"Typically English." a Leicestershire Travel Page by leics

Leicestershire is a typically English county in many ways. Gently rolling countryside, arable and dairy farming, occupation since prehistory and a small amount of light industry (traditionally, boots, shoes and hosiery). Leicester itself is a fascinating, multi-cultural city but the other towns (Loughborough, Market Harborough, Melton Mowbray, Market Bosworth) are typical of 'small-town England'.

The Battle of Bosworth 1485 , a major turning point in British history (the Tudors supplanted the Plantagenets) took place in the west of the county. The battle is re-enacted every year, and you can see knights in armour, their horses and even men-in-tights here: Bosworth 2004 !

Small villages abound (many with excellent pubs and historic buildings). Leicestershire also has a large number of deserted Medieval villages, whose remains can still be seen as 'lumps and bumps' in the fields. The large picture above actually shows the remains of Ambien, deserted sometime after 1385. Some were abandoned because of the Black Death in the 1400's, but most were cleared in the 15th and 16th centuries so that the landowners could make more money from the wool trade. Ingarsby, just east of Leicester off the A47, is a particularly good example...you'll find more info on the Houghton-on-the-Hill page. There are also some prehistoric monuments, the most impressive being Burrough Hill Iron Age hill-fort (Somerby).

Leicestershire was an important fox-hunting area (the Quorn hunt is very well-known), particularly in the east of the county. I suspect it still is though, of course, no foxes are killed (supposedly) since the recent 'hunting with dogs' law was introduced. In fact, 'country sports' of all kinds are very popular. It is good walking country, footpaths are usually well-marked and you are never too far away from a pub!

Bradgate Park, to the west of Leicester, is a large expanse of rugged bracken-strewn land wonderful for walking, especially in winter when there are fewer people around. It includes the ruins of Bradgate Hall, where Lady Jane Grey lived as a girl. Queen for only 10 days, it is said that some of the oldest oak trees in the park were 'decapitated' when she was, poor girl.