Newarke Houses Museum

Last updated

Newarke Houses Museum
Newarke Houses Museum Leicester.jpg
The two historic buildings: Wyggeston's Chantry House (left) and Skeffington House (right)
Leicester UK ward map 2010 (blank).svg
Red pog.svg
Location in Leicester
Leicestershire UK location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Location in Leicestershire
Established1953
LocationLeicester
Coordinates 52°37′53″N1°08′22″W / 52.631518°N 1.139428°W / 52.631518; -1.139428
TypeMilitary Museum
Website Newark Houses Museum

The Newarke Houses Museum is a public museum in Leicester, England. It incorporates the museum of the Royal Leicestershire Regiment, and has a range of exhibits illustrating post-medieval and contemporary Leicester. [1] The museum is close to the 15th century Magazine Gateway and within the precincts of the medieval 'Newarke', the 'New Work' of Henry of Grosmont, 1st Duke of Lancaster. The museum stands in the middle of the De Montfort University campus.

Contents

History

Newarke Houses Museum
Invisible Square.svg
Invisible Square.svg
Mapscaleline.svg
100m
110yds
The Newarke, Leicester, walls map overlay.svg
south gates
9
Magazine
8
Invisible Square.svg
'lost' Church of the Newarke (site of)
7
Invisible Square.svg
Newarke Houses
6
Invisible Square.svg
Trinity Hospital
5
Turret gateway
4
St Mary de Castro
3
Invisible Square.svg
Castle gateway
2
Leicester Castle and The Newarke precinct, showing the Motte and bailey (green), boundary walls of The Newarke (blue), and the southern side of the town wall (red).
The historic sites include:-
1
Leicester Castle
2
Castle gateway
3
Church of St Mary de Castro
4
Turret gateway
5
Trinity House - former Trinity Hospital
6
Newarke Houses Museum
7
site of Church of the Annunciation of Our Lady of the Newarke, now includes DMU heritage centre
8
Magazine Gateway
9
South gates

The museum occupies two buildings: Wyggeston's Chantry House (built circa 1511), and Thomas Skeffington's Skeffington House (built in the seventeenth century). [2] The houses were used during the Siege of Leicester in 1645 as part of the English Civil War. The two properties were sold in 1908 and, while Chantry House remained a private residence, Skeffington House became a school for boys. [2] Both properties were acquired and converted for museum use in 1953 as part of the celebrations surrounding the coronation of the Queen. [2] One room on the ground floor of the museum represents the buildings' 17th Century interior.

Collections

Amongst the items on display are various possessions of Daniel Lambert, an 18th-century resident of Leicester who weighed over 50 stone (320 kg) and became famous in his lifetime as Britain's largest man, and remains one of the city's famous icons. Possessions on display include items of clothing and his chair. [3]

The museum also houses a 1950s Leicester street scene modelled in Wharf Street with a number of model shops, as well as an exhibition of toys from Tudor times to the present. [1]

Other collections relate to Leicester's industrial and hosiery industry, such as Corah's and Wolsey, major clothing firms in Leicester. The museum has an exhibit with a particularly focus on the more recent history of Leicester, from the 19th century onward.

During the period 2014 to 2018 it held a rolling series of exhibitions marking the centenary of the First World War entitled 'Leicester Remembers'. [4] The museum also includes a display about the Royal Leicestershire Regiment, such as drums used by the regiment band, and a tiger, the mascot of the regiment. [5] The museum houses a large collection of items relating to life during the wars. These cover aspects of the front-line and home front. The museum holds a large collection of medals, with records regarding the involvement of people within the Leicester Regiment, which can be accessed via a computer. A model trench sits on the first floor. Other items include a Morrison Shelter and gas masks to reflect the Home Front during the Second World War.

Gardens

The gardens of the museum are laid out on separate sides of the main building which has an extension into the garden. These are laid to box hedges in medieval style maze-like geometric patterns. The garden was stocked in Victorian times with a variety of exotic trees and other plants, several of which survive to the present day. The end wall of the garden has gun loops, cut in it by Cromwell's troops, the Round-heads, in 1645 during the English Civil War when the Cavalier Prince Rupert was besieging the town. [2]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jewry Wall</span> Ruined wall in Leicester, England

The Jewry Wall is a substantial ruined wall of 2nd-century Roman masonry, with two large archways, in Leicester, England. It stands alongside St Nicholas' Circle and St Nicholas' Church. It formed the west wall of a public building in Ratae Corieltauvorum, alongside public baths, the foundations of which were excavated in the 1930s and are also open to view. The wall gives its name to the adjacent Jewry Wall Museum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abbey Park, Leicester</span> Public park in Leicester, England

Abbey Park is a public park in Leicester, England, through which the River Soar flows. It is owned and managed by Leicester City Council. It opened in 1882 on the flood plain of the River Soar, and expanded in 1932 to include the area west of the river that had formerly been the medieval St Mary's Abbey, still bounded by large medieval walls. The park includes the archaeological sites of the Abbey and the ruins of Cavendish House, along with a wide range of decorative and recreational parkland features.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Cridlan Barrett</span>

Colonel John Cridlan Barrett VC, TD was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Philip Bent</span> Recipient of the Victoria Cross

Lieutenant Colonel Philip Eric Bent was a Canadian British Army officer recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

Hugh Aston was an English composer of the early Tudor period. While little of his music survives, he is notable for his innovative keyboard and church music writing. He was also politically active, a mayor, Member of Parliament, and Alderman.

