Leicestershire, inland county of England, bounded N. by Notts, E. by Lincolnshire and Rutland, SE. by Northamptonshire, SW. by Warwickshire, and NW. by Derbyshire; greatest length, about 44 miles; greatest breadth, about40 miles; area, 511,907 acres, population 321,258. Low undulating hills cover the surface of the county, the highest elevation being Bardon Hill (902 ft.), in the Charnwood range. Charnwood Forest, in the NW., is now nearly destitute of trees. The principal rivers are tributaries of the Trent, which flows in the NW. of the county; these are the Soar, Wreak, Anker, Devon, and Mease. The Avon and Welland flow in the S. Two canals, the Union and the Grand Union, are connected with the Grand Junction Canal. Much of the soil is loamy, and the richest districts are kept in pasture, upon which are reared the varieties of sheep and cattle for which the county is famous. Dairy farms are numerous, especially in the vicinity of Melton Mowbray where the well-known Stilton cheese is largely produced. Leicestershire consists mostly of the new reel sandstone formation. The coal measures have a total area of about 15 square miles, the most productive mines being in the neighbourhood of Ashby de la Zouch. Hosiery is the leading manufacture, the wool employed being that of Leicestershire sheep. The county has 6 hundreds, 332 parishes, and 8 parts, and the parliamentary and municipal borough of Leicester. It is almost entirely in the diocese of Peterborough.
– John Bartholomew, Gazetteer of the British Isles (1887)
Abbey Pumping Station
Corporation Road, Abbey Lane
Leicester LE4 5PX
0116 299 5111
The Abbey Pumping Station is Leicester’s Museum of Science and Technology. The museum collects and displays the industrial, technological and scientific heritage of Leicester.
Ashby de la Zouch Castle – English Heritage
South Street
Ashby de la Zouch LE65 1BR
01530 413343
Ashby Castle forms the backdrop to the famous jousting scenes in Sir Walter Scott’s classic novel of 1819, Ivanhoe. Now a ruin, the castle began as a manor house in the 12th century.
Ashby De La Zouch Museum
North Street
Ashby De La Zouch LE65 1HU
01530 560090
www.ashbydelazouchmuseum.org.uk
The collection is based on the history of the town of Ashby and the surrounding villages of Packington, Blackfordby, Smisby, Staunton Harold, Breedon, Lount and Coleorton. In addition to a huge archive of local photographs and documents, the museum runs a full programme of talks, workshops, walks and evening classes.
Belgrave Hall & Gardens
Church Road, Off Thurcaston Road
Leicester LE4 5PE
0116 229 8181
www.leicester.gov.uk/museumsandgalleries
Belgrave Hall provides an oasis of peace and quiet in a busy city. It was built in the early 18th century, in what was then a small village three miles from the town of Leicester. Now city traffic passes, almost unnoticed, just beyond the garden walls.
Bellfoundry Museum
John Taylor Bellfounders Limited, The Bellfoundry, Freehold Street
Loughborough LE11 1AR
01509 233414
www.taylorbells.co.uk/web/?q=node/52
In this museum, Taylor’s Bellfoundry has created a permanent record of the company and the industry, telling the story of bellfounding through the ages. An extensive range of exhibits and memorabilia tells the story of one of the oldest manufacturing industries in the world.
Castle Donington Museum
4 Apiary Gate, Castle Donington
Derby DE74 2JA
01332 812711
The museum occupies the ground floor of a 17th century, stone built house which was originally used as a farm. We have a charming garden with a small outdoor display of artefacts.
Charles Moore Collection of Musical Instruments, University of Leicester
Charles Moore Collection of Musical Instruments, Music Department, University of Leicester, University Road
Leicester LE7 7RH
0116 252 2781
www2.le.ac.uk/institution/music/moore
The Charles Moore Collection is one of the few academic musical instrument collections in British universities. Its particular speciality is 18th and 19th century woodwind and brass instruments.
