U3A WTT Belgrave Stuart Galloway

Route Summary

A circular walk around historic Belgrave. .

Route Overview

Category: Walking Length: 6.430 km / 4.02 mi Parking: The Sidings LE4 3BR Last Modified: 1st March 2017 Difficulty: Medium Rating: Unrated Surface: Average Refreshments: Platform Cafe The Sidings Date Published: 1st March 2017

Description

This is an urban walk which crosses several busy roads so care should be taken. Some muddy patches after rain along the river.

Waypoints

Great Central Railway (52.66658; -1.13374)

The Great Central Railway is now a heritage railway which links and Nottingham. Leicester North Station is the southernmost station. It is on the route of the original railway that linked Manchester, Sheffield, Nottingham and Leicester with London Marylebone. It was originally called Belgrave and Birstall Station. Following Beecham's sentence of death it became derelict but was restored by the Main Line Steam Trust and is now the site of a proposed new heritage railway museum. Backed by £10 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund, it is set to open in 2021

Walk down The Sidings, turn left and proceed a few yards along Redhill Way, turning left into Belgrave Cemetery

Belgrave Cemetry (52.66637; -1.13221)

1 / 7 During the 1800's owing to the rapidly expanding towns and cities, sanitation was becoming appalling with diseases; such as cholera becoming mass killers. Up until about the middle of the 1800's those who died in urban areas such as Belgrave were buried in urban churchyards and had been for about 850 years since the . But these small churchyards were overflowing so something had to be done. In 1848 a private act of Parliament was obtained to build the first Municipal Cemetery in the south of Leicester - Welford Road. Belgrave cemetery Is the smallest of Leicester’s Municipal cemeteries, the other being Gilroes, Saffron Hill and Welford Road. It opened in 1881. It has about 4,500 burial plots and is still a working cemetery, although you can no longer buy a plot. There is a small voluntary group - The Friends of Belgrave Cemetery, dedicated to the history and conservation and who are on site on Sunday mornings. They can provide help and advice for those undertaking family tree research or wishing to track down relatives. Have a walk around and see if you recognise the names of any of the 'residents'. One worth mentioning is Jabez Penn, and his son-in-law, Tom Hoskins, who started brewing at Hope Cottage, Beaumanor Road, later to become Tom Hoskins Brewery.

Turn right out of the cemetery and carry on back into The Sidings, taking the first track on your right which will take you over the main road via a road bridge.

Turn left on to the old Road (Route 4 on the signpost opposite). Cross the road and walk down to and over the traffic lights over A6. Carry on down Thurcaston Road and over the old bridge to the notice board about Old Belgrave.

Medieval Bridge (52.66075; -1.12819)

This Medieval Bridge dates from the 15th century, although a bridge has existed since 1357. It was widened sometime around the late 18th century when the unnavigable bits of the was canalised to the north and south of Belgrave, to enable barges through. It was once on one of the country's most important roads and was shown on an early strip map dated 1675 as part of the route from London to Manchester and Carlisle. It has 6 arches and was originally made from stone rubble (mostly granite). As can be seen, it has undergone considerable ugly alterations and only one of the arches now retains its original stone lining. It now has Grade III listed status. It was the only way to cross the Soar in Belgrave until a new bridge was built to the north in 1834 which diverted the traffic along a less tortuous route (the now Loughborough Road) during the time when the main road from Loughborough to Market Harborough was turnpiked and a toll was set up to cover the costs of repairing the bridge and the upkeep of the roads. This new bridge is still today referred to as 'The New Bridge'

Carry on down Thurcaston Road to the Talbot Inn.

2 / 7 Old Belgrave (52.65965; -1.12555)

The first settlement of Belgrave is thought to be Saxon when it developed as an agricultural community clustered here around Thurcaston Road, St. Peters Church and Bath Street (which is a sort of continuation of Thurcaston Road over the traffic lights) where the old village green was. The site was well chosen, sitting above the fertile flood plain of the meandering River Soar as did its neighbours, Birstall, and Wanlip. After the Norman conquest, as did most of , it passed to Sir Hugh de Grandmesnil. Most of the neighbouring villages retained their old English names. But Belgrave's old name was Merdegrave - derived from meard meaning 'marten' and graf meaning 'grove', which seems to suggest a comfortable picture of birds swooping around a grove of trees. But 'Merde in Norman French translates as a rather rude word and must have been a bit laughable, so it was renamed with 'Bel' replacing 'Merde' to mean 'fair' or 'beautiful' - so becoming Belgrave. It has 2 entries in the Doomsday Book, one in Hugh's and the other in his wife's Adeliza's name. In 1086 there were 26 male working adults. Women and children brought this figure up to 65. A Mill was also mentioned which yielded 12s per annum.

