Last week I was able to pay a day's visit to Leicester. It's a city I love - and have many happy memories of over the last 35 years.
The discovery of the body of Richard III has made the city an international tourist attraction. He has been finally laid to rest in the Cathedral - and an impressive visitors centre has been set up across the street (where his body was found in the carpark). Well worth a visit if you are interested in British history. The battlefield of Bosworth is not far from Leicester - and it too has a visitor's centre which excels at bringing history alive.
But there is more to Leicester than Richard III. It was an important Roman town. The Fosse Way ran from Exeter to Lincoln via the town of Ratae Corieltauvorum. Some of the remains are still visible - and there's an exhibition at the Jewry Wall Museum.
Around the city are newly installed interpretation boards which tell the history of the city through the ages. I learnt a lot last week.
Does Milton Keynes have any history? The general impression of Britain's newest city is that its "history" only covers the last 50 years. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. As well as making an excellent base for discovering key sites in British History (fast rail link to London - and the slower trains stop at Berkhamsted : almost the mid-point between Oxford and Cambridge ; Close to Buckingham and Aylesbury) - MK has plenty to see within its boundaries.
Now known across the world - Milton Keynes is where Bletchley Park is to be found. Perhaps you've seen the film "The Imitation Game"? Some of it was filmed there - but if you visit you can see Alan Turing's office - and the mansion itself.
The Roman road which we now know as "Watling Street" runs through the city. In fact it runs at the end of Furzton - and through the town of Stony Stratford. There are the remains of a large Roman villa in the estate of Bancroft (which I love visiting) - not very far from the concrete cows. Other villas have been unearthed as archaeologists gained the opportunity to discover the city's ancient history before the developments went ahead. I live just yards from an iron age settlement and bronze age; iron age; Roman; and medieval remains have been uncovered across the city.
When Edward IV died, the crown was inherited by his young son. It was in Stony Stratford that he was met by his uncle, who was to become Richard III, and taken into "protective custody". A sign on a house commemorates where
they met. Stony itself is full of historic buildings.
The area played a key role in the transport history of England - and as well as a Roman road; there is the canal and the railway. Wolverton works was an important place for building and repairing railway stock.
The villages that sat in the countryside which was used for the new city remain - though are hidden from the hidden roads. Loughton; Milton Keynes (the original village); Shenley Brook End and Shenley Church are just some of the delights to be discovered.
Newport Pagnell played an important role in the English Civil War of the Seventeenth Century.
Over this summer I will be revisiting many of these places - and along with book research - will have lots of materials to post on this blog.
Watling Street was perhaps the most most important Roman road in England. It ran from the ports in Kent to Londinium (London) to Wroxeter on the border with Wales. Late it became the main route to Ireland – ending at Holyhead. Most of the route is now the A5 (except in the MK area). The Romans did not call it 'Watling Street', that name came later.
When England was split between an English Kingdom and Danelaw (Treaty of Alfred and Guthrum c 878) – the border was the Great Ouse from Bedford until Stony Stratford, whereupon Watling Street became the border (going northwards).