Philip Smith VC was an Irish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Buckingham</span> Recipient of the Victoria Cross

Private William Buckingham VC was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross (VC), the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. He received the VC during the First World War, for his actions during the Battle of Neuve Chapelle in March 1915. He was killed the following year at Thiepval.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leicester Guildhall</span> Municipal building in Leicester, Leicestershire, England

The Guildhall in Leicester, England, is a timber framed building, with the earliest part dating from c. 1390. The Guildhall once acted as the town hall for the city until the current one was commissioned in 1876. It is located in the old walled city, on a street now known as Guildhall Lane. It was used first as the meeting place for the Guild of Corpus Christi and then later for the more formal Corporation of Leicester. The hall was used for many purposes, including council meetings, feasts, as a courtroom, and for theatrical performances; the ultimatum given to the city during English Civil War was discussed here. It is a Grade I listed building, and the surrounding area, also including the Cathedral of St Martin's, is a conservation area, one of three in Leicester.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leicester Castle</span> Grade I listed archaeological site in Leicester, United Kingdom

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 and the Great Hall are the two substantial remains of what was once a large defensive structure. The hall is now encased in a Queen Anne style frontage. The Castle and the Magazine Gateway is a scheduled monument.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Church of St Mary de Castro, Leicester</span> Church

St Mary de Castro is an ancient, Grade I listed church in Leicester, England, located within the former bailey of Leicester Castle. Today it acts as a parish church in the Church of England's diocese of Leicester. "St Mary de Castro" is Latin for "St Mary of the Castle"; a name chosen to differentiate from nearby "St Mary de Pratis": "St. Mary of the Meadows".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Belgrave Hall</span> Queen Anne-style Grade II* listed building in Belgrave

Belgrave Hall is a Queen Anne-style Grade II* listed building in Belgrave. It is located on the northern edge of the city of Leicester.

Gateway Sixth Form College is a sixth form college in Hamilton, Leicester, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Magazine Gateway</span>

The Magazine Gateway is a Grade I listed building in Leicester. Now a solitary landmark alongside Leicester ringroad, it was originally the main gateway of a walled enclosure built around 1400, giving access to the religious precinct of The Newarke. The vaulted archway was open to traffic until 1905. The gatehouse rooms were variously used as a porter's lodge, guest accommodation, prison, militia building, and regimental museum. It is now a building managed by the Leicester Museum Service, and is generally only open to the public by arrangement.

Westcotes is an area to the west of the city of Leicester. It is also a ward of the City of Leicester whose population at the 2011 census was 11,644. It is also known as the West End of Leicester. The area is quite small in comparison with other areas of the city, but it is well known as it has many shops, bars and restaurants and is a popular choice for students and young professionals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Classic Boat Museum</span> Maritime museum in England

The Classic Boat Museum is a museum of boats and of the history of yachting and boating. It is located on the Isle of Wight at two separate sites on either side of the River Medina; The Boat Collection in Cowes, and The Gallery in East Cowes. It is a working museum featuring restoration. Work takes place all year round. In addition to classic boats, the museum contains tools, artefacts, books, photographs, film and archival items that relate to the history of boat building, sailing, yachting, cruising and racing over the last century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Humberstone and Hamilton</span> Electoral ward and administrative division of Leicester, England

Humberstone and Hamilton is an electoral ward and administrative division of the City of Leicester, England. It comprises the north-eastern Leicester suburbs of Humberstone, Humberstone Garden City, Hamilton and Netherhall.

The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Leicester, the county town of Leicestershire, in England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arch of Remembrance</span> War memorial in Leicester, England

The Arch of Remembrance is a First World War memorial designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and located in Victoria Park, Leicester, in the East Midlands of England. Leicester's industry contributed significantly to the British war effort. A temporary war memorial was erected in 1917, and a committee was formed in 1919 to propose a permanent memorial. The committee resolved to appoint Lutyens as architect and to site the memorial in Victoria Park. Lutyens's first proposal was accepted by the committee but was scaled back and eventually cancelled due to a shortage of funds. The committee then asked Lutyens to design a memorial arch, which he presented to a public meeting in 1923.

The Church of the Annunciation of Our Lady of the Newarke in Leicester, was a collegiate church founded by Henry of Grosmont, 1st Duke of Lancaster, in 1353. The name "Newarke" is a translation of the Latin "novum opus" i.e. "new work" and was used to distinguish the church from the older collegiate church of Leicester Castle, the Church of St Mary de Castro. Duke Henry enlarged his father's hospital foundation in the southern extension to the castle bailey and built the new church to house a holy relic, part of the Crown of Thorns given him by John II of France. The church became a place of pilgrimage. Leland visited it around 1540, shortly before its destruction during the Suppression of the Chantries. He described the church as "not very great...but exceeding fair."

References

  1. 1 2 "Newarke House Museum and Gardens". VisitLeicester. Retrieved 18 December 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Newarke Houses Museum". Britain Express. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
  3. Mayer, Julie (23 June 2009). "Leicester's Largest Son". BBC.
  4. "Leicester Remembers the Great War". VisitLeicester. Retrieved 18 December 2016.
  5. "Newarke Houses Museum". Ogilby Trust. Retrieved 8 June 2018.