| In truth Leicester is neither quaint, nor full of historic | | | | exhibitions include; Wild Space - looking at the |
| places to visit. However, the few truly ancient or | | | | biodiversity of the planet, Mighty Dinosaurs, |
| historic buildings it has are shown off well and the | | | | Leicestershire's rocks, Ancient Egyptians, and of |
| city is quite rightly proud of them. Here are a few of | | | | course, art galleries. The art galleries contain varied |
| the sites worth seeing in Leicester. | | | | collections on themes such as; Our World through |
| The undoubted oldest structure in Leicester is the | | | | Art, Expressionism, The Captured Image, World art |
| Jewry Wall. This is a section of ancient wall about 5m | | | | and Gallery Nine, which is devoted to the artistic |
| high and 23m long alongside Talbot Lane in the city | | | | expression of the multi-ethnic nature of the city. |
| centre. Originally known as Hadrian's bath House, it is | | | | Leicester is the home of the National Space Centre, |
| part of what was the Roman baths, built there | | | | which is off Corporation Road to the North of the |
| sometime around 130 AD. Unfortunately, unlike other | | | | city. If travelling to it by car, the road signage can be |
| Roman bath houses, due to an engineering error the | | | | confusing. However, when near, you can't miss its |
| aqueduct that was supposed to feed water into the | | | | distinctive shape. Unfortunately, you won't be able to |
| baths was mis-aligned, resulting in the Roman bathers | | | | see any rockets taking off from here as the National |
| having to use a cistern to fill the baths by hand. A | | | | Space Centre is a museum concerned with space |
| shocking state of affairs in those days! There is of | | | | exploration. The centre has a constantly changing |
| course a Jewry Wall Museum, which also houses | | | | series of events and activities. However, it also |
| Roman artefacts, including Roman milestones from | | | | houses permanent exhibitions such as space rockets, |
| nearby Fosse Way and mosaic floor-tiles. | | | | space capsules, satellites, orbiting the earth and |
| Enclosed in the same grounds as St Martin's, | | | | exploring the universe. There is an emphasis on the |
| Leicester Cathedral, and in-between Guildhall Lane and | | | | National Space Centre being an interactive museum, |
| Peacock Lane, is the Guildhall. This half-timbered | | | | so there's plenty to get involved in rather than being |
| building was originally built in the late fourteenth | | | | a passive viewer. After standing by the huge booster |
| century and has, through the ages, been the Town | | | | rockets that are on display, you can go to The |
| Hall, a prison and a police station. Now open to the | | | | Space Theatre, which takes you on a journey |
| public, the warped beams and rickety floor in the | | | | through the galaxy. The National Space Centre excels |
| Great Hall immediately demonstrate that you are in a | | | | as an educational museum and supports a variety of |
| truly ancient building. In 1642 part of it was occupied | | | | educational activities. |
| by the town's library, making it the third oldest public | | | | Nearby to Leicester city is Market Bosworth, not |
| library in the country. For the more ghoulish visitors, it | | | | necessarily in itself worth a visit although it is a |
| is reputed to be the most haunted building in | | | | pleasant village to see. The special thing about it is |
| Leicester. You can see the old prison cells and the | | | | that nearby, to the south at Sutton Cheny, is the |
| conditions endured by their captives and if you wish, | | | | historic Bosworth Field, site of the famous defeat of |
| you can see the gibbet from which the bodies of the | | | | Richard III by Henry Tudor. Here there is a visitor's |
| hanged were put on public display up until 1840. | | | | centre to provide all the background information you |
| Whilst in this area you can also visit the cathedral. | | | | might need before you proceed on a tour of the |
| However, apart from the finely carved medieval | | | | battlefield itself. There is an annual re-enactment of |
| wooden entrance porch, there is little evidence of | | | | the last battle in the 'War of the Roses' on the |
| the original eleventh century building. | | | | week-end nearest to August 22nd, to commemorate |
| Refurbished in 2006 and early 2007 Newarke House | | | | the actual battle of 1485. NB. Archaeologists are |
| Museum is housed in two sixteenth century buildings, | | | | currently re-assessing whether this was the actual |
| Wygston's Chantry House and Skeffington House, at | | | | site of the battle or not. If you visit it you may |
| the bottom of the Castle Gardens. Its main theme is | | | | wonder how well the site matches the contemporary |
| the daily life of 'Everyman in 20th Century Leicester', | | | | descriptions of it. |
| with galleries dedicated to displays on the story of | | | | You might also consider visiting Belvoir Castle. Historic |
| immigration into Leicester, the Teddy Boy era and a | | | | home of the Duke & Duchess of Rutland, it |
| recreation of shopping in the 1940s. The museum | | | | commands a beautiful view (belvoir) across the Vale |
| also houses the history of the Royal Leicestershire | | | | of Belvoir. Dating back to Norman times it was |
| regiment. | | | | almost completely destroyed during the 'Wars of the |
| Another newly refurbished museum in Leicester is | | | | Roses'. The current building was completed in the |
| the New Walk Museum off Princess Road West, as | | | | 19th Century. Belvoir Castle is off the A1 near |
| you head out of the city centre to the South West. | | | | Grantham. |
| This is Leicester's oldest established museum and | | | | Article by Susan Ashby of Leicester Singles. |
| houses scientific and artistic collections. Current | | | | |