Much of Belgrave changed hands after the dissolution, but the biggest change occurred after the enclosures of land during the 17th century. The development of the roads and building of the canal during the middle 18th century brought greater economic prosperity and attracted the wealthier Leicester tradespeople to the area. The building of Belgrave Hall in 1709 was to mark the beginning of Belgrave as a residential suburb of Leicester for the wealthy merchants that these changes heralded. Until this time it had stayed an agricultural community until by the 1830's framework knitting was gradually taking over. This quiet corner with Belgrave Hall, House, Gardens and Church is all that remains of Old Belgrave and is now a conservation area; more about these buildings a bit later.

The Talbot Inn, named after the Talbot (a white hunting dog) dates from the 18th century when Thurcaston Road was the main road through Belgrave. In the parish records of 1784 it is referred to as being 'new built'. A fire in the 1950's resulted in it being reduced from its original 3 stories to 2 stories high. It is said that it was the last place a criminal could get a meal on the way to be executed at the nearby Red Hill Gallows. Their bodies were then returned to the outbuildings, which served as a morgue.

Return to the Old Bridge and take the sloping path down to the right and follow the narrower of the two paths, keeping the river immediately on the left. After a few hundred yds or so you will reach the New Bridge mentioned earlier. If not flooded, go under this bridge which carries the Loughborough Road. Otherwise there is an obvious track which takes you over the road and down the other side (could be a bit slippery).

Carry on along the side of the river passing over 3 small bridges, marked 13A, 13B and 13C turning right when reaching the Watermead Way Bridge and into Oaklands Nature Reserve. Follow the path round for a few hundred yds or so, keeping well to the perimeter (can be flooded in centre). Turn right directly after crossing a small footbridge and carry on until you get back to the path by the river. Turn left and go back over bridges 13B and 13C

3 / 7 Follow cycle route 1 to the left, following it round until Bath Street is reached (Amusement Depot on your right). Turn right and proceed down Bath Street until you reach some bollards.

Old Village Green (52.66278; -1.12102)

This is the site of the old Village Green where the old medieval mansions and halls once stood. The Old Workhouse also once stood here. It was built to the same pattern as the one at Birstall and consisted of 3 poor cottages with a larger one on the left for the workhouse master. It was in use until 1837 when the Barrow Union Workhouse was built in Mountsorrel to accommodate the poor of the parishes of Belgrave, Birstall, Wanlip, , Thurmaston along with other villages along the Soar.

Carry on down the 2nd part Bath Street and cross over Loughborough Road at the traffic lights.

Cross Corners (52.66028; -1.12396)

Here is the Cross Corners which was built in 1776 by James Vann. During the 1st World War it served as accommodation for Belgian refugees and later became a home for 'mentally deficient boys'. It is now a community arts centre owned by the City Council.

The National School on the other corner was built in 1861 on the original site of the Bulls Head pub. Alfred Ellis, who lived opposite the Cross Corners, didn't like the sordidness, so he bought it, demolished it and gave the land for the new school. A new pub was built a few years later on Bath Street. By 1877 the school had 870 pupils. It closed in 1974 and is now owned by a firm of solicitors. (A bit more about the Vann and Ellis later}.

In 1874 the first route for the newly formed Leicester Tramway Company's first route ran from the Clock Tower in Leicester to The New School and charged a fare of 2 pence. The trams were horse drawn until the first electric tram ran on May 18th 1904. Looking down Loughborough Road to the right was the site of the old Toll House.

Carry on in the same direction down Thurcaston Road and turn left into Church Street when you reach The Talbot Inn and on to Belgrave Hall with Belgrave House and Gardens opposite.

