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The Great Britain Guide

Historic houses · East Midlands

Leicester Guildhall

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 commissio

St Martins West in Leicester - geograph.org.uk - 7767463

Mat Fascione — CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons licence

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Typical visit
1 h–2 h

About

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 Leicester's 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.

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From the Wikipedia article

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 Leicester's 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.

Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.

Background

History

The Great Hall was built around 1390 as the meeting place of the Guild of Corpus Christi. The Guild was an association of merchants and gentry established in 1350 to protect trade in the town and for a variety ritual purposes. It was dedicated to the Eucharist, the bread and wine of Holy Communion believed by Catholic Christians to hold the divine presence of Christ’s Body (or Corpus Christi in Latin). The Guildhall was used for banquets, festivals, and as the lodging of a priest who prayed for the souls of deceased Guild members in a chantry chapel in nearby St Martin's Church. The Corporation of Leicester was created in 1589 and came to use the Guildhall as its meeting place and…

Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Coordinates
52.6347, -1.1377
Address
Leicester, Leicestershire
Phone
+44 300 300 0900
Established
1390
Official site
www.kriii.com

Sources

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Frequently asked questions

Where is Leicester Guildhall?
Leicester Guildhall is in the East Midlands, United Kingdom.
When was Leicester Guildhall built?
Built or established in 1390.
Who owns Leicester Guildhall?
Leicester Guildhall is owned by Leicester City Council.