Description: The Duke of Newcastle's building had remained in a severe state of disrepair since the reform riot had destroyed the interior by fire in the 1830's. By the 1870's the Town Council resolved that the Castle and its grounds would be an ideal site for a Museum of Fine Art and the Duke of Newcastle granted a lease of the Castle and its grounds for a term of 500 years. The Right Honourable W.E. Gladstone, as one of the Trustees of the Duke of Newcastle, gave his personal attention to the whole scheme. On 3 July 1878 the Prince and Princess of Wales opened the first provincial Museum of Fine Art at Nottingham Castle as the Midland Counties Museum. The print of an engraving seen here was taken after the castle was restored as a Museum and Art Gallery. Print taken from frontispiece to 'Old Nottingham' by James Granger, 1st series, published 1902 by T Forman and sons, Nottingham