Abbey Park, Leicester (must see)

Abbey Park, Leicester’s premier public park, is a vast green space through which the River Soar flows, offering both historical significance and recreational appeal. Owned and managed by Leicester City Council, the park is Grade II* listed in Historic England’s Register of Parks and Gardens.

Abbey Park was officially opened in 1882 on land that was once marshy ground on the floodplain of the River Soar. The Leicester Town Council had acquired 57 acres of land in 1876 from the Earl of Dysart as part of a flood prevention project. The park’s initial design, created by esteemed landscape designer William Barron, featured a bandstand, rustic bridges, and lush gardens. It was Leicester’s first major public park, inaugurated on May 29, 1882, by the Prince and Princess of Wales.

Over time, the park was expanded to incorporate the historically significant Abbey Grounds, which had previously been separate. This area contained the ruins of the medieval Saint Mary’s Abbey, enclosed by extensive medieval walls, as well as the remnants of Cavendish House, a 17th-century mansion. These historical sites were integrated into Abbey Park in 1932.

Added in the early 20th century, the Abbey Grounds contain the ruins of Leicester Abbey, a wealthy 12th-century monastery dissolved in 1538. Excavations in the 1920s–30s uncovered monastic remains but not Cardinal Wolsey’s tomb. A memorial slab marks his death site in 1530.

Cavendish House, another key feature, was built in the 17th century by William Cavendish, 1st Earl of Devonshire. It incorporated elements of the old abbey gatehouse and is said to have been constructed using stones from the abbey itself. The house briefly hosted King Charles I after the 1645 siege of Leicester during the English Civil War. Upon his departure, Royalist troops set fire to it, leaving the structure in ruins, with its charred window frame still visible today.

Abbey Park has a rich history of events, hosting the Abbey Park Show from the late 19th century to 1995 and the Abbey Park Festival from 1981 for over 20 years. Today, its annual bonfire and fireworks display is a highlight. Since 2010, it has also housed Takeover Radio, a youth-run station in a gatehouse lodge.