Charnwood Museum
Granby Street
Loughborough LE11 3DU
01509 233754
www.leics.gov.uk/museums/charnwood/index.htm
Charnwood Museum features a wide range of exhibits reflecting the history, geology, archaeology and industries of Charnwood and the surrounding area. Permanent displays include ‘Coming to Charnwood’, ‘The Natural World of Charnwood’, ‘Living off the Land’ and ‘Earning a Living’.
De Montfort University
The Gateway
Leicester LE1 9BH
0116 250 6392
De Montfort University is a is a public research and teaching university situated in Leicester. It was originally founded as Leicester School of Art in 1870 and gained university status in 1992. The Archives and Special Collections of De Montfort University are situated in a custom built reading room and store in Room 00.21 on the lower ground floor of the Kimberlin Library.
Donington le Heath Manor House
Manor Road, Donington le Heath
Coalville LE67 2FW
01530 831259
The museum is based in a Medieval Manor House dating back to 1280. The house has a fascinating history and restored with fine oak furnishings.
East Midlands Oral History Archive
Centre for Urban History, University of Leicester
Leicester LE1 7RH
0116 252 5065
www.le.ac.uk/emoha
The East Midlands Oral History Archive is based on the University of Leicester’s satellite campus in Marc Fitch House along with the centre for Urban History and English Local History. It was originally funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund to establish the first large-scale archive of oral history recordings for Leicestershire & Rutland.
Foxton Canal Museum & Inclined Plane Trust
Middle Lock, Gumley Road, Foxton
Market Harborough LE16 7RA
0116 279 2657
www.fipt.org.uk
Foxton Canal Museum was opened in 1989 and is situated in the reconstructed Boiler House of the lift. It tells the story of the lift and canals it served for the public. The museum researches the history of the lift and local canals. It holds extensive waterway archives, as well as objects from the site.
Foxton Locks
Gumley Road
Foxton LE16 7RA
01926 626150
Explore a place brimming with history and bursting with wildlife. See elegant brick bridges, a steep staircase of locks, the old canal company stables, lock keeper’s cottage and the remains of a gigantic boat lift.
Grace Dieu Priory
Ashby Road
Belton LE67 3FJ
01530 454603
Monastic house for Augustinian Canonesses, 1235-40. The main feature now is a large four-centred arch on corbels.
Great Central Railway
Great Central Station, Great Central Road
Loughborough LE11 1RW
01509 230726
www.gcrailway.co.uk
Main line steam trains – every weekend throughout the year. Re-creating the experience of famous expresses of the steam age.
Guildhall, The
Guildhall Lane
Leicester LE1 5FQ
0116 253 2569
www.leicester.gov.uk/museumsandgalleries
The Guildhall has had many uses and lives. The Great Hall itself was built in about 1390 as a meeting place for the Guild of Corpus Christi (a small but powerful group of businessman and gentry).
Collections: Today, The Guildhall is best known as an excellent performance venue, attracting acts from across the country, and as a museum where visitors can step back in time and come face to face with ‘Crankie Gemmie’ and ‘Emma Smith’, two of Leicester’s notorious criminals who can be found lurking within the Victorian police cells.
Harborough Museum
Council Offices, Adam & Eve Street
Market Harborough LE16 7AG
01858 821087
Find out about the historic town of Market Harborough and its surrounding area. For many centuries Market Harborough has been a market town, a social centre for the surrounding countryside a hunting centre, and a stagecoach post.
Hinckley & District Museum
Framework Knitters Cottages, Lower Bond Street
Hinckley LE10 1QU
01455 251218
www.hinckleydistrictmuseum.org.uk
Local history museum housed in a row of half-timbered thatched cottages dating from the 17th century. The museum has been open to the public since 1995.
Collections: Local and social history of Hinckley and district, including the hosiery and boot and shoe industries.
