Hill forts · West Midlands
Leicester Castle
Also known as: Caisleán Leicester
Leicester Castle — castle in Leicester, England, UK.
Wikimedia Commons contributors — see linked file page for photographer and licence licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 1 h–2 h
- Nearest railway station
- Leicester · 1.2 km
- Free entry
- Family-friendly
- Dog-friendly
- Wheelchair accessible
About
Leicester Castle is a hill fort in the United Kingdom. Records date its origin to 1060. Part of Leicester Castle and the Magazine Gateway. Wikidata describes it as: "castle in Leicester, England, UK". Coordinates: 52.6323°, -1.1412°.
Photo gallery
From the Wikipedia article
Leicester Castle is in the city of the same name in the English county of Leicestershire. The complex is situated in the west of Leicester City Centre, between Saint Nicholas Circle to the north and De Montfort University to the south. A large motte, the Great Hall, the Church of St Mary de Castro, and the ruined Turret Gateway are the substantial remains of what was once a large set of defensive and residential structures. It was historically the seat of the Earls of Leicester, from 1107-1175 under the House of Beaumont, from 1239 to 1265 under the House of Montfort, and after 1267 with the House of Lancaster when the Earldoms of Leicester and Lancaster were combined. The Castle's Great Hall served for centuries as the home of Leicester County Assizes and is encased in a Queen Anne style frontage. The Castle is a scheduled monument.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
History
Leicester Castle was part of the medieval town defences, built over the Roman walls in the south western corner of the town on the eastern bank of the River Soar. The castle was probably built around 1070 (soon after the Norman Conquest in 1066) under the governorship of Hugh de Grandmesnil. The remains of the earliest wave of construction now consist of a mound and various ruins in the bailey. Originally the mound was 40 ft (12.2 m) high. In 1107 Robert de Beaumont Count of Meulan was made Earl of Leicester, the first of that title, and granted possession of the castle and the old Roman town by King Henry I. He undertook significant building works in the bailey and established a college of…
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 52.6323, -1.1412
- District
- Leicester
- Parish
- Leicester, unparished area
- Postcode
- LE1 5WH
- Parliamentary constituency
- Leicester South
- Established
- 1060
- Nearest railway station
- Leicester — 1.2 km
- Official site
- www.leicestermuseums.org
Sources
- wikidata: Q6519156 (CC0)
- wikipedia: Leicester Castle (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- commons: Brama wjazdowa do zamku od strony zewnętrznej.jpg (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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Frequently asked questions
- Where is Leicester Castle?
- Leicester Castle is in the West Midlands, United Kingdom (postcode LE1 5WH), in the parish of Leicester, unparished area.
- When was Leicester Castle built?
- Built or established in 1060.
- Is Leicester Castle free to visit?
- Yes, Leicester Castle is free to enter.
- How do I get to Leicester Castle?
- The nearest railway station is Leicester, about 1.2 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode LE1 5WH.