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Secret Leicestershire

Explore fascinating stories from Leicester and Leicestershire.

Radio Leicester,27 episodes

Episodes

ListGrid

The mining innovation that changed the world
The Newcomen engine was designed to pump water out of coal mines.
16 Jul 2025,5 mins
The notorious witches from Husbands Bosworth
Nine women from Husbands Bosworth accused of witchcraft were executed in 1616.
08 Jul 2025,6 mins
Leicester Cathedral’s 'secret' medieval porch
Leicester Cathedral's porch over the North Door dates back to the medieval period.
26 Jun 2025,6 mins
The birthplace of coal mining in Leicestershire
The earliest documented form of coal mining in Swannington dates back to around 1204.
16 Jun 2025,6 mins
The ‘lost’ pleasure gardens of Stonton Wyville
Stonton Wyville has the remnants of a banqueting house with its own pleasure gardens.
27 May 2025,6 mins
The 1645 Siege of Leicester
The 1645 Siege of Leicester was a grim chapter in the history of the city.
21 May 2025,6 mins
What's it like inside Old John?
Old John began life as a ruined folly during the time of the 5th Earl of Stamford.
12 May 2025,6 mins
Leicester's connection to a modern nursing pioneer
Nightingale wards were named after Florence Nightingale, a pioneer of modern nursing.
01 May 2025,6 mins
The secret tunnel under Leicester Royal Infirmary
Leicester Royal Infirmary was founded as the Leicester Infirmary with 40 beds in 1771.
17 Apr 2025,6 mins
A unique collection of a British comedy genius
Leicester is the home to a unique collection from Sir Norman Wisdom’s 60-year career.
08 Apr 2025,6 mins
‘A medieval mayor and a Leicester murder scandal’
Brothers Walter and John Bushby sought sanctuary in two of Leicester’s medieval churches.
03 Apr 2025,6 mins
The ancient oak that gave ‘Gartree’ its name
The Gartree was an ancient oak where jurors handed out justice and administered taxes.
18 Mar 2025,6 mins
Why does Leicester have a Statue of Liberty?
Leicester’s copy of the Statue of Liberty was made by local sculptor Joseph Morcom.
11 Mar 2025,5 mins
The archive ‘treasure trove’ of a comedy legend
Tony Hancock’s famous hat and coat is held in the archive at De Montfort University.
04 Mar 2025,6 mins
50 years of hot water bottles from Loughborough
Some first designs for hot water bottle covers originated from a family in Loughborough.
25 Feb 2025,6 mins
‘Tanky’ Smith: Leicester’s first private detective
Francis ‘Tanky’ Smith was in Borough Police Force before becoming a private detective.
18 Feb 2025,5 mins
The secret RAF base which foiled the Nazis
The ‘Beambender’ was a vital WW2 RAF unit designed to foil Nazi bombing raids.
06 Feb 2025,6 mins
The Leper Hospital founded in Burton Lazars
St Mary and St Lazarus Hospital was one of the most important leper hospitals in England.
28 Jan 2025,6 mins
Grace Dieu Priory’s link with William Wordsworth
Grace Dieu Priory was used as a private house after the dissolution of the monasteries.
04 Dec 2024,6 mins
The bed in which Richard III spent his final night
The bed in which Richard III slept the night before the Battle of Bosworth exists today.
12 Nov 2024,6 mins
Leicester's secret railway tunnel beneath Glenfield
Designed by railway engineer George Stephenson Glenfield Tunnel is just over a mile long.
04 Nov 2024,6 mins
Leicester’s once proud tramway system
The first tram route in Leicester was in 1874 from the Clock Tower to Belgrave.
18 Oct 2024,6 mins
The Leicestershire Mill saved from brink of ruin
Hough Mill was a ruin when the Swannington Heritage Trust took it over in 1994.
12 Sep 2024,5 mins
‘Frozen in time’ – Leicester’s Knitters Museum
The workshop of Leicester’s last master hosier is a unique record of his working life.
16 Aug 2024,6 mins
The Leicester church that’s over 1000 years old
St Nicholas Church is the oldest place of worship in Leicester.
12 Aug 2024,6 mins
The home of historic gas treasures in Leicester
Leicester is home to the world’s largest collection of objects from the history of gas.
31 Jul 2024,6 mins
The ‘lost’ beacon on Beacon Hill
Beacon Hill is the home of an ancient beacon.
23 Jul 2024,6 mins