Jewry Wall Museum
St Nicholas Circle
Leicester LE1 4LB
0116 225 4971
www.leicester.gov.uk/museumsandgalleries
At Jewry Wall Museum you can discover the archaeology of Leicester’s past and find out about the people of Leicester from prehistoric times to the medieval period. A special display on the history of archaeology in Leicester, ‘Archaeology and Endeavour’ explains why our city has such rich and interesting museum collections and includes a stunning display of extremely rare medieval glass from Wygston’s House. The museum grounds contain one of Leicester’s most famous landmarks, the Jewry Wall, part of the Roman town’s public baths.
King Richard III Visitor Centre
4A St Martins,
Leicester LE1 5DB
0300 300 0900
Home to the brand new exhibition, King Richard III: Dynasty, Death and Discovery. Using great storytelling, beautiful design and 21st century technology, the centre tells the fascinating and moving story of the king’s life and death, and reveals one of the greatest archaeological detective stories ever told.
Kirby Muxloe Castle
Oakcroft Ave
Kurby Muxloe LE9 2DH
Construction of this picturesque, moated brick castle was begun in 1480 by William, Lord Hastings. He was later beheaded and the castle was left unfinished.
Knitting Together – Leicester City Museums Service
c/o 12th Floor, A Block, New Walk Centre, Welford Place
Leicester LE1 6ZG
The Knitting Together website tells the story of the East Midlands knitting industry over the past four hundred years, with a virtual museum, project themes, interactive exhibits and a range of other information. Sound, video, interactive tours, virtual exhibitions, and places to visit will provide an insight to the history of the East Midlands knitting industry.
Leicester Castle
Castle View
Leicester LE1 5WH
0116 253 2569
www.leicester.gov.uk/museumsandgalleries
The first castle at Leicester was probably built around 1070 either by William the Conqueror or by Hugh de Grandsmesnil, the first Norman lord or castellan of Leicester.
Leicester Cathedral
St Martins House, 7 Peacock Lane
Leicester LE1 5PZ
0116 261 5200
The Cathedral Church for the Diocese of Leicester.
Leicester Royal Infirmary Museum
Knighton Street Nurses Home, Royal Infirmary
Leicester LE1 5WW
0116 254 1414
www.lri.org.uk/museum.htm
Find out all about the Royal Infirmary since it opened in 1771. Look at pictures, prints, manuscripts and memorabilia, including medical equipment showing how medicine has changed through the years.
Leicestershire & Rutland Family History Society
37 Cyril Street
Leicester LE3 2FF
0116 285 7211
Founded in 1974 by 12 family history enthusiasts, the society, run by volunteers, has gone from strength to strength and in 2014 celebrated its 40th anniversary. From humble beginnings we have grown to a society with currently over 2,000 members UK and worldwide.
Leicestershire County Cricket Club Museum
Leicestershire County Cricket Club, County Ground, Grace Road
Leicester LE2 8AD
0116 2832128
www.leicestershireccc.co.uk
Exhibition of the history of the game of cricket and the Leicestershire County Cricket Club.
Leicestershire Museums
Leicestershire Museums Room 400
Glenfield LE3 8RA
The County Council Museum Service is responsible for the care and stewardship of over 1 million objects which are held in trust for the people of Leicestershire. These have been collected since 1849 and are cared for by specialist curators.
Loughborough War Memorial Museum
Queens Park, Granby Street
Loughborough LE11 3DU
01509 263370
www.loughborough-rollofhonour.com
Why is the tower here? It was built as a memorial to the Loughborough men who died in the Great War, and looks like to towers of bells built in parts of Europe, particularly Flanders. The ground floor has collections of wartime objects mainly given by local people.
Lutterworth Museum & Historical Society
Wycliffe House, Gilmorton Road
Lutterworth LE17 4DY
01455 284733
Museum for the area covering local history, family history, displays, events, talks, slide shows, etc.Very large important Sir Frank Whittle collection.
Magazine, The
Oxford Street
Leicester LE2 7BY
0116 225 4980
www.leicester.gov.uk/museumsandgalleries
The Magazine Gateway was the main entrance into the Newarke precinct and was built around 1400. The gate has no portcullis (sliding iron door) and its main purpose was to impress visitors rather than be defensive.
