VOSCA over 60s Team dinner

Before we left Leicester we had a Team Dinner at a local hotel. Everyone had to wear a hat that was not related to cricket resulting in a variety of headwear, in many cases from local op-shops. Some of the group appear in the following photos.

Robin, Bill and Graeme

David, Nola, Yvonne, John and Margaret

David, Lindsay, David and Nola

Lyn, Bill and Greg

Nola, Glenda and Guy

Don, Geoff and Steve

Gary, Karen and Gordon

The WAGS

It was an entertaining evening.

On the final night of the tour a combined over 60s and over 70s team dinner was also held.

Leicester - other Old City sites

After our visit to Leicester Cathedral we were taken on a 90 minute walk around the section known as Old Leicester which included Leicester Castle and the Jewry Wall. However there were also other sites to see on the walk to the castle.

The Newarke Gateway was built around 1410.  It was part of a wall built around Trinity Hospital established in 1300 and the Annunciation Church. The body of Richard III was probably brought through this gateway after the Battle of Bosworth Field as it is thought that the body was on display for a time in the Annunciation Church. The Newarke Gateway is now known as the Magazine Gateway as during the Civil War it was used for storing arms and armour. It was also used as a prison for a time and during World War I it was used as a recruiting station.

The Turret Gateway on the other side of the wall led to the castle precinct.

View of the Turret Gate with the Church of St Mary de Castro in the distance.

The site of the former Collegiate Church of the Annunciation of Our Lady founded in 1355-1356.

Part of the wall of Chantry House built in 1511 by the merchant, William Wigston. It was originally built as the home of two priests who said masses for the souls of the royal family and William Wigston. By 1600 it was a domestic home.

 Chantry House and Skeffington House form Newarke Houses Museum.

Part of the wall leading from the Turret Gate to the vicinity of the castle.

A more detailed view of the wall.

View of St Mary de Castro Church from the castle motte.

Leicester - Leicester Castle

Leicester Castle was built shortly after the Normans arrived in England, probably in 1068. It would have been a motte and bailey castle. The remains of the motte still exist today in the Castle Gardens. Later the castle was rebuilt in stone.

Little remains of the castle though there are still some structures remaining.

The castle gate still exists providing clues as to what the structure would have been like.

 Our guide warned us that we would probably be underwhelmed by the castle itself.

The sections of the castle that still exist are inside the present structure on the site. The building is part of de Montford University.

John of Gaunt inherited the castle when the brother of his wife, Blanche, died. After Blanche died John of Gaunt is thought to have used Leicester Castle as a base when he visited his then mistress, Katherine, at Kettlethorpe.

Also part of the castle buildings is the Church of St Mary de Castro which was built 900 years ago.

The Castle Gardens have only recently been established though no doubt the castle would have had gardens at some time in its history.

Leicester - Richard III

25 July was a free day and tours relating to Richard III and also of parts of the old city had been organised. It was a great day.

Statue of Richard III at Leicester Cathedral

In August 2012 an excavation was undertaken in a car park near Leicester Cathedral to locate the exact location of Grey Friars friary thought to be the burial place for Richard III. The excavation was undertaken by staff from Leicester University in collaboration with the Richard III Society and Leicester City Council. The archaeological dig proved to be more than successful as during the excavation a skeleton was found which was later proved to be the skeleton of Richard III. In March 2055 the skeleton of Richard III was reinterred at Leicester Cathedral.

In the morning we visited The Richard III Visitor Centre.

This museum was opened in 2014 and has excellent displays portraying the events of Richard III's life and death as well as information about the discovery of the body and identification of the body as that of the king.

The actual grave site has been preserved and it is possible to view part of the excavation site through a glass floor.

In the afternoon we went on a guided tour of Leicester Cathedral.

Above the entrance to the cathedral are sculptures of seven figures associated with Leicester including St Guthlac, St Hugh of Lincoln, Robert Grossteste, John Wycliffe, Henry Hastings, William Chillingworth and William Magee.

The cathedral is a church dating back to Norman times. It is dedicated to a Roman soldier who converted to Christianity in the fourth century, St Martin of Tours. It is possible that there was originally a Roman temple on the site and later a Saxon church. The church was designated Leicester Cathedral in 1927.

The body of Richard III has been buried in the cathedral crypt but a monument to Richard III is now in the cathedral. It is made of stone from North Yorkshire and the coat of arms of Richard III plus the symbol of a boar are incised into the memorial. The words, Loyaulte me lie, are the motto of Richard III.

Throughout the cathedral are signs providing information about Richard III.

The embroidered pall that covered the coffin before the reinterment is also on display along with a replica of a crown.

On the east wall of the cathedral is a window dedicated to those who died during the First World War. The window was installed in 1920.

The Sanctuary was relocated in 2014 with a new stone altar and wooden cathedra (bishop's chair).

I later located the area where Richard III is believed to have crossed the river on his way to Bosworth Fields.

Bow Bridge was built in 1863 replacing the bridge that existed in medieval times.

Leicester - Roman past

There is also a strong Roman presence in Leicester. The best example is Jewry Wall. It has been dated to 125 to 130 AD so is almost 2,000 years old. The wall was one wall of the baths, the foundations of which have been excavated.

The paths between the rows of stones show the width of the original walls.

For centuries after the Romans left Britain the stone from many of the buildings was incorporated into the construction of other buildings including at least one of the walls of St Nicholas Church next to Jewry Wall.

Bricks were used with stone to provide additional support to the structure as can be seen from this close-up of the wall.

During the day it is possible to walk around the site and also to visit the Jewry Wall Museum which shows not just the history of Roman Leicester but also provides an outline of Leicester's history from the Iron Age until today.