Leicestershire
Leicestershire (abbreviated Leics) is a landlocked county in central England. It takes its name from the heavily populated City of Leicester which has traditionally been its administrative centre, but is now a unitary authority administratively separate from Leicestershire. It borders onto Leicester, Rutland, Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Warwickshire, Northamptonshire and Staffordshire. The population of Leicestershire (excluding the city of Leicester) is 609,579 (2001). The county covers an area of 2,084 sq km (804 sq mi). Leicestershire's administrative centre is Leicestershire County Council County Hall, located in Glenfield. The largest population centre is Leicester, followed by Loughborough. Other major towns include Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Coalville, Hinckley, Market Harborough, Melton Mowbray and Oadby and Wigston. The River Soar rises near Hinckley, and drains north through the county, through Leicester, towards the River Trent in Nottinghamshire. The county contains part of the new National Forest.
History
Main article: History of Leicestershire. Leicestershire was recorded in the Domesday Book in four wapentakes: Guthlaxton, Framland, Goscote and Gartree. These later became hundredss, with the division of Goscote into West Goscote and East Goscote, and the addition of Sparkenhoe hundred. Leicestershire's external boundaries have changed little since the Domesday Survey. The Measham-Donisthorpe exclave of Derbyshire has been exchanged for the Netherseal/Overseall area, and the urban expansion of Market Harborough has caused Little Bowdon, previously in Northamptonshire to be annexed. In 1974, due to the Local Government Act 1972, the county of Rutland was annexed to Leicestershire as a district, and Leicester's county borough status was abolished, it becoming a district also. Both these actions were reversed on April 1, 1996.
Towns and villagesAnstey, Arnesby, Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Ashby Magna, Aston FlamvilleBarrow-on-Soar, Barwell, Birstall, Blaby, Bottesford, Breedon on the Hill, Broughton Astley, Burbage, Burton on the Wolds Bushby, Beeby, BillesdonCadeby, Coalville, Countesthorpe, CroftDesford, DonisthorpeEarl Shilton, East Norton, Edith Weston, EnderbyGaddesby, Glenfield, GrobyHallaton, Hinckley, Horninghold, Husbands Bosworth, Hungarton, Houghton on the HillIbstockKegworth, Kirby MuxloeLittle Dalby, Loughborough, LutterworthMarket Bosworth, Market Harborough, Measham, Melton Mowbray, Moira, MountsorrelNarborough, Newton Harcourt, Newtown Linford, NormantonOadby, Old DalbyPeatling ParvaQueniborough, QuorndonRothleySapcote, Shackerstone, Shearsby, Sheepy Magna, Sheepy Parva, Shepshed, Sileby, Stoney Stanton, Sutton Cheney, Swinford, SystonThurmaston, Thurnby, TwycrossWaltham-on-the-Wolds, Whitwick, Walton, Wigston, Woodhouse Eaves, Wycomb
Places of interestAshby CanalThe Battlefield Line (a heritage railway), Belvoir Castle, Bosworth Battlefield, Bradgate Park, Brampton Valley Way (linear park and foot/cycle path to Northampton}Donington ParkEast Midlands AirportFoxton LocksHigh CrossLaunde Abbey, Leicester Botanic GardensMoira FurnaceStanford HallTwycross Zoo
See also
|
|