Belgrave Hall and House (52.65925; -1.12523)

4 / 7 Belgrave Hall was built between 1709 and 1713 complete with walled garden by Edmund Craddock, a wealthy merchant. It then passed to the Simons, who acquired more land and laid out the park opposite like a garden complete with perimeter paths and shrubbery, before being acquired by the Vann family, who owned the Hall from 1767 to 1844. The estate was divided up in 1776, when Belgrave House and Cross Corners were built, as additional family residences. The Vanns ran their framework knitting business from the premises, by employing the local framework knitters as outworkers. The knitting was at that time done at home. The workers would collect yarn from the grounds on a Monday and return the knitted goods for weighing on Saturdays, when they were stored in the stables and other purpose built warehouses. In 1831 it was said that almost all of the working population of the village was employed in framework knitting. The Vanns were said to have given generously to many local charities.

In 1847 , a Quaker, a local MP and anti-slavery campaigner and railway Pioneer, bought the complex. He later became director of Midland Counties Railway and was instrumental in the development of the Leicester/Swannington Railway. He was originally involved in farming and lived in Beaumont Leys, giving this up in 1846. He had 8 daughters who were all involved in political, charitable and educational work, including votes for women and adult literacy. The Ellis family were responsible for naming the house 'Belgrave Hall'

Belgrave Hall has its ghost. A few years ago it was the subject of the TV programme 'Most Haunted' and the CCTV picked up what appeared to be the ghost of an old lady. People living in the area are convinced the ghost of one of John Ellis's daughters roams the area. Her grave is in the churchyard.

Belgrave Hall and gardens were acquired by Leicester Corporation in 1936 and it is now a museum of the 18th century, open at various times to the public. Belgrave House, originally part of the estate, is now privately owned.

Have a walk around Belgrave Gardens exiting through the same exit and carry on down Church Street and into the Church yard

St Peters Church (52.65877; -1.12519)

St Peters Church dates from the 12th/ 13th century, although archaeologists believe there may have been an earlier Saxon church beneath. It is the oldest building in the area. It has some beautiful interior features including a 12th century Norman door, 13th century arcades and windows. There is also a group of 3 finely carved seats (sedilla) and a 'piscina', a shallow stone basin. The altar is a 12th century tomb slab. There is also a memorial tablet to those who died in the First World War. It closed in 1881 when it became full when the new Municipal Belgrave Cemetery opened to cope with the increasing expansion.

Walk around the back of the church and exit through the other gate, turning left and then right at the end on to Vicarage Lane.

5 / 7 Site of National School (52.65825; -1.12508)

This is the site of the old National School, built in 1836 and enlarged in 1848 by the addition of an infants' school which was largely supported by the Ellis family. Although the New National School on Loughborough Road replaced it in 1861, the infants’ school carried on for another 10 or so years. If you look closely in the shrubs just before the new triangular shaped flower bed, a few red bricks of the foundations can be spotted.

Follow the road round keeping the river on your right to Mill Hill.

Old Mill (52.65756; -1.12530)

A Mill was mentioned in the Doomsday Book which yielded 12s. A mill has been mentioned periodically throughout history and it is thought that throughout history 3 mills have stood on this site. It is shown on the aforementioned linear 1657 map. One last appeared in Corporation accounts in 1895 and was thought to have been demolished shortly afterwards.

Turn right when you reach Ross Walk, through some bollards and over the bridge. Turn right at Route 1 marker post to the information board about Ellis Meadows

Ellis Meadows (52.65639; -1.12529)

Ellis Meadows is a 20 acre wildlife park and nature reserve, created in the grounds of the former John Ellis School. It is also part of a major wider scheme to improve flood defences. It is being carried out by the Environment Agency in partnership with Leicester City Council. The area has been landscaped to provide a large grassy area for informal sports and ball games. Over 600 trees have been planted to create new woodland and green boundary, as well as the creation of a wildflower meadow to help support insects, bats, birds, etc.

Have a walk over Ellis Lake on the board walk and either back on to the path following it round to the left, or carry on over the boarding heading towards the right hand corner of the meadows on the perimeter path. Either way will bring you back to the Old Bridge on Thurcaston Road. Turn left on to Thurcaston road, back over the A6, back along Thurcaston Road, turning right to go back over the bridge to The

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