Leicester Market is over 700 years old, with records of the site dating back to at least 1298. It is considered the largest outdoor covered market in Europe, situated in the heart of the city. While the market has functioned in the area for centuries, it was previously referred to as the "Saturday Shambles" in 1589.
Leicester Market has been a place of social and cultural importance since the 13th century when it became the centre for trade in the area. The first mention of it was in 1298 when 'a market took place bounded by the city walls and the corn wall'.
No, Leicester isn't officially England's oldest city, but it is one of the oldest continuously inhabited settlements with Roman origins (Ratae Corieltauvorum), dating back over 2,000 years, rivaling places like Colchester, Bath, and Canterbury for early importance, though its city status lapsed for centuries before being restored.
The Leicester Guildhall is about 600 years old and is one of the best - kept, well preserved timber framed halls in the entire country. It's the oldest historic building in Leicester and is still in use.
Subject to planning permission being granted and a formal decision to proceed, works could start on site in Summer 2025 with the new market building opening by the end of 2026. In the meantime, Leicester Market will continue to operate from its temporary home nearby on Green Dragon Square.
Archaeologists from the University of Leicester Archaeological Services (ULAS) have uncovered extraordinary evidence of 2,000 years of human activity beneath Leicester's market place – including a Roman infant burial and the remains of a long-lost civic landmark.
LEICESTER CITY finally revealed the true extent of the financial crisis gripping the club at the moment. In a letter sent to creditors and shareholders at the weekend, the troubled Foxes revealed they went into administration with debts totalling £74 million, a figure much higher than was expected to be revealed.
43% of Leicester's population is Asian, of whom the majority are of Indian heritage. Leicester also has large Eastern European (Polish, Romanian), Black African (Somali, Nigerian), and Caribbean populations. 41% of Leicester residents were born outside of the United Kingdom.
Colchester is said to be the oldest recorded town in Britain on the grounds that it was mentioned by Pliny the Elder, who died in AD 79, although the Celtic name of the town, Camulodunon appears on coins minted by tribal chieftain Tasciovanus in the period 20–10 BC.
The success of its hosiery and footwear industries, and the growth of textile giants such as Corah, Wolsey and Byford, led to the claim that Leicester “clothes the world” by the middle years of the 20th Century. By 1936 the city was recognised as the second richest in Europe thanks to its booming textile industry.
Archaeological evidence suggests that Colchester is England's oldest recorded market town, dating to at least the time of the Roman occupation of Britain's southern regions. Another ancient market town is Cirencester, which held a market in late Roman Britain.
The Golden Mile refers to the length of the Belgrave Road from its junction with Abbey Park Road to the turning for Loughborough Road. It is actually a very ancient road, roughly following the line of the Roman Fosse Way from Leicester to Newark and Lincoln.
And, if you asked many people, all around the UK, what is the smallest pub, they might say 'The Nutshell' in Bury St Edmunds which is in fact correct as it has a Guinness World Record to prove it. The building which The Nutshell occupies today is around, or over 300 years old, and used to be a little newspaper shop.
While specific "most deprived" areas shift, neighbourhoods like Saffron Lane, Braunstone, New Parks, Eyres Monsell, and Highfields consistently rank among Leicester's most deprived based on UK Indices of Multiple Deprivation, facing issues like income, education, and crime, with Saffron Lane estate seeing recent targeted policing efforts due to organized crime.
Located in the heart of Stoneygate, Knighton Drive and Southernhay Road are two of Leicester's most admired addresses. These wide, tree-lined streets are known for their grand period homes, deep plots, and unmistakable charm.
Meet the world's richest footballer: Faiq Bolkiah plays for Leicester City and is the nephew of the Sultan of Brunei It was Cristiano Ronaldo who came out on top with a net worth of £250 million, followed closely by Lionel Messi in second with £230 million.
Leicester is the most dangerous city in Leicestershire, and is among the top 10 most dangerous overall out of Leicestershire's 230 towns, villages, and cities. The overall crime rate in Leicester in 2025 was 102 crimes per 1,000 people.
59.1 per cent of people living in Leicester are from ethnic minority groups. Across England and Wales, 81.7% of individuals were of a white ethnicity. 41.1% of individuals living in Leicester were born outside of the UK compared to 16.8% in England and Wales.
