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Leicester
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Leicester is positioned on the River Soar, in the heart of Leicestershire. It is the largest city in the East Midlands, and the 10th largest city by population in England. The city was founded by the Romans; ‘Ratae Coritanorum’ was an important settlement on the famous Fosse Way.
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Hinckley
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Hinckley is a medium-sized town in the south west of Leicestershire, very close to the Warwickshire/West Midlands borders. Its origins are believed to be Anglo-Saxon, and the Domesday Book of 1086 records Hinckley as quite a large village. The town played an important role in the English Civil War, due to its location close to several garrisons of both sides.
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Ashby-de-la-Zouch
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The curiously named town of Ashby-de-la-Zouch can be found in the National Forest in North West Leicestershire. The name ‘Ashby’ is Danish in origin; the ‘de-la-Zouch’ part was added some time after the Norman Conquest, when the Zouche family inherited land in the area.
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Loughborough
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After Leicester, Loughborough has the largest population in Leicestershire; the town is located between Leicester and Nottingham. Loughborough has had some major industries over the years, including at one time the world’s largest bell foundry, but today it is most famous for its university.
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Melton Mowbray
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Melton Mowbray is a small town in the north east of Leicestershire, on the Rivers Eye and Wreake. Originally a market town on the Great North Road, Melton Mowbray has since become almost synonymous with pork pies; Stilton cheese was also reputedly first produced nearby.
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Lutterworth
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Lutterworth is a small market town in South Leicestershire, close to the borders with Warwickshire and Northamptonshire. Lutterworth’s name is Viking in origin, and the town became an important staging post for those travelling between Leicester and London.
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Market Harborough
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Market Harborough is a medium sized town in rural Leicestershire, a few miles south of Leicester. It stands on the River Welland, and grew up as one of the region’s busiest market towns.
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Coalville
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Coalville is situated in the north west of Leicestershire, between Leicester and Ashby-de-la-Zouch. Since medieval times, coal mining was the most important industry in the region, and the Industrial Revolution brought the town some prosperity.
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