View source for Leicestershire

{{short description|County of England}}
{{About|the county|the former parliamentary constituency|Leicestershire (UK Parliament constituency)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2023}}{{Use British English|date=July 2014}}
{{Infobox English county
| official_name = Leicestershire
| image_main = {{multiple images |border=infobox |perrow=2 1|total_width=250px
 | image1 = Loughborough Carillon - geograph.org.uk - 4228475.jpg
 | image2 = National Space Centre, Leicester.jpg
 | image3 = Vale of Belvoir View.JPG
   }}
| image_caption = [[Loughborough Carillon]]; the [[National Space Centre (England)|National Space Centre]], Leicester; and the [[Vale of Belvoir]] near [[Ab Kettleby]]
| locator_map = Leicestershire UK locator map 2010.svg
| map_caption = Leicestershire within England
| coordinates = {{Coord|52.656|N|1.19|W|region:GB_type:adm2nd|display=inline,title}}
| region = [[East Midlands]]
| established_date = [[Historic counties of England|Historic]]
| established_by = 
| preceded_by = 
| origin = 
| lord_lieutenant_office = Lord Lieutenant of Leicestershire
| lord_lieutenant_name = [[Mike Kapur]]
| high_sheriff_office = High Sheriff of Leicestershire
| high_sheriff_name = Henrietta Chubb<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=63990|page=4634|date=9 March 2023}}</ref> (2023–24)
| ethnicity = {{ubl|87.5% White|8.2% Asian|2.2% Mixed|1.1% Black|1% Other}}
| county_town = [[Leicester]]
| largest_city = [[Leicester]]
| county_council = [[Leicestershire County Council]]
| unitary_council = 
| unitary_council1 = 
| government = 
| joint_committees = 
| admin_hq = [[County Hall, Glenfield]]
| area_council_km2 = 2083
| iso_code = GB-LEC
| gss_code = E10000018
| nuts_code = TLF22
| districts_map = [[File:Leicestershire numbered districts.svg|200px]]
| districts_key = {{Colorsample|#FEFE77}} Unitary {{Colorsample|#FEC1E9}} County council area
| districts_list = # [[North West Leicestershire]]
# [[Borough of Charnwood|Charnwood]]
# [[Borough of Melton|Melton]]
# [[Harborough District|Harborough]]
# [[Oadby and Wigston]]
# [[Blaby District|Blaby]]
# [[Hinckley and Bosworth]]
# [[Leicester]]
| MPs = [[List of parliamentary constituencies in Leicestershire and Rutland|10 MPs]]
| police = 
| website = {{URL|https://leicestershire.gov.uk}}
}}
'''Leicestershire''' ({{IPAc-en|audio=En-leicestershire.ogg|ˈ|l|ɛ|s|t|ər|ʃ|ɪər|,_|-|ʃ|ər}} {{respell|LEST|ər|sheer|,_-|shər}}) is a [[Ceremonial counties of England|ceremonial county]] in the [[East Midlands]] of England. It is bordered by [[Derbyshire]], [[Nottinghamshire]] and [[Lincolnshire]] to the north, [[Rutland]] to the east, [[Northamptonshire]] to the south-east, [[Warwickshire]] to the south-west, and [[Staffordshire]] to the west. The city of [[Leicester]] is the largest settlement.

The county has an area of {{cvt|2156|km2}} and an estimated population of {{English cerem counties|POP=Leicestershire}} in {{English cerem counties|TXT=Year}}. Leicester is located in the centre of the county and is by far the largest settlement; its urban area includes the towns of [[Wigston]] and [[Oadby]] immediately to the south-east. The rest of the county is largely rural, and its settlements include the university town of [[Loughborough]] in the north, [[Melton Mowbray]] in the north-east, [[Hinckley]] in the south-west, and [[Coalville]] in the north-west. For [[Local government in England|local government]] purposes Leicestershire comprises a [[non-metropolitan county]], with seven districts, and the [[Unitary authorities of England|unitary authority]] area of Leicester.

Leicestershire is generally a lowland county, characterised by small, rolling hills. It is bisected by the [[River Soar]], which rises near the Warwickshire border south of [[Hinckley]] and flows north through Leicester and Loughborough before reaching the [[River Trent|Trent]] at the county boundary. To the west of the river is [[Charnwood Forest]], an upland area which contains Bardon Hill, which at {{cvt|278|m}} is the county's highest point.

