Leicester

/les"teuhr/, n.

1. 1st Earl of. See Dudley, Robert.

2. a city in Leicestershire, in central England. 290,600.

3. Leicestershire.

4. one of an English breed of large sheep, noted for its coarse, long wool and large yield of mutton.

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I

City and unitary authority (pop., 2001: 279,923), geographic and historic county of Leicestershire, central England.

Located on the River Soar, it was settled by Romans. A considerable community by Norman times, it was the site of a Norman castle and abbey built in 1143, the ruins of which still stand. It was where King Richard III spent the night before he was killed in the Battle of Bosworth Field. It was incorporated in 1589 and became an industrial centre after the arrival of the railway in 1832. The University of Leicester (founded 1957) is nearby.

II

(as used in expressions)

Leicester Robert Dudley earl of

Earl of Leicester

Baron Snow of the City of Leicester

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▪ city and unitary authority, England, United Kingdom

      city and unitary authority, geographic and historic county of Leicestershire, England, lying on the River Soar and the Grand Union Canal.

      Remains of a Roman settlement mark the point where the Fosse Way crossed the River Soar, and Leicester had a considerable burgess community by Norman times. The medieval castle was dismantled in 1645, but a few ruins remain. The abbey was founded in 1143. A royal charter of incorporation was granted in 1589. In 1832 the railway joined the town with the small Leicestershire coalfield to the northwest, and rapid industrial development followed. The oldest industry is hosiery and knitwear, but in the 19th century Leicester became famous for footwear manufacture. Light engineering followed.

      The focal centre of the town is the Clock Tower, from which shopping streets radiate. The central area has been redeveloped since World War II, and modern housing estates have replaced the deteriorating dwellings of the Industrial Revolution. A modern concert hall is named after Simon de Montfort, earl of Leicester. Nearby is the University of Leicester (chartered 1957; formerly a university college, founded 1918). There are also technical and arts schools. The Guildhall, Newarke Gateway to the castle, and Trinity Hospital all date from the 14th century, and Wyggeston School from the 16th. St. Martin's Church became a cathedral in 1926 when the diocese of Leicester was constituted. Area 28 square miles (73 square km). Pop. (2005 est.) 288,000.

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