Loughborough Town Trail

This walk takes in the historic buildings and other places of interest within Loughborough Town Centre.

It guides you around the town utilising dropped kerbs and pedestrian crossings where possible. Accessible to all the route takes approximately one hour to complete, but you may want to stop off for a picnic on the way! For complete details of the trail read on.

If you would like to borrow a wheelchair or propelled scooter (free of charge) to explore the Town stop at the Shopmobility Office in the centre of Loughborough (free car parking for Shopmobility users).

A BRIEF HISTORY OF LOUGHBOROUGH
Loughborough, with its unique atmosphere and wealth of historic buildings, is a pleasure to examine on foot, and is the main town of the Borough and has been the second largest town of Leicestershire since the time of Elizabeth I.

Loughborough is a university town and in 2004 was ranked 9th among the British Universities by the Times' Good University Guide. The university has the largest sports scholarship in the UK and the University is the town's largest employer.

Loughborough College is the second biggest educational establishment in the town, and offers further education and vocational courses. Established in 1909, the college employs well over 900 staff.

To the north of the town, Dishley Grange Farm was formerly the home of agricultural revolutionist Robert Bakewell, and the farm was also once home to the annual Leicestershire County Show.

The first surviving document to give Loughborough a recognised name was the Domesday book of 1086, where Loughborough was recorded as 'Lucteburne'. The meaning of the name 'Loughborough' is still debated. Loughborough began as a Saxon village. At the time of the Domesday Book, Loughborough had a population of about 180-200 people, and by the 13th century had weekly markets and annual fairs, with a population of several hundred. In Loughborough, traders or craftsmen of one type tended to live in the same street. Bakers lived in Baxtergate (Baxter meant Baker, and gate is derived from an old Scandinavian word for street (gata). Many people in the town kept livestock, and any animals found wandering were put in a pound called the Pinfold until the owner paid a fine to get it back. Pinfold Gate was the street leading to the Pinfold.

Loughborough's link to education stems from early times. Grammar School was founded by a wool merchant named Thomas Burton.

By the late 16th century, Loughborough had a population of about 2,000, and like all towns, suffered from outbreaks of plague. It struck the town in 1558, 1602-1603, 1609 and 1631. Loughborough also suffered a severe fire in 1622 which destroyed many buildings. The town was soon rebuilt, and continued to be a busy little market town. In the early 17th century, a writer described the town as 'great and large, well situated by reason of the wood and water, adorned with many fair buildings and a large church'.

The first purpose built theatre in Loughborough ws erected in 1771, and Loughborough canal opened in 1778.

From the late 17th century, there were framework knitters in Loughborough, working in their own homes on woollen stockings and the link to hosiery had begun.

In 1801, Loughborough had a population of over 4,500 and by the standards of the time was a fair sized market town. It grew rapidly and by 1841 had a population of over 10,000.

In 1808 a man called John Heathcoat invented a lace making machine and, having constructed the machine in Hathern, in 1809 he moved to Loughborough, to live at either 38 or 40 Leicester Road.  Here he entered into partnership with Charles Lacy, a Nottingham lace manufacturer and subsequently with John Boden.  His machine was water powered using water from Woodbrook, and was capable of producing an exact imitation of real pillow lace and was called bobbinet.  This was by far the most expensive and complex textile apparatus then existing, but his new invention was unpopular with men called Luddites who feared it would take away their jobs. In 1816 the Luddites destroyed Heathcoat's machines.  55 lace frames sited in Mill Street (now Market Street on the site of the Iceland store) were destroyed and damages were assessed in compensation by the King's Bench at £10,000, but as Heathcoat declined to expend the money in the county of Leicester, he never received any part of it. As a result of the attack and the Nottingham Lace Maker's vow to his entire destruction, he moved to an unoccupied woollen mill in Tiverton, Devon.

For more information on John Heathcoat, please see http://www.inloughborough.com/news/000782/John%20Heathcoat%20Loughborough%20and%20English%20Heritage

In 1819 a dispensary opened where the poor could obtain free medicines, the railway reached the town in 1840 and in 1888, the town was made a borough.

In 1841, Loughborough was the destination for the first package tour, organised by Thomas Cook, for a temperance group from Leicester.

From the mid 19th century, there has been a bell founding industry in Loughborough. This continues as Taylor's Bell Foundry, known in the 1840s as John Taylor Bellfounders. This company not only provided the bells for the Carillon war memorial in Queen's Park, but the Great Paul for St Paul's Cathedral, and York Minster.

From the late 19th century, an engineering industry grew up in the town, and in the 20th century, Loughborough was noted for its engineering and pharmaceuticals, continuing to improve access to information by providing a new library building in 1905.

Charnwood Borough Council built the Shelthorpe estate in the late 1920s and 1930s and Loughborough University ws founded in 1966.

There were originally 3 railway routes to the town, and still operating is the Great Central Railway which has its own central station.

