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The High Cross
  • Only one pillar remains of the original High Cross shelter, originally there were 8
  • The pillar has had many homes over the years: King Street, Cheapside, museum gardens and even a private garden
  • The remaining pillar from the High Cross can now be seen in its original location

A medieval market place

The area that is now Jubilee Square would have been at the very heart of medieval Leicester.  On Wednesdays a market was held at the junction of what is now Highcross Street and High Street.

High cross stone
A stone in the road on Highcross Street marks the location of the original High Cross

The High Cross

In 1577 the High Cross was built to provide shelter for traders and consisted of eight pillars in a circle holding up a dome. The structure gradually fell into disrepair as the town developed and by 1773 most of it was pulled down to allow room for carriages to pass by. Just a single pillar remained which can still be seen in Jubilee Square.

On the move

The High Cross has been moved many times. Over the centuries it has been located in the front lawn of The Crescent in King Street, the rear gardens of Newarke Houses and in Market Place before being returned to its original location where it now stands.

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Gallery

‘Christmas Eve, Highcross Market, Leicester 16th century’ oil painting, 1900, by Henry Reynolds Steer -
‘Christmas Eve, Highcross Market, Leicester 16th century’ oil painting, 1900, by Henry Reynolds Steer
The remaining High Cross pillar as it looks today in Jubilee Square -
The remaining High Cross pillar as it looks today in Jubilee Square
A stone in the road on Highcross Street marks the location of the original High Cross -
A stone in the road on Highcross Street marks the location of the original High Cross

Roman Leicester

(47- 500) A military fort was erected, attracting traders and a growing civilian community to Leicester (known as Ratae Corieltauvorum to the Romans). The town steadily grew throughout the reign of the Romans.

Medieval Leicester

(500 – 1500) The early years of this period was one of unrest with Saxon, Danes and Norman invaders having their influences over the town. Later, of course, came Richard III and the final battle of the Wars of the Roses was fought on Leicester’s doorstep.

Tudor & Stuart Leicester

(1500 – 1700) The wool trade flourished in Leicester with one local, a former mayor named William Wigston, making his fortune. During the English Civil War a bloody battle was fought as the forces of King Charles I laid siege to the town.

Georgian Leicester

(1700 – 1837) The knitting industry had really stared to take hold and Leicester was fast becoming the main centre of hosiery manufacture in Britain. This new prosperity was reflected throughout the town with broader, paved streets lined with elegant brick buildings and genteel residences.

Victorian Leicester

(1837 – 1901) The industrial revolution had a huge effect on Leicester resulting in the population growing from 40,000 to 212,000 during this period. Many of Leicester's most iconic buildings were erected during this time as wealthy Victorians made their mark on the town.

Edwardian Leicester

(1901 – 1910) Electric trams came to the streets of Leicester and increased literacy among the citizens led to many becoming politicised. The famous 1905 ‘March of the Unemployed to London’ left from Leicester market when 30,000 people came to witness the historic event.

Early 20th Century Leicester

(1910 – 1973) The diverse industrial base meant Leicester was able to cope with the economic challenges of the 1920s and 1930s. New light engineering businesses, such as typewriter and scientific instrument making, complemented the more traditional industries of hosiery and footwear manufacturing.

Modern Leicester

(1973 – present day) Industry was still thriving in the city during the 1970s, with the work opportunities attracting many immigrants from all over the world. While industry has declined in recent years, excellent transport links have made Leicester an attractive centre for many businesses. The City now has much to be proud of including its sporting achievements and the richness of its cultural heritage and diversity.

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A Working Town

King Street

The area where King Street now stands was originally developed from 1811 for residential use. By the 1850s however hosiery merchants started building factories and warehouses here, transforming it into a busy industrial area that lasted until the 1980s.
Shopping in Roman Leicester

The main shopping centre in Roman Leicester was the forum, but the town’s growing prosperity in the early 3rd century AD necessitated construction of a new market-hall, or macellum, on land to the north.
Gas Workers Cottages

The Gas Works operated 24 hours a day and so the workers needed to live close by. Leicester Corporation built 201-247 Aylestone Road for the gas workers in 1878. The 24, three-storey houses were the first council houses in Leicester.
Glenfield Tunnel

The Glenfield Tunnel, when it opened in 1832, was the longest steam railway tunnel in the world. It forms part of the Leicester & Swannington railway network, the first steam railway in the Midlands and one of the first in the world.
Wimbledon Works

The Wimbledon Works factory was built for the men's clothing business Hart & Levy, which grew rapidly with mass cheap production towards the end of the 19th century.
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