historian Dr Sarah Holland hosted a project to co-create a sound trail on campus. Working alongside SparkStem we recruited six participants to help us plan this trail. We walked in the rain, photographed nature, inspected original documents, created scripts, recorded clips, had a go at coding and reimagined the landscape.
The resulting trail takes you to four sound stations, visiting lesser known places of interest on the way. The stations feature voices from the group, introducing you to characters from the past and highlighting some of the activity that happens here now.
Some of the inspiration came from the extensive manuscript collections owned by the University of Nottingham, which can be seen in the audio tracks above.
Thanks
We also wanted to thank the following individuals for their support with this project: Ambrose Kersley, Ayesha Illangakoon Mudiyanselag, Danica Gomes, Emma Sporton, Kirsten Bailey, Rebecca Moore, Charlotte Land, Dominic Price, Rebecca Prior, Jane Stockley and Kathryn Steenson.
Additional trails
If you want to explore University Park more, there are other routes availale to explore: