LEICESTER | How to improve the Castle and other heritage areas

[Bingethink]

A plaque?

Your Mayor is really spoiling you...

[Mark76]

You'd prefer a statue?

[Bingethink]

It could go on a list of Leicester's ugly monuments, along with the blue towerblock and the 'Statue of Liberty', except that this one would be on purpose...

[Lears City]

Originally Posted by Bingethink

A plaque?

Your Mayor is really spoiling you...

You missed this bit out Binge...

The moves are part of the mayor's Story of Leicester project, which he hopes will tell the 2,000-year history of the buildings, industry and people of the city.

As part of the project, Leicester Castle, the Magazine, in the Newarke, and Wyggeston House, in Applegate, will be re-opened to the public, a decision hailed as "absolutely wonderful" by Leicester Civic Society.

[Bingethink]

That all looks good, but I think an Elephant Man attraction (unattraction?) would beat all of them.

[Lears City]

The "Elephant Man" is world famous. It would be good if the artifacts of Joseph Merrick could be returned to his hometown, though I can't see the Royal London Hospital giving them up...The Magazine Gateway, Great Hall or Castle Cottages would be ideal locations to house the collection.

Perhaps we need a museum for famous people associated with Leicester? Imagine a waxworks attraction. To rival the Su Pollard, Leslie Crowther and Harold Shipman collections in Nottingham...

[Leicity82]

About time...from the LCC website:

City heritage sites to open under new plans

29/06/2012

MORE of Leicester's historical sites will open to the public under new plans for the city’s museums.

Leicester Castle, The Magazine Gateway and Wygston’s House will all open to the public with a programme of regular events and tours as part of plans announced by City Mayor Peter Soulsby.

The three sites, which have not regularly opened to the public for over a decade, will each host a minimum of ten open days every year. A full programme will be in place from August 2012, with the Magazine Gateway the first to open on Saturday, July 28.

City Mayor Peter Soulsby said: "We are committed to protecting the city's heritage and to preserving the many wonderful historical buildings we have here.

"It is scandalous that these important and evocative buildings have been closed to a generation of schoolchildren and other visitors.

"These plans will bring the buildings back into public use - and open Leicester Castle to the public for the first time - in ways that will allow people to visit and appreciate them at their best.

"A lively and well-promoted events programme, covering all of the city's heritage sites, will allow more people to discover these wonderful buildings and help ensure that their place in the Story of Leicester is celebrated."

The plans reflect new thinking on the role of the city’s museum service in interpreting and promoting the city’s heritage that will also mean major changes to the way Belgrave Hall and Gardens operates.

This will close to the public in October for refurbishment before reopening as a heritage venue in Spring 2013. The refurbishment will be supported by Arts Council England funding.

The hall - which currently opens from February to October and had around 16,000 visitors last year - will no longer house a permanent museum collection but will continue to open to the public with an annual programme of open days, events and festivals. These will make full use of the hall and garden, as well as a new marquee area linking the two.

Following refurbishment, the hall and gardens will also be marketed as a venue for hire for private functions and commercial activities such as craft markets, food fairs, ghost watches and other events. This will be in addition to a regular public programme.

Peter Soulsby said: "Belgrave Hall is a wonderful but woefully underused building, and its beautiful gardens are a real attraction. These plans will allow visitors to enjoy and appreciate the building as an artefact in its own right.

"The plans will also allow us to maximise the commercial and visitor opportunities that the hall and gardens present. The house was empty when the council purchased it in the 1920s. We don't need to fill it with items from the museum collection that have no connection to the site for people to enjoy it."

The collection of furniture by Ernest Gimson currently displayed at Belgrave Hall will be included in a major new gallery at New Walk Museum that will tell the story of Leicester’s involvement in the Arts and Crafts movement. This new gallery is expected to open by summer 2013.

The city council is also in discussion with the National Trust with a view to loaning some items from the Gimson collection. These would be placed on display at Stoneywell, a grade II listed cottage in Ulverscroft, Leicestershire, designed by Gimson in 1898. The Trust has recently announced plans to acquire the property. If successful, this would see Stoneywell open to the public on a limited basis in 2013 while essential work is carried out.

All other artefacts from Belgrave Hall will be rehoused at other sites or placed in storage.

New Walk Museum and Art Gallery, Jewry Wall Museum, Newarke Houses and Abbey Pumping Station will continue to open as normal. The Guildhall will close a month earlier over the winter, from November to January, but will continue to offer its popular programme of events during this period. It will open at the earlier time of 11am on Sundays to bring it into line with Sunday trading and other museum opening hours.

See: http://news.leicester.gov.uk/newsArc...l.aspx?Id=1505

[Lears City]

Welcome the news and it is good to see the Mayor is genuinely interested in the rich heritage of our city. Not sure I like the partial openings though. If the buildings are fit for use some days, then open them up for all days.

At least there is a chance to get back into the Magazine Gateway this month. Camera ready...

[Lears City]

It is almost certain that the bones found in Greyfriar's, will prove to be those of Richard III. So this is a great opportunity for Leicester to capitalise on such a famous figure. I was in town at the weekend and there were loads of people from outside the city milling around the Richard III sites. It would be great to see a Richard III Museum at the present dig site. The former Leicester Grammar School building that faces the car park is attractive and currently empty.

Various artifacts associated with Richard are still around in private hands. There is the "coffin" that was found in Earl Shilton recently, which although it would seem was not Richard's after all - is still an important part of the tale. This was reputed to have been used as a horse trough, after Richard's body had been dug up and thrown in the River Soar. That was a tall-tale it would seem, as the river story came about due to John Speede confusing Blackfriar's for Greyfriar's when searching for Richard's grave.

Then there is the bed that Richard spent his final night in at the Blue Boar Inn in Leicester. He took it on his travels around the country. After many years, the bed was found to contain gold coins that led to murder and intrigue.

It would be nice to see those two items back in Leicester, although I can't see them being relinquished. Within Leicester, the following sites are associated strongly with the King...

Bow Bridge
It would appear not to be where the Kings body was thrown into the River, but is the site of the omen told by a local sooth sayer, "where his spur struck the ancient bridge on his way to Bosworth so would his head on return from battle". It must be assumed that Richard's head cleave (if the skull found is his) and the piercing by a sharp object on the top of his cranium, were caused by weapons rather than the bridge.

There is a plaque commemorating the King at this site and though the story told will probably prove innaccurate; it is still an important part of the tale.

Castle and Castle Garden's
Richard often resided at the Castle and would have dined in the present Great Hall. His Great Great Grandfather, Edward III, regularly lived at Leicester Castle.

There is a fine statue of King Richard III in Castle Garden's, as well as the remains of the Castle walls.

St Mary of the Annunciation
The former church is where the King's body was displayed for a few days, before burial. The arches of this church reside in the basement of the DMU Hawthorn Building. The church is reputed to have also house a thorn from Christ's crucifixion.

The Blue Boar Inn
Sadly no longer with us and it would be great to see this reconstructed in Highcross Street. It was once one of the most popular tourist attractions in the country.

The Magazine Gateway
Richard led his forces to battle at Bosworth, through the gateway of this ancient building.

Leicester Cathedral
Houses a plaque commemorating Richard and looks likely to be the burial place of the King, should the bones prove to be his.

The Guildhall
Reputed to have been the venue for Shakespeare productions, starring the man himself. There is anecdotal evidence that visits to Leicester influenced plays such as Richard III and King Lear.

Greyfriar's
As mentioned before, Richard's resting place for over 500 years. Perhaps the best site to tell his story and to possibly place him back to rest.

King Richard III holds fascination for many, as either a good man or a villain. He is famous worldwide through Tudor propaganda, Shakespeare and the Richard III Society. We need to celebrate his life and legacy and not miss out on the tourism opportunity...

[Leicity82]

There should definitely be a permanent attraction, especially him being one of very few monarchs to have been buried outside the capital. This is not an opportunity to be missed!

