Colin Crosby Heritage Tours

Leicester

Leicester is a busy and vibrant city today, and is in fact one of the oldest towns in the country, as well as being one of England's largest.

It was an important Roman town, on the famous Fosse Way, and has the largest surviving piece of Roman masonry of a civil nature, the Jewry Wall. Later on, it was one of the Five Boroughs of the Danelaw during the Danish occupation.

The surviving Great Hall of Leicester Castle dates from the late 12th century. The original castle had been built just after the Norman Conquest, but destroyed in the aftermath of a Civil War.

The city is also home to Leicester Cathedral (the former St. Martin's Church), as well as another four mediaeval churches, St. Mary de Castro Church, St. Nicholas Church, St. Margarets Church and All Saints Church, in the Old Town.

There was enormous growth at the time of the Industrial Revolution. During the 19th century Thomas Cook organised his very first excursion, from Leicester to Loughborough, and the Clock Tower was constructed at the very heart of the modern city. Leicester is renowned for its flamboyant Victorian architecture, some of the superb buildings of this period being the former Midland Bank (HSBC), the Turkey Cafe, the Singer Building and some of the coffee houses.

Richard III was buried at the Grey Friars in Leicester, having lost his crown and his life to Henry Tudor at the Battle of Bosworth, fought near Market Bosworth in 1485. Cardinal Wolsey, adviser to Henry VIII, died and was buried at Leicester Abbey, on the site of today's Abbey Park.

The Sporting Success statue in Gallowtree Gate features a cricketer, a footballer and a Rugby player, and commemorates the fact that Leicester's teams in these sports each won a major trophy in 1996.

Well-known people from Leicester include the brothers Richard Attenborough and David Attenborough, popular singers Engelbert Humperdinck and Mark Morrison, singing groups Showaddywaddy, the Dallas Boys and Kasabian, writers C.P.Snow, Joe Orton, Colin Wilson, Sue Townsend, Ann Fine and Alan and Janet Ahlberg, footballers Gary Lineker, Peter Shilton, Emile Heskey and Dion Dublin, snooker player Willie Thorne, naturalist Henry Walter Bates, furniture designer Ernest Gimson, boxers Tony Sibson and Chris Pyatt, magician Wayne Dobson, Monty Python member Graham Chapman, the 54 stone Daniel Lambert and Joseph Merrick, the Elephant Man.

Leicester has a large immigrant population, and an enviable reputation for intercultural harmony. The city's culture has been enormously enriched by this, especially by the Diwali lights, Caribbean Carnival and fruit and vegetables from all over the world available at Leicester Market, the largest covered market in Europe.

There are several Museums, including the New Walk Museum, Jewry Wall Museum and Belgrave Hall, as well as a couple of Art Galleries. The stunning National Space Centre, the only one outside North America, opened in 2001 as one of Britain's major Millennium projects.

Leicester is situated in the very centre of England, and is therefore easily accessible by train, coach or car - or even narrowboat - from all parts of the country.

* Blue Badge Guide Colin Crosby is available to lead Guided Walks around Leicester for groups.