There are prehistoric earthworks in the county, and Leicester was a [[Roman Britain|Roman]] settlement. The region was settled by the [[Angles (tribe)|Angles]] in the sixth century and became part of the Kingdom of [[Mercia]], and the county existed at the time of the [[Domesday Survey]] in the 1080s. The county has had a relatively settled existence; however, it was the site of the [[Battle of Bosworth Field]] in 1485, which established the [[Tudor period|Tudor]] dynasty's position as monarchs of England. During the [[Industrial Revolution]] the [[Leicestershire and South Derbyshire Coalfield|Leicestershire coalfield]] in the north and west of the county was exploited. Leicester became known for shoemaking, and with Loughborough continues to be a manufacturing centre. In agriculture the county is known for [[Stilton cheese]] and [[Melton Mowbray]] [[pork pie]]s.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Leicestershire {{!}} county, England, United Kingdom {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Leicestershire |access-date=2023-06-29 |website=britannica.com |language=en}}</ref>

==History==
{{Main|History of Leicestershire}}

The [[Domesday Book]] (1086) records four [[wapentake]]s in the territory of Leicestershire: [[Guthlaxton]], [[Framland]], [[Goscote]] and [[Gartree (hundred)|Gartree]]. These later became [[hundred (division)|hundred]]s, with the division of Goscote into [[West Goscote]] and [[East Goscote (hundred)|East Goscote]], and the addition of [[Sparkenhoe]] hundred. The first recorded use of the county name occurs in 1087 as {{lang | ang | Lægrecastrescir}}.

Leicestershire's external boundaries have changed little since the Domesday Survey. The [[Measham]]-[[Donisthorpe]] exclave of [[Derbyshire]] has been exchanged for the [[Netherseal]] area, and the urban expansion of [[Market Harborough]] has caused [[Little Bowden]], previously in [[Northamptonshire]] to be annexed. Until 1969, the county's legal name was "Leicester" rather than "Leicestershire", although the latter form was in common usage. In legal contexts the county was usually referred to as the "County of Leicester" where necessary to distinguish between the city and the county. In 1969 the government formally changed the county's name to "Leicestershire" at the county council's request.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=45015|page=256|date=6 January 1970}}</ref>

In 1974, the [[Local Government Act 1972]] abolished the [[county borough]] status of Leicester city and the county status of neighbouring [[Rutland]], converting both to administrative [[Districts of England|districts]] of Leicestershire. These actions were reversed on 1 April 1997, when Rutland and the City of Leicester became unitary authorities. Rutland became a distinct [[Ceremonial County]] once again, although it continues to be policed by [[Leicestershire Constabulary]].

The symbol of the county council, of the [[Leicestershire County Cricket Club]] and of [[Leicester City FC]] is a [[red fox|fox]]. Tradition regards Leicestershire as the birthplace of [[fox hunting]] as it is known today.<ref>
{{cite book
 |last1                = Butt
 |first1               = Stephen
 |date                 = 15 May 2013
 |title                = Market Harborough & Around Through Time
 |url                  = https://books.google.com/books?id=_fjBBQAAQBAJ
 |series               = Through Time
 |publication-place    = Stroud, Gloucestershire
 |publisher            = Amberley Publishing Limited
 |page                 = https://books.google.com/books?id=_fjBBQAAQBAJ&pg=PT105
 |isbn                 = 9781445615462
 |access-date          = 21 October 2025
 |quote                = Leicestershire is considered to be the birthplace of fox hunting in the form it is known today. The 'father' of English fox hunting, Hugo Meynell, rented Langton Hall and stayed in the area during the season. As with other Leicestershire market towns, hunting attracted wealthy visitors and participants who would stay at local manor houses, halls and hunting lodges, and many different trades and enterprises grew up to service their requirements including leather and footwear manufacturing, saddlers, blacksmiths, and veterinary practictioners.
}}
</ref> [[Hugo Meynell]] (1735-1808), who lived in [[Quorn, Leicestershire|Quorn]], has a reputation as the "father of modern fox-hunting".<ref>
{{cite book
 |last1                = Biscotti
 |first1               = M. L.
 |date                 = 23 June 2017
 |chapter              = Hawkes, John (1767-1834)
 |title                = Six Centuries of Foxhunting: An Annotated Bibliography
 |url                  = https://books.google.com/books?id=zJKHEQAAQBAJ
 |publication-place    = Lanham, Maryland
 |publisher            = Bloomsbury Publishing USA
 |page                 = 178
 |isbn                 = 9798216302148
 |access-date          = 21 October 2025
 |quote                = Hugo Meynell (1735-1808) is widely considered to be the father of modern fox-hunting.
}}
</ref>
[[Melton Mowbray]] and [[Market Harborough]] have associations with fox hunting, as has neighbouring Rutland.

