Secret LeicestershireEpisodes Episode guide

Why Melton is famous for ‘Painting the Town Red’
In 1837 the Marquis of Waterford and his friends wreaked havoc through Melton Mowbray.
Why does Leicester have a Statue of Liberty?
Leicester’s copy of the Statue of Liberty was made by local sculptor Joseph Morcom.
What's it like inside Old John?
Old John began life as a ruined folly during the time of the 5th Earl of Stamford.
The secret tunnel under Leicester Royal Infirmary
Leicester Royal Infirmary was founded as the Leicester Infirmary with 40 beds in 1771.
The secret RAF base which foiled the Nazis
The ‘Beambender’ was a vital WW2 RAF unit designed to foil Nazi bombing raids.
The notorious witches from Husbands Bosworth
Nine women from Husbands Bosworth accused of witchcraft were executed in 1616.
The mining innovation that changed the world
The Newcomen engine was designed to pump water out of coal mines.
The Medieval Dungeon Beneath Leicester Market
Beneath the surface of Leicester's market place, a wealth of archaeology can be found.
The Leper Hospital founded in Burton Lazars
St Mary and St Lazarus Hospital was one of the most important leper hospitals in England.
The Leicestershire Mill saved from brink of ruin
Hough Mill was a ruin when the Swannington Heritage Trust took it over in 1994.
The Leicester church that’s over 1000 years old
St Nicholas Church is the oldest place of worship in Leicester.
The home of historic gas treasures in Leicester
Leicester is home to the world’s largest collection of objects from the history of gas.
The gallows of Gallowtree Gate
Gallowtree Gate was the road to the gallows where public executions were held.
The Elizabethan manor house saved from demolition
Narborough Hall was saved from the brink of ruin by two Leicestershire teachers.
The birthplace of coal mining in Leicestershire
The earliest documented form of coal mining in Swannington dates back to around 1204.
The Belvoir Angels
Etched in gravestones around the Vale of Belvoir and found nowhere else in the world
The bed in which Richard III spent his final night
The bed in which Richard III slept the night before the Battle of Bosworth exists today.
The archive ‘treasure trove’ of a comedy legend
Tony Hancock’s famous hat and coat is held in the archive at De Montfort University.
The Anne of Cleves Pub in Melton Mowbray
The Melton Pub which was owned by the fourth wife of Henry VIII
The ancient oak that gave ‘Gartree’ its name
The Gartree was an ancient oak where jurors handed out justice and administered taxes.
The 1645 Siege of Leicester
The 1645 Siege of Leicester was a grim chapter in the history of the city.
The ‘lost’ pleasure gardens of Stonton Wyville
Stonton Wyville has the remnants of a banqueting house with its own pleasure gardens.
The ‘lost’ beacon on Beacon Hill
Beacon Hill is the home of an ancient beacon.
Secret stories of Long Clawson’s Old Manor House
Long Clawson’s Old Manor House was once the home of a magistrate who tried witches.
Rothley’s secret Anglo-Saxon Cross
Rothley’s Anglo-Saxon cross dates from around the time of the Vikings in the 9th century.
Mountsorrel’s ancient Butter Market
Mountsorrel’s Butter Market was erected in 1793 to protect stallholders from the weather.
Lilian Lenton – Rebel Suffragette
Inspired by the Women’s Suffrage campaigns Lilian Lenton was a militant Suffragette.
Leicester’s unsung hero of the British Grand Prix
Leicester’s Bob Gerard was one of Britain’s top racing drivers of the post-war period.
Leicester’s once proud tramway system
The first tram route in Leicester was in 1874 from the Clock Tower to Belgrave.
Leicester’s medieval ‘party palace of Europe’
Leicester Castle’s Great Hall hosted many illustrious visitors including Richard III.

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