No need to travel far 50 unexpected gems
A NEW BOOK HAS LIFTED THE LID ON SOME FANTASTIC DAYS OUT AROUND LEICESTERSHIRE AND RUTLAND
LEICESTERSHIRE is known not just for its cheeses and Melton Mowbray pork pies, but for some stunning, idyllic landscapes and rolling countryside. Now, as lockdown has finally lifted, many of us will be eager to get out and about again. But with travel restrictions still uncertain at times, a trip on your doorstep could be the easiest way to enjoy the outdoors this summer.
Most of us know of or have been to Belvoir Castle and Leicester Cathedral, but there is a whole host of lesserknown spots throughout the county that are well worth a trip.
A new book by Michael Smith, called 50 Gems of Leicestershire & Rutland, The History & Heritage of the Most Iconic Places, features many of the fascinating sites, including some hidden gems many of us will never have heard of.
The author highlights some of his favourite places from both counties.
He has selected those locations and sites which give the visitor a real flavour of these shires at the heart of England.
Included are historic buildings, parks, open spaces, events and festivals which reflect Leicestershire and Rutland’s rich heritage and diverse cultures. From the River Soar meandering through 1,000 years of history to the vast expanse of Rutland Water and from Bronze Age to Jet Age monuments, this is a wonderful illustrated insight into these counties.
It can be purchased directly from the publisher below, and is also widely available from other online sellers. amberley-books.com/50-gems-of-leicestershirerutland.html
THE JAIN TEMPLE
Jain Centre, 32 Oxford Street, Leicester
THIS Leicester landmark get its name from one of the world’s oldest religions, Jainism, which originated in India.
The Jain Temple was the first to be built in the west and was only completed in 1988.
Those who practice Jainism believe that non-violence and self-control are the key to liberation from the karmic cycle.
It is estimated that there are over 1,000 practising Jains in Leicester – well worth a visit to this intricately-designed piece of history.
ASHBY CASTLE
South Street, Ashby
THE Great Tower or Hastings Tower forms part of the ruins that are left of Ashby Castle – a purpose-built seat of one of the most powerful men in late 15th century politics, William, Lord Hastings.
The tower was the architectural centrepiece of the castle and is built throughout of cut stone.
A small entrance door at the ground level is connected by a projecting strip of stone to a panel carved with Lord Hasting’s arms.
BREEDON ON THE HILL LOCK-UP 19 Main Street, opposite the Three Horseshoes, Breedon on the Hill
NOW a Grade II-listed building, this old prison dates back to around the 18th Century.
A lock-up is typically circular, with a conical stone roof and no windows.
It was used to detain offenders until they could be removed to the town prison.
This lock-up formed the counterpart of an adjoining pound which was used to incarcerate stray animals.
The Round House was last used for prisoners in 1885.
DONINGTON LE HEATH MANOR HOUSE 1620s House & Gardens, Manor Road, Donington le Heath, near Coalville
THE house and garden, now a museum, is a surviving example of a manor house built over seven hundred years ago in Donington le Heath.
It was once owned by a relative of one of the Gunpowder plotters, and is now manged by Leicestershire County Council.
Just recently it received rave reviews after an inspection by Visit England.
GREAT PAUL BELL
Queen’s Park, 54 Frederick Street, Loughborough
THE 14-tonne mould used to make the Great Paul Bell, in St Paul’s Cathedral, London, stands proudly in Queen’s Park in Loughborough.
Both the case and bell were made by Taylor’s Bell Foundry in the town in 1881.
Taylor’s is now the only fully working bell foundry in the whole of the UK, so well worth a trip.
GLENFIELD TUNNEL
Glenfield Tunnel, Leicester
WHEN it opened in 1832, Glenfield Tunnel was the longest steam railway tunnel in the world, over one mile long.
It was designed by the famous railway engineer George Stephenson and forms part of the Leicester & Swannington network, the first team railway in the Midlands.
The tunnel was built to bring coal from the North West Leicestershire coalfields into Leicester, where they would then be distributed all over the country.
THE BARROW UPON SOAR KIPPER
Skeleton now on display at Leicester Museum & Art Gallery
THE Plesiosaurus fossil, nicknamed ‘The Kipper,’ was almost a complete skeleton of a reptile, four-metres-long, that lived like a killer whale in warm seas.
It was discovered in Barrow upon Soar in 1851 by workmen who were digging in a lime pit near the village. The prehistoric reptile lived around 150-200 million years ago and was common in Leicestershire.
And here’s one for the future...
THE JEWRY WALL
St Nicholas Circle, Leicester
The 1960s built museum is currently closed as work continues on a revamp that is ultimately to cost nearly £15.5 million by the time it opens in 2023.
One of the tallest surviving sections of Roman masonry in Britain, the Jewry Wall belonged to a town centre bath house complex. It stands 30ft high and dates back to around 160 AD.
In later years, it formed the west wall of the original Saxon church of St Nicholas, which is thought to be the reason why it has survived for long.
How it became known as the the Jewry Wall is uncertain, but it may come from the medieval councillors who held meetings in the churchyard – called the 24 Jurats.