Notable Loughborough natives include Albert Francis Cross, the journalist, author, poet and playwright born on Moor Lane on 9th May 1863, the two time Laurence Olivier Award nominated stage actress Nicola Hughes and Coronation Street's Roy Cropper actor, David Neilson. Bobsleigher and Paratrooper Dean Ward, who won a bronze medal at the 1998 Winter Olympics was also born in the town, as was high jumper Ben Challenger.

This leaflet describes a tour of Loughborough; it guides the explorer to some of the interesting sights and tells a little of the history along the way. The route begins and ends at Loughborough Town Hall, which houses a splendid restaurant, so that after you have enjoyed your trip you can relax in comfortable surroundings. The route has been chosen to utilise pedestrian crossings and ramped kerbs suitable for wheelchairs and pushchairs where they are available.

Where no road crossings are present you will see this sign 'Please take extra care'. Please be careful when crossing all the roads.

Town Trail

Loughborough Town Hall was erected in 1855 as a Corn Exchange, by a company of local businessmen, at a cost of around £8000. The Town Hall is the venue for a wide variety of concerts, exhibitions, musicals and a Christmas pantomime. The town also has a thriving amateur dramatic community and many groups use the town hall for their shows.

Every year in November, the street fair takes over the centre of the town and there are many rides, amusement arcades, food stands and games for people to enjoy.

If you're ready to start the trail, as you are standing looking at the Town Hall, turn to your left and walk down Market Place. Loughborough's Market Place is the scene of a lively open air market every Thursday and Saturday, dating back to a charter granted by King Henry III in 1221.

In 1848, the town suffered an outbreak of cholera, and in 1849, a Board of Health was formed and things started to improve. The drinking fountain in the centre of the market place was presented by Archdeacon Fearon in 1870 to commemorate the town's first clean water supply, the plaques surrounding it depicting Loughborough's twin towns.

The Market Place is flanked by some impressive buildings, the banks being some of the most magnificent. At the bottom of Market Place, use the crossing to the right hand side of the bus stop to cross the main A6. When over the road, bear left into Baxter Gate. Use the small pedestrian crossing, so that you are walking on the right side of the street. Loughborough Hospital, 100m along on your right, built in 1862, was originally a two storey building. The extra floors were required as additional wards to treat the growing population of Loughborough. Continue up Baxter Gate enjoying the many splendid buildings, until you see the Post Office ahead of you. Use the crossing to go back across Baxter Gate and then continue straight ahead along Sparrow Hill. You'll see the Parish Church now. As you stand on the corner you are in one of the oldest parts of Loughborough. To your right is the Manor House.

Sketch by kind permission of Brian C. J. Williams.

'The Manor' was an estate awarded by King William I to the Earl of Chester, but it passed to other lords during succeeding centuries. The Manor House was built in 1477; at least one wall of this and an open fireplace are now part of the restaurant in Sparrow Hill.

Part of the long building, opposite the Parish church was a guild hall which served as a hospital in the middle ages. The hall was reputedly the resting place of King Henry VII before the Battle of Bosworth in 1485. The roof on the long, low building is an excellent example of local Swithland slate. Next cross the road and go into the church yard itself, using the entrance opposite the low building.

All Saints Parish Church is still one of the largest Parish churches in the county, and indicates the prosperity of mediaeval Loughborough. Much of the church dates from the 14th and 15th Centuries. The headstones in the churchyard are made of Swithland slate. On some you will notice practice lettering at the bottom of the slabs, probably crafted by apprentices, and originally intended to be hidden below ground. Underground springs have been tapped beneath this ground since ancient times.

Photograph by kind permission of Bob Gibson

When you have finished looking around the churchyard, walk out of the main gate onto Steeple Row, turn right and head towards the Old Rectory situated just beyond the present Rectory. The Old Rectory houses a museum which is open on Saturdays from April until September. The rest of the site is open at all times. The oldest parts of the building date back to around 1288, and this area was the basis of the original settlement, indeed, Toothill means 'The watching post.' In 1344 the Rector was taxed at 44 Marks and paid 4 Shillings for Peters Pence (this record shows that he had one of the largest incomes in the country). There are many stories of secret tunnels connecting the Old Rectory and the Manor House to the church. There is evidence that some of these tunnels exist, but they were probably a form of drainage system.

At the rear of The Old Rectory you will find a community wildlife garden. When you've finished investigating this site, walk back along the path and when you reach the street, cross the road bearing left. Walk through Rectory Place where stands Chesterton House. Founded in 1850, this was the home of one of the first Girl's Grammar Schools in England. Turn left again, on to Fennel Street, and enjoy the buildings on your left. Cross Fennel Street as you pass the Old Labour Party building and then walk down the pedestrianised street named Church Gate which you will find on the right.

