GREYFRIARS – A kings realm

Pares Bank Greyfriars Leicester

Greyfriars is a great part of the city centre with many Georgian properties. Most are currently used for law firms, but the area is ripe for much more substantial usage. Greyfriar’s would make a great new zone for retail, leisure and other uses and would give Leicester the dedicated leisure zone that it so badly needs.

Even more important, the rejuvenation of Greyfriars would help to re-establish links between the city centre and the historical core. The city centre and Cathedral, Guildhall and Wyggeston’s House are currently separated from the Newarke and Castle precinct by the Southgates section of the ring road.

A resurgance in the fortunes of Greyfriars, that a co-ordinated plan for the area would bring could help to precipitate the removal of the Southgates section of the ring road. This would not only reconnect areas of national historical importance, but would also free up valuable and profitable development land.

It is worth remembering that Greyfriars is the final resting place of King Richard III

 

SOUTHGATES – the cruelist cut

Southgates Magazine Gateway Leicester

- sits between Castle/Newarke and the city centre (Cathedral/Guildhall/Wyggeston’s House)
- removal would create a traffic-free new development opportunity and chance to re-establish historical connections
- Soutgates bus station also now closed, so there is an opportunity to build afresh and establish links between the Castle/Newarke and Greyfriar’s  onto the city centre

 

ST NICHOLAS CIRCLE – an act of vandalism

Holiday Inn St Nicholas Circle Leicester

St Nicholas Circle was a modern attempt to cater for the motor car. Unfortunately it was cut through the middle of an area of national historic importance, right in the middle of Leicester.

Sir Nikolaus Pevsner, founder of The Victorian Society said of Leicester’s Old Town..

“The group of Castle, St Mary, the Newarke, St Nicholas, the Roman Baths, St Martin and the Guildhall is something the patriotic citizen of Leicester might proudly take any visitor to, British of foreign”.

Jewry Wall and St Nicholas Leicester

St Nicholas Circle separated the Castle, St Mary and the Newarke from St Nicholas and the Roman Baths. An act of terrible historic vandalism and something that badly needs to be rectified. Removal of St Nicholas Circle would open up a large area of land for sympathetic redevelopment and landscaping.

 

LEICESTER CASTLE GREAT HALL – why does it remain empty?

Leicester Castle Great Hall

Leicester Castle Great Hall is one of the finest buildings of its type in Europe.

It was built in 1150 by Robert de Bossu, 2nd Earl of Leicester. Parts of the original building still remain, as well as the “new” roof which dates from 1523. This is the oldest roof in the country. The brick frontage was added in 1625.

Leicester Castle and the Great Hall have played host to some of the most significant events and people in the history of the English nation.

Edward IIIs son John O’Gaunt resided and died at Leicester Castle. He was the father of Phillipa Queen of Portugal born at Leicester Castle and Henry IV. John O’Gaunt’s first wife Constance of Castille also died at Leicester Castle.

Leicester Castle Precinct

Henry IV was knighted at St Mary de Castro and his wife Mary de Bohun who died at Peterborough Castle, was buried at St Mary de Castro. She was the mother of King Henry V.

Leicester St Mary de Castro

Geoffrey Chaucer married Philippa de Rout at St Mary de Castro. She was a lady in waiting to Edward IIIs wife Philippa of Hainult and sister of John O’Gaunt’s third wife, Katherine Swynford.

Links relevant to Leicester Castle Great Hall

English Heritage “Heritage at Risk Register” County Court (inc remains of Leicester Castle and John O’Gaunt’s Cellar)

Leicester Castle Wikipedia

 

THE BOWSTRING BRIDGE – a missed opportunity?

Bowstring Bridge Leicester

Built in 1897, the Bowstring Bridge in a substantial remnant of the former Great Central London Extension railway.

Leicester City Council has entered into an agreement with De Montfort University to demolish this bridge. In its place is planned a new sports complex for the university.

The bridge is a substantial testament to the Victorian age of steam in the West End of Leicester. It also forms a gateway to the Newarke and Leicester Castle Precinct, which are only a few yards down the road. This is an area of national significance.

See the Leicester Castle Great Hall post for more information.

This bridge is an important heritage piece from the Industrial Revolution and the gateway to an area of national historical importance.

Please support the campaigns to save the bridge.

Leicester Civic Society Bowstring Bridge Campaign

Bowstring Bridge Facebook Group