[[File:Flag of Leicestershire.svg|left|thumb|The [[flag of Leicestershire]]]]
The [[flag of Leicestershire]] features a fox under an heraldic [[cinquefoil]] — both symbols often associated with Leicestershire. The flag design, made official in July 2021, was the last one registered for an [[historic county of England]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-57901873 |title =Leicestershire becomes last English county to fly official flag |publisher =BBC News |date =21 July 2021 |access-date  =27 July 2021
}}</ref>

==Geography==
{{OSM Location map
| lat =52.673342
| lon =-1.133627
| zoom=9
| float = left
| width = 380
| height = 390
| fullscreen-option=yes
| caption = Location map of Leicestershire and major towns/cities

| minimap = file
|mini-file=EnglandSubdivisions1996.png
|mini-width=65
|mini-height=80
|minipog-x=43
|minipog-y=45
| scalemark =290
| map-datax=Q23106<!-- wikidata link to add county boundary-->
|map-data-lightx= Q764425, Q1067639, Q596076, Q1556307, Q1853349, Q1853930<!-- wikidata link to add districts-->
<!-------->
| label-angleD=0

| mark-coord = {{coord|52.700|-1.137}}
| mark = Leicestershire districts transparent overlay.svg
| mark-size=350
| mark-title=none

| mark-coord1 = {{coord|52.7454|-0.9991}}
| mark-title1 = [[River Wreake]]
|       label1=River Wreake
| label-size1=10
| shape-color1=soft blue
| label-color1=dark blue,60
| label-angle1=-29
|   label-pos1=top
|   mark-size1=0

| mark-coord2 = {{coord|52.7388|-1.1467}}
| mark-title2 = [[River Soar]]
|       label2=River Soar canal
| label-angle2=50

|  mark-coord3= {{coord|52.5676|-1.1137}}
|  mark-title3= [[River Sence]]
|       label3=River Sence
|   label-pos3=bottom
| label-angle3=26

|  mark-coord4= {{coord|52.5676|-1.2137}}
|  mark-title4= [[River Soar]]
|       label4=River Soar
|   label-pos4=top
| label-angle4=-50

|  mark-coord5= {{coord|52.5275|-1.0169}}
|  mark-title5= [[Grand Union Canal]], Leicester Line
|       label5=G.U. ^Canal
|   label-pos5=bottom
| label-angle5=36

|  mark-coord6= {{coord|52.6439|-1.4557}}
|  mark-title6= [[Ashby Canal]]
|       label6=Ashby Canal
|   label-pos6=top
| label-angle6=55

|  mark-coord7= {{coord|52.7180|-1.2242}}
|  mark-title7= [[Charnwood Forest]]
|       label7='''CHARNWOOD^FOREST^'''
| shape-color7=soft green
|   label-pos7=centre
| label-color7=hard green,70
| label-size7=10,outline
| label-angle7=0

|  mark-coord8= {{coord|52.7147|-1.4333}}
|  mark-title8= [[The National Forest (England)|The National Forest]]
|       label8='''NATIONAL FOREST'''
| shape-color8=soft green
|   label-pos8=bottom|label-spacing8=2
| label-color8=hard green,70
| label-size8=10, outline
| label-angle8=12

|  mark-coord9= {{coord|52.7136|-1.3220}}
|  mark-title9= [[Bardon Hill]], 278 m (912 ft)
|       shape9=itriangle
| shape-color9=hard green,70
|       label9=Bardon Hill
|   label-pos9=left,with-line| ldx9=-18| ldy9=-20
| label-color9=hard grey
| label-size9=10
| mark-size9=15,9
| label-angle9=0