Melton Carnegie Museum
Thorpe End
Melton Mowbray LE13 1RB
0116 305 3860
www.leics.gov.uk/meltonmuseum
Fox hunting, Stilton cheese and pork pies, local history, sporting art and much, much more. Melton Mowbray is a medieval market town, and was the only Leicestershire market recorded in the 1086 Domesday Survey. Find out about the enthralling history of the town at the Melton Carnegie Museum, located in beautiful old Carnegie Library built in 1905.
New Walk Museum & Art Gallery
53 New Walk
Leicester LE1 7EA
0116 225 4900
www.leicester.gov.uk/museumsandgalleries
On the historic New Walk, Leicester’s original museum has collections spanning the natural and cultural world. A family friendly day-out, displays include Dinosaurs, Egyptians, Geology, The Den, Wild Space and World Arts. The art galleries showcase Modern and Old Masters, contemporary art and craft exhibitions and permanent galleries of Arts & Crafts and Picasso Ceramics: The Attenborough Collection.
Newarke Houses Museum & Gardens
The Newarke
Leicester LE2 7BY
0116 225 4980
www.leicester.gov.uk/museumsandgalleries
Newarke Houses Museum and Gardens incorporating the museum of the Royal Leicestershire Regiment. Newarke Houses Museum is composed of two historic houses, Wygston’s Chantry House and Skeffington House and tells the story of contemporary Leicester and the history of the Royal Leicestershire Regiment. The museum displays include a cinema experience, a collection of toys from Tudor to present day and a play area for children to try various games. Find out more about Leicester’s famous son Daniel Lambert and visit a 1950s street scene inspired by Wharf Street that includes the Jolly Angler public house, a grocer and a pawnbroker, with sounds and conversations from the times.
Old Rectory Museum
Rectory Place
Loughborough LE11 1UW
01509 843297
www.lrmf.org.uk/m_11_rec.htm
Visit this medieval manor house, that became the rectory to the nearby parish church for 700 years. The museum it now contains holds collections on the history of Loughborough through the ages.Temporary exhibitions and archaeological discoveries from the area can be seen.
Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester & Rutland
Long Street
Wigston Magna LE18 2AH
0116 257 1080
www.leics.gov.uk/museums
The Record Office is a service provided by Leicestershire County Council in partnership with Leicester City Council and Rutland County Council. The Record Office exists to preserve and provide access to a wide range of Resources which can be used to research the history and culture of Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland.
Snibston
Snibston Discovery Park, Ashby Road
Coalville LE67 3LN
01530 278444
Leicestershire’s award winning all-weather museum. Snibston is one of the largest and most dynamic museums in the Midlands. On the site of a former colliery, the museum displays a rich collection of historic objects telling the story of transport, mining and quarrying, engineering and the fashion industry.
Wigston Framework Knitters Museum
42/44 Bushloe End, Wigston
Leicester LE18 2BA
0116 288 3396
www.lrmf.org.uk/m_26_wig.htm
Come to a hosier’s house built in the 1700s, and see the knitting workshop from the 1800s. This has eight original hand knitting frames, and all the equipment once used to make stockings and gloves.
William Carey Museum, The
Central Baptist Church, Charles Street
Leicester LE1 1LA
0116 276 6862
William Carey was a founder of the Baptist Missionary Movement, and this museum tells his story. Figures show scenes from his life.
Wygston’s House
12 Applegate
Leicester LE1 5LD
0116 225 4980
www.leicester.gov.uk/museums
Wygston’s House is the oldest house in Leicester. It has been here since medieval times and the road it stood on was the widest and busiest thoroughfare in the town, High Street. The house comprises a timber hall of around 1490; a brick block of 1796 which replaced an earlier timber shop and chamber and a Victorian (1800s) wing standing on the site of the medieval kitchen.