[philkeavo]

Originally Posted by Lears City

It is almost certain that the bones found in Greyfriar's, will prove to be those of Richard III. So this is a great opportunity for Leicester to capitalise on such a famous figure. I was in town at the weekend and there were loads of people from outside the city milling around the Richard III sites. It would be great to see a Richard III Museum at the present dig site. The former Leicester Grammar School building that faces the car park is attractive and currently empty.

Various artifacts associated with Richard are still around in private hands. There is the "coffin" that was found in Earl Shilton recently, which although it would seem was not Richard's after all - is still an important part of the tale. This was reputed to have been used as a horse trough, after Richard's body had been dug up and thrown in the River Soar. That was a tall-tale it would seem, as the river story came about due to John Speede confusing Blackfriar's for Greyfriar's when searching for Richard's grave.

Then there is the bed that Richard spent his final night in at the Blue Boar Inn in Leicester. He took it on his travels around the country. After many years, the bed was found to contain gold coins that led to murder and intrigue.

It would be nice to see those two items back in Leicester, although I can't see them being relinquished. Within Leicester, the following sites are associated strongly with the King...

Bow Bridge
It would appear not to be where the Kings body was thrown into the River, but is the site of the omen told by a local sooth sayer, "where his spur struck the ancient bridge on his way to Bosworth so would his head on return from battle". It must be assumed that Richard's head cleave (if the skull found is his) and the piercing by a sharp object on the top of his cranium, were caused by weapons rather than the bridge.

There is a plaque commemorating the King at this site and though the story told will probably prove innaccurate; it is still an important part of the tale.

Castle and Castle Garden's
Richard often resided at the Castle and would have dined in the present Great Hall. His Great Great Grandfather, Edward III, regularly lived at Leicester Castle.

There is a fine statue of King Richard III in Castle Garden's, as well as the remains of the Castle walls.

St Mary of the Annunciation
The former church is where the King's body was displayed for a few days, before burial. The arches of this church reside in the basement of the DMU Hawthorn Building. The church is reputed to have also house a thorn from Christ's crucifixion.

The Blue Boar Inn
Sadly no longer with us and it would be great to see this reconstructed in Highcross Street. It was once one of the most popular tourist attractions in the country.

The Magazine Gateway
Richard led his forces to battle at Bosworth, through the gateway of this ancient building.

Leicester Cathedral
Houses a plaque commemorating Richard and looks likely to be the burial place of the King, should the bones prove to be his.

The Guildhall
Reputed to have been the venue for Shakespeare productions, starring the man himself. There is anecdotal evidence that visits to Leicester influenced plays such as Richard III and King Lear.

Greyfriar's
As mentioned before, Richard's resting place for over 500 years. Perhaps the best site to tell his story and to possibly place him back to rest.

King Richard III holds fascination for many, as either a good man or a villain. He is famous worldwide through Tudor propaganda, Shakespeare and the Richard III Society. We need to celebrate his life and legacy and not miss out on the tourism opportunity...

Great stuff Lears I can see you now as The Curator!

[Mark76]

Is that the Doctor's new Timelord enemy?

[d4mo85]

Such a joy to have a city in the East Mids with genuine history.

Now watch the bones turn out to be someone completely different.

[WOTZDA POINT]

Hope not ! The experience on Saturday was excellent. Groups of 20 were entertained by q&a sessions from people dressed in period battle dress. Before the trenches were viewed with an explanation of the finds explained by an expert. Finally two yellow pegs showed where the possible King was buried. A few artefacts from the dig were also displayed at the Guild Hall.

The setting was great too ! Interesting attractive buildings with the Cathederal in the background.

This was as good as any tourist attraction in the country.

Leicester showed off its history with pride !

[Leicity82]

About time too!

[Chisit]

I know this is a different subject altogether and from a completely different period in time but I got to reading the book 'Leicester Slums' the other day. Very interesting I must add. To those who havnt heard/read it I suggest you nip down to Waterstones.

A lot of people believe that the wharf Street area was Leicester's slum but in reality it was only a very small percentage of it and by no means the worst we had. It was only because it was the last to be cleared that it gained notoriety.

