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Click on the headings to find out more:
Leicestershire has many interesting towns and plenty of history. Jordon's Quaker Meeting House
(two miles from Beaconsfield) was built in 1688 and arguably the most famous Quaker, Sir William Penn
(founder of Pennsylvania) is buried in the graveyard. Nearby is the Mayflower Barn, which is said to
be built with timber from the famous Pilgrim Father's ship.
Leicester (pronounced Lester) dates back to Roman times and was where Shakespeare decided King Lear and his
daughters should live. World War II bombs and subsequent blinkered architects did much to destroy
the town's character, however the 90s saw a real regeneration of the city with extensive new building and regeneration projects
There is a large Asian community in Leicester, which means there are Hindu, Jain, Moslem and Sikh
temples and festivals as well as some great places to eat.
The Jain Centre (corner of Oxford St and York Rd) is marble inside and out and has a forest of beautifully
carved pillars. The Luddite riots took place in Leicester from 1811 to 1816. They were
protesting over the introduction of modern production methods and took their name from an apprentice
and part-time village idiot, Ned Ludd. If Ned were around today he'd probably be hurling laptops from
windows screaming, "This Internet thing will never catch on!"
All of Leicester's museums have free entry. The Museum of Leicestershire Archeology is home to Roman mosaics
and frescoes and is next to the remains of a Roman bath. The adjacent Jewry Wall is one of the country's
largest Roman civil structures. The Leicester Museum and Art Gallery has some Egyptian mummies and other
interesting exhibits.
The Newarke Houses Museum has reconstructed period shops and there's a whole room devoted to
one Daniel Lambert who was once keeper of the local gaol before he outgrew the position. Despite eating only
one meal a day, he weighed in at close to 53 stone aged 39. He died that year (1809) and they had to pull
down a wall of his house to remove the coffin and 20 pallbearers were needed to give him a send off. In
Guildhall (next to the cathedral), the old police cells have a copy of the last gibbet used to expose
the body of an executed murderer.
Fans of steam locomotives can catch a train from North Leicester to Loughborough Central.
"A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse" was the cry from the doomed Richard II after being
defeated in the War of the Roses by Henry VII in 1485. Bosworth Battlefield is where he said it, just
southwest of Leicester at Sutton Cheney.
Between Leicester and Derby is a charming little town with the curious name of Ashby de la Zouch that has a
castle worth exploring. There's an underground passageway connecting the tower with the kitchen but you'll
need a flashlight or lighter to ward off claustrophobia.
Donington Park (at Castle Donington) hosts the annual British Motorcycle Grand Prix and is home
to the Donington Collection (motorcycles and racing cars including Formula One).
Belvoir Castle is a baroque and Gothic fantasy and, for some reason, 'Belvoir' is pronounced 'Beaver'.
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