|  mark-coord10= {{coord|52|33|42.942|N|1|27|53.474|W}}
|  mark-title10= [[Centre points of the United Kingdom]]
|       shape10=circle
| shape-color10=hard red,30
|shape-outline10=hard red,5,70,double
|       label10=Fenny ^Drayton
|   label-pos10=left|ldy10=14|ldx10=6
| label-color10=hard grey
| label-size10=10
| mark-size10=5
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|  mark-coord11= {{coord|52.9080|-0.8924}}
|  mark-title11= [[Vale of Belvoir]]
|       label11='''VALE OF BELVOIR'''
| shape-color11=soft green
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| label-color11=hard green,70
| label-size11=10, outline
| label-angle11=-38

|  mark-coord12= {{coord|52.4421|-1.4773}}
|  mark-title12= [[Warwickshire]]
|       label12='''WARWICKSHIRE'''
|   label-pos12=centre
| shape-color12=soft grey
| label-color12=soft grey| label-spacing12=3
| label-size12=9

|  mark-coord13= {{coord|52.8757|-1.5008}}
|  mark-title13= [[Derbyshire]]
|       label13='''DERBYSHIRE'''
|   label-pos13=centre
| shape-color13=soft grey
| label-color13=soft grey| label-spacing13=3
| label-size13=9

|  mark-coord14= {{coord|52.8533|-1.1080}}
|  mark-title14= [[Nottinghamshie]]
|       label14='''NOTTINGHAM-^SHIRE'''
|   label-pos14=centre
| shape-color14=soft grey
| label-color14=soft grey| label-spacing14=3
| label-size14=9

|  mark-coord15= {{coord|52.6203|-0.7069}}
|  mark-title15= [[Rutland]]
|       label15='''RUTLAND'''
|   label-pos15=centre
| shape-color15=soft grey
| label-color15=soft grey| label-spacing15=3
| label-size15=9

|  mark-coord16= {{coord|52.8823|-0.6861}}
|  mark-title16= [[Lincolnshire]]
|       label16='''LINCS'''
|   label-pos16=centre
| shape-color16=soft grey
| label-color16=soft grey| label-spacing16=3
| label-size16=9

|  mark-coord17= {{coord|52.4019|-0.9855}}
|  mark-title17= [[Northamptonshire]]
|       label17='''NORTHAMTON-^SHIRE'''
|   label-pos17=centre
| shape-color17=soft grey
| label-color17=soft grey| label-spacing17=3
| label-size17=9
}}

The [[River Soar]] together with its tributaries and canalisations constitutes the principal river basin of the county, although the [[River Avon, Warwickshire|River Avon]] and [[River Welland]] through [[Harborough]] and along the county's southern boundaries are also significant. The Soar rises between [[Hinckley]] and [[Lutterworth]], towards the south of the county near the [[Warwickshire]] border, and flows northwards, bisecting the county along its north–south axis, through 'Greater' [[Leicester]] and then to the east of [[Loughborough]] where its course within the county comes to an end. It continues north marking the boundary with [[Nottinghamshire]] in the Borough of [[Rushcliffe]] for some {{convert|10|km}} before joining the [[River Trent]] at the [[Trentlock|point]] where Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire meet.

The geographical centre of England is in Leicestershire, near [[Fenny Drayton]] in the southwest of the county. In 2013, the Ordnance Survey calculated that the point was on land at Lindley Hall Farm. An alternative point at [[Meriden, West Midlands|Meriden]], around {{convert|10|mi|km}} to the southwest, had been considered the traditional centre for more than 500 years.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-leicestershire-22901222 |title=New centre of England marked in Fenny Drayton |publisher=BBC News |date=14 June 2013 |access-date=10 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181111103954/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-leicestershire-22901222/new-centre-of-england-marked-in-fenny-drayton |archive-date=11 November 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref>

