Secular Hall, Leicester
Secular Hall was designed by W. Larner Sugden of Leek in 1881 for the Secular Society. Made of red brick, the building is famous as the residence of one of the country's oldest secular societies, which was founded in 1851. The facade of the building is decorated with the busts of five world-famous thinkers - Socrates, Jesus, Voltaire, Thomas Paine and Robert Owen. The walls also sport Masonic symbols.
The building of the hall was proposed in 1872 after George Holyoake, who coined the word "secularism", was refused the use of a public room for a lecture. George Bernard Shaw and William Morris are among the many radical thinkers who have spoken there.
The building is under the protection of the government, as it is an important historical landmark.
The building of the hall was proposed in 1872 after George Holyoake, who coined the word "secularism", was refused the use of a public room for a lecture. George Bernard Shaw and William Morris are among the many radical thinkers who have spoken there.
The building is under the protection of the government, as it is an important historical landmark.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Leicester. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
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Secular Hall on Map
Sight Name: Secular Hall
Sight Location: Leicester, England (See walking tours in Leicester)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Leicester, England (See walking tours in Leicester)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Leicester, England
Create Your Own Walk in Leicester
Creating your own self-guided walk in Leicester is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Historical Buildings
Leicester, a city in England's East Midlands, has a storied past that is vividly presented in its historical buildings. Valuable architectural monuments, they are the city's pride and as such enjoy special protection by the government.
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Leicester Introduction Walking Tour
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Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.1 Km or 0.7 Miles