Church Gate is the sole surviving principle street that retains its original medieval width. Here you will find a selection of smaller independent shops. The old pink kerbstones made of local granite from Mountsorrel show the chisel marks of the quarrying instruments. At the end of Churchgate turn right then cross the road. Close by used to run Dead Lane. This was reputedly the way victims of the plagues mentioned above were taken to their burial pits. The name is traceable to the 15th Century. Further round on Shakespeare Street, when digging foundations for a school, skeletons were discovered. It is believed that these could be the remains of people who died during the plague.

480 servicemen from Loughborough died in the First World War, and in 1923, the Carillon Tower in Queens Park was erected as a memorial to them.

Optional Section

If you want to explore the Canal, use the pedestrian crossing to get to the other side Bridge Street and then turn left. After you pass a medical practice on your right, you'll find Canal Bank. The canal is hidden from the road by a red brick wall, but if you enter Canal Bank the wharf is clearly visible. There are also new pavement cafes where you can enjoy the tranquility of the area.

You should retrace your steps after exploring, to this junction, to join the trail.

As soon as coal began to be mined in large quantities, inland waterways developed to carry the heavy loads. The Wharf at Bridge Street linked the town to the River Trent, Gas and Electricity Works were built nearby as coal was delivered here. The canal system was extended to Leicester in the 1790s and eventually formed part of the Grand Union Canal. In 1924, eight years after an attack on Loughborough, an unexploded aerial torpedo was found in the Canal. It is presumed to be from the same raid that devastated The Rushes. To examine the buildings in the Rushes turn left at the end of Bridge Street.

The Rushes:
On the 31st January 1916, during World War I, Loughborough was attacked by a Zeppelin (a German airship) and 10 people were killed. Until this incident no precautions had been taken as it was generally believed that the Germans could not reach the Midlands with aerial attack. However, the lights at the Empress Road Works and the theatre must have attracted the airship. After this blackouts were observed! This area now hosts a new shopping centre with a wealth of quality shops.

You may notice that many of the roads around the centre of Loughborough have names relating to the stream that now runs under the town, for example Swan Street, The Rushes, and Brookside. When you reach the next pedestrian crossing use it to cross towards "Carillon Court" the town's original shopping centre. This was first opened in 1972 and refurbished in 1992. Proceed up the road to the right of this entrance: Derby Square. At the top turn left to access Market Street, which was pedestrianised in 1997. You will secure a full view of Loughborough Town Hall from this direction. Continue up Market Street until you reach the Town Hall.

Now you reach the place from where you started. 'The Sock' was sculpted by Shona Kinloch in 1997 and represents Loughborough's historical past in a modern, startling and whimsical form! Turn right, then right again into Granby Street. After you cross a minor road named Packe Street, turn around and admire the sculpted stone inlaid into the red brick wall.

Continue along Granby Street, until you reach the Carnegie Library. In front of Loughborough Library is a statue donated by Loughborough's French twin town, Epinal. It depicts a young boy extracting a thorn from his foot, and is a copy of a similar statue in Rome and Epinal. The terracotta part of the library was built in 1905. Cross the road outside the library, and head into Queens Park. As you enter Queen's Park you will notice an impressive hall on the right, this has many uses, at the rear you will find a small cafe. Queen's Park took this name in 1897, to celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.

As mentioned earlier, the Carillon Tower is the imposing building at the centre of the park. The Carillon was built of local bricks and topped with a copper roof, and is a memorial to the men who died in the 1914-1918 War. Within the building is a museum run by volunteers of the British Legion. Charnwood museum is close by and was opened in 1999. In fact, there are 4 museums in the town.

The 47 Bells of the Carillon (a musical instrument played from a keyboard similar to that of a piano, which is attached to the fixed bells) can be heard on Market days. The bells were cast at the nearby Bell Foundry. The Foundry is one of two still working today in Britain, and has cast many fine bells, including 'Great Paul', for St. Paul's Cathedral London. The view from the top of the Carillon Tower is superb (151 feet, or 138 steps), with Charnwood's landscape laid before you.

From the entrance of the Tower, walk straight ahead, past the children's play area and out of the park. When you reach the main street turn left and back into the town centre. You will be able to see the prominent clock of the Town Hall, which is slightly angled so that it is more visible from the street.

Before you reach the clock you will see The Cinema on your right, this is recognised locally as a building of historic interest because of its art deco design. The cinema formerly 'The Empire' was opened in 1936 and was state of the art at the time, with air conditioning. Over the years, the cinema has had many names including The Palm Court and Ballroom, Empire, Classic and Curzon.

Carefully cross this road to the pavement outside the cinema. The stained glass windows of the original Empire cinema are still visible from Town Hall Passage, which is the first arch of the Town Hall building as you approach from the cinema. Walk up here about 50m, and look to your right to see the original stained glass windows.

This concludes the walk.

Charnwood Borough Council hope you enjoyed your trip into history.