Leicestershire

Leicestershire has a population of nearly 900,000 and covers 832 square miles (2,155 sq km), in central England. The county seat is Leicester.


In Leicestershire there are the popular towns of Market Harborough, Measham, Kirby Muxloe, Castle Donington, Market Bosworth, Cosby, Leicester, Coalville and Loughborough.

Geography

The eastern part of the county is very rural with fertile soil used for mixed farming. The main rivers are the Soar and the Wreak, with the Welland forming part of the southern boundary with Northamptonshire.

Industry

The western part of the county is mainly used for industrial uses and mining. Stilton cheese is a well-known dairy product of the region and two famous producers are at Long Clawston and Colleston Bassett. The main industrial areas are Leicester, Loughborough and Hinckley. The county has a thriving tourist economy with many famous houses, gardens and attractions.

History

Leicestershire was part of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Mercia and subsequently part of the Danelaw. The village names reflect this mixed heritage. Simon De Montfort, who led the barons who forced King Henry to sign the Magna Carta, was the Earl of Leicester and his name and arms arm still known and used in Leicester. Richard III, last of the Plantagenet Kings, was defeated and killed by the forces of Henry Tudor in 1485 at the Battle of Bosworth Field.