A lot of the slums were within a still then existing old city wall which was demolished along with the slums in order to make room for the Grand Central Railway.

A lot of people of the time 1840ish - 1950ish aposed to such a whole scale demolition because even back then certain people could see that the slums were history in the making. However, GCR and the ring road soon got the better of them.

Its sad to have read (and seen due to fantastic quality pictures) the hundreds of streets that have now fanished without a trace. The only slum cottages left are Cramants Yard at 54 King Street. The cottages have now been restored c1984 and are now built within a child nursery. (not visable to the general public.)

I dont know about you but having a few surviving slumland streets would have made an excellent tousrist attraction these days. Maybe having only two or three streets and a pub or two within a gated area (almost like a soap set) would be a great look back into our victorian city? Opinions?

[Lears City]

Some of the large council estates in Leicester, still house the descendants of these city centre slum clearances. North Braunstone for example, became the new home for people from the Wharf Street area. North Braunstone was built on the cheap and differed greatly from the robust and pleasant houses built in South Braunstone. That divide still exists today...

Some slum photos

I do take interest in your comment about a Victorian street recreation. Of course this already exists within the walls of the Newarke Houses Museum. But a Working Museum would be great for Leicester. The obvious place for this would be the Castle Precinct, which once housed the Castle Inn public house and still contains a row of cottages. The Story of Leicester should become the Leicester Working Museum, incorporating connections between the Castle Precinct, Jewry Wall, St Nicholas, Central Station, Jubilee Square, Wyggeston's House, The Guidlhall, Leicester Cathedral, Greyfriar's, The Magazine, Newarke House's Museum, Trinity Hospital and Castle Garden's.

[Owlyross]

Originally Posted by Lears City

Some of the large council estates in Leicester, still house the descendants of these city centre slum clearances. North Braunstone for example, became the new home for people from the Wharf Street area. North Braunstone was built on the cheap and differed greatly from the robust and pleasant houses built in South Braunstone. That divide still exists today...

Some slum photos

I do take interest in your comment about a Victorian street recreation. Of course this already exists within the walls of the Newarke Houses Museum. But a Working Museum would be great for Leicester. The obvious place for this would be the Castle Precinct, which once housed the Castle Inn public house and still contains a row of cottages. The Story of Leicester should become the Leicester Working Museum, incorporating connections between the Castle Precinct, Jewry Wall, St Nicholas, Central Station, Jubilee Square, Wyggeston's House, The Guidlhall, Leicester Cathedral, Greyfriar's, The Magazine, Newarke House's Museum, Trinity Hospital and Castle Garden's.

And could tell the story of the Platagenets and Lancastrians, particularly John of Gaunt, Richard II and Henry IV, all of whom were closely linked to Leicester Castle, and who founded Trinity hospital and the college of the Newarke. The areas ripe with history. I've said before, if this was America, there'd be a full recreation of Leicester Castle, animatronic kings telling the story of the Wars of the Roses, the local area and much more. Nottingham builds tourism on a fictional character who didn't live there, we have actual real history.

[DBadger]

Demolish the UoL building overshadowing the Jewry Wall, sink nick's circus beneath the ground (it can be much smaller as High Street is pedestrianised now anyway), and extend Castle Gardens across it with no roads cutting through it, surrounding the wall, creating one big park.

You then have Vaughan college, Holiday Inn, and the MSCP that you can then use to fill a lot of the derelict land in the city - Holiday Inn could go next to John Lewis' car park, the car park can just bugger off, and while you're at it demolish Victoria Hall grassing that over too and landscaping it. Replace it with an extension of Filbert Village, with some actual facilities around Filbert Village using the rest of that land - a pub or club, a shop, etc, something to make it less bloody depressing and isolated.

[Lears City]

To be fair to Nottingham, they do have some actual real history - but Leicester needs to make a lot more of what it has. The areas we have both mentioned are teeming with history and are picture postcard stuff. A working museum in Leicester would tell the story of our great city and also provide some jobs. It's a win, win choice.