Top Hat Terrace, Leicester

Located on London Road, Top Hat Terrace is one of Leicester’s more unusual and intriguing buildings. Originally named Victoria Terrace when it was built in 1864, the building gained its distinctive nickname from the sixteen carved stone heads adorning its façade. These heads are all representations of Francis "Tanky" Smith, a former police officer turned Leicester’s first private detective, known for his masterful disguises.

Smith, who worked with the Leicester Borough Police, built a reputation as an expert infiltrator of criminal gangs, often changing his appearance to gather crucial evidence. His investigative skills are said to have inspired Arthur Conan Doyle’s legendary detective Sherlock Holmes. His most famous case involved locating the missing James Beaumont Winstanley, the High Sheriff of Leicestershire. Smith traced Winstanley to Germany, where he had tragically drowned in the Moselle River. For his efforts, the Winstanley family handsomely rewarded him, enabling him to construct Victoria Terrace.

The building was designed by Smith’s son, James Francis Smith, who went on to become a prominent local architect. The sixteen carved heads above the first-floor windows showcase some of Smith’s most elaborate disguises, including a bishop, two jockeys, and a top-hatted gentleman-the latter giving the terrace its famous name.

Despite its rich 19th-century origins, Top Hat Terrace remains an important part of Leicester’s architectural landscape. Today, it is home to Crane and Walton LLP, a longstanding Leicestershire law firm that recently refurbished the building in honor of their centenary celebrations, marking over 100 years of legal service since their founding in 1910.