CHAPEL BAR was the old west gate into the  walled enclosure of Nottingham and it was erected some time about 1154 (that is early in Henry II.'s reign). There are, of course, no traces of it left, but there are illustrations which show it to have been just an ordinary normal town gateway with two drum towers flanking an entrance passage which would be closed by a door possibly reinforced with a portcullis. Its appearance must have been very similar to that of the Castle Gateway which we know so well. Its name of "Bar" is interesting, for "bar," is a Scandinavian word for what we should call a gate, and it reflects the fact that Nottingham was an important Danish settlement. In addition to Chapel Bar there are other gateways in Nottingham. There was one at the end of Clumber Street, possibly another at the end of Broad Street and another at the bottom of Hollowstone. All these appear to have been protected by chains which could be quickly tightened and, stretching across the roadway, would prevent sudden rushes.