Leicester

I really like Leicester.   The city centre is vibrant and energetic, easily walkable, and has a lot of historical buildings which are well kept. 

The clock tower in the centre of town. 

The municipal building in Leicester 

A sculpture highlighting the residents love of sport.

Leicester Street scenes

You may recall 10 years ago (in March), the big fuss when they discovered Richard 3rd body in a car park in Leicester.  It got quite a lot of news coverage at the time, and there was also a documentary.   Since then, his remains have been re-interred in Leicester Cathedral, and there is now a very interesting and informative visitor centre built where his body was discovered.  

A sculpture of Richard 3rd.

The pall used to cover the coffin of Richard 3rd

As it turns out, it wasn't all a chance discovery.  Research had established that he was buried in the choir of the friary (church) that was there at the time.  It was planned that 2 trenches would be dug in the car park and another beyond.   They had no option as to where the trenches were to go, with restrictions made due to the infrastructure under the surface, allowing foot traffic through, emergency vehicles access and so on.  On the first scoops of the machine,  leg bones were exposed, then walls, and then floor tiles which would have been the floor in friary.  After the second dig exposed more walls, it was decided that, yes, they were within the walls of the old church.  It was then decided that the first body that had been exposed was possibly the one they were looking for.  Upon further digging they established that the body had been buried in a shallow, much shorter grave, likely very hurriedly, and that the skeleton had a twisted torso, analogous with scoliosis, which afflicted Richard 3rd.

From there, DNA confirmed that it was King Richard's body and he was re-interred in the nearby Cathedral.   It is interesting to note that though he died on the field in the Battle of Bosworth, Henry Tudor insisted that his body be paraded into town so that all and sundry knew he was dead, and therefore no imposters could materialise at a future date to challenge him!

Opposite the Cathedral is the beautiful, ancient medieval Guildhall.   It is possible to wander freely through this lovely old building.

The Guildhall.....

.... and the great hall

A fireplace in the Guildhall 

On Sunday I attended a Methodist Church service again.  The building is quite old, and a list of benefactors who had helped fund it listed their occupations.   Many were hosiers, and it was from this list that I learnt that Leicester was famous for its sock makers.  I went to the chapel on several other occasions too, because they have a cafe where people are trained for the hospitality industry.  It was also interesting to note that John Wesley had visited on a number of occasions - 11 to be precise.

The Wesley Chapel

A hosier at work

Another event that Leicester is famous for is that it was to here that the famous traveller, Thomas Cook led his first expedition. 

I have stayed in Leicester for 8 days, enjoying the ease with which I can now travel on foot.  I can easily ascend stairs, and almost as easily descend them.  I am now walking up to 5kms a day, though trying to have a less strenuous day every 2 or 3, and resting over a coffee etc. when I am out and about.  Not bad for 7 1/ weeks since the event!!  I will post next time about a couple of days trips I did while in Leicester.