Explore The Historic Sites Of Leicester, Leicester, England

Ask anyone about the historic sites of Leicester and they are likely to mention Richard III, the king whose bones were discovered in a city car park. But there is a surprising amount more to see, spanning the centuries from the Romans to the present day. I set out to discover more.

Although Ratae Corieltavorum (the ancient city of Leicester) was an important Roman town at the junction of two roads (the Fosse Way and the Via Devana), there is little of it to be seen today. However a considerable amount is known about the extent and layout of Ratae, and you can follow a walking trail which shows the major locations and their influence on the later development of the city.

One part of Roman Leicester that is still visible is the Jewry Wall, a substantial piece of 2nd century masonry dating from the 2nd century that was once part of the public baths complex. The Jewry Wall, and the associated museum of Roman Leicester, are currently closed for renovation, but are scheduled to reopen in the summer of 2024.

You can see the wall if you peer through the fence that surrounds the construction site. And look closely at the adjacent St Nicholas Church to see what later use was made of the baths building - you will see plundered Roman tiles built into the facade, and Roman columns in the churchyard. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).