It was one of the most important gateways to the city connecting key arteries of medieval trade, human traffic, heavy goods and coal to the centre of Nottingham.
Later, in the 19th and 20th centuries, it buzzed with the sound of industry, and the thousands of workers who streamed in and out.
Sitting at the high point on the hill at the junction between Derby Road, Ilkeston Road and Alfreton road, today Canning Circus is still an island with streams of traffic flowing all around it.
And while it isn't as bustling with people as it was in the pre-industrial age, as home to some of Nottingham's best pubs and a growing student population, it's still a prominent feature of the city.
An area that has seen so much is bound to hold some fascinating secrets, and now a set of photos have emerged giving a visual record of some of the big changes over the years.
From the restoration of Canning Terrace - the grand early 19th century parade that serves as a gateway to Nottingham General Cemetery - to the demolition of buildings on the corner of the Ropewalk and Derby Road, these pictures tell the story of how the modern Canning Circus was formed.
Some iconic sights remain, including the grand building that still houses the Sir John Borlase Warren pub, but others, like the old Cottage Terrace, have been lost to progress, kept alive only as memories, and photographs, now available for all to see.