A large part of the north-west of the county, around [[Coalville]], forms part of the new [[National Forest, England|National Forest]] area extending into Derbyshire and Staffordshire. The highest point of the county is [[Bardon Hill]] at {{cvt|278|m}},<ref>{{cite book |last=Bathurst |first=David |year=2012 |title=Walking the county high points of England |location=Chichester |publisher=Summersdale |isbn=978-1-84-953239-6 |pages=115–118}}</ref> which is also a [[Marilyn (hill)|Marilyn]]; with other hilly/upland areas of around {{convert|150|–|200|m}} and above in nearby [[Charnwood Forest]] and also to the east of the county around [[Launde Abbey]]. The lowest point, at an altitude of about {{convert|20|m}}, is located at the county's northernmost tip close to [[Bottesford, Leicestershire|Bottesford]] where the [[River Devon, Nottinghamshire|River Devon]] flowing through the [[Vale of Belvoir]] leaves Leicestershire and enters Nottinghamshire.<ref name="Experiencing the Highs and Lows">{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/3827507.stm |title=Experiencing the Highs and Lows |last1=Haran |first1=Brady |date=25 June 2004 |publisher=BBC News |access-date=28 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170812215501/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/3827507.stm |archive-date=12 August 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref>

==Demographics==
[[File:Warwicum lecestria Atlas.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|Map of Warwickshire and Leicestershire by [[Christopher Saxton]], 1577]]
{{see also|List of settlements in Leicestershire by population}}
{{More citations needed section|date=April 2016}}
The population of Leicestershire (excluding Leicester Unitary Authority) is 609,578 people (2001 census).<ref>{{cite web |author=Neighbourhood Statistics |url=http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=7&b=3567689&c=Leicestershire&d=180&e=13&g=464987&i=1001x1003x1004&o=362&m=0&r=1&s=1367780555526&enc=1&dsFamilyId=75 |title=2001 Census Data: Population |website=Office for National Statistics |access-date=5 May 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140413125211/http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=7&b=3567689&c=Leicestershire&d=180&e=13&g=464987&i=1001x1003x1004&o=362&m=0&r=1&s=1367780555526&enc=1&dsFamilyId=75 |archive-date=13 April 2014 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The county covers an area of {{cvt|2084|km2}}. Its largest population centre is the city of [[Leicester]], followed by the town of [[Loughborough]]. Other large towns include [[Ashby-de-la-Zouch]], Coalville, [[Hinckley]], [[Lutterworth]], [[Market Harborough]], [[Melton Mowbray]], [[Oadby]], [[Shepshed]] and [[Wigston]].

Some of the larger of villages are: [[Burbage, Leicestershire|Burbage]] (population estimated around 16,500 in 2014), [[Birstall, Leicestershire|Birstall]] (population 11,400 in 2004), [[Broughton Astley]], [[Castle Donington]], [[Kibworth Beauchamp]] (along with Kibworth Harcourt), [[Great Glen, Leicestershire|Great Glen]], [[Ibstock]], [[Countesthorpe]] and [[Kegworth]]. One of the most rapidly expanding villages is [[Anstey, Leicestershire|Anstey]], which has seen expansion in almost every decade since the 1950s to the 2020s, with further expansion expected.<ref>{{cite report|url=https://www.charnwood.gov.uk/files/documents/a_anstey_neighbourhood_plan_submission_version_october_2024_docx/a%29%20anstey-neighbourhood-plan-submission-version-october-2024docx.pdf| title=Anstey Neighbourhood Plan 2021 – 2037| author=Anstey Parish Council|year=2024|page=2021|access-date=24 March 2025}}</ref>
.

==Economy==
{{More citations needed section|date=July 2009}}

===Engineering===
Engineering has long been an important part of the economy of Leicestershire. [[John Taylor Bellfounders]] continues a history of [[bellfounding]] in Loughborough since the 14th century. In 1881 John Taylors cast the largest bell in Britain, "Great Paul", for St Paul's Cathedral in London. [https://www.nandu.co.uk/ Norman & Underwood] have been making sand cast sheet lead roofing and stained glass since 1825 working on many of England's major cathedrals and historic buildings, including Salisbury Cathedral, Windsor Castle, Westminster Abbey, Hampton Court Palace, and Chatsworth House. There were three coal mines that operated in Coalville from the 1820s until 1986. [[Abbey Pumping Station]] houses four enormous steam powered beam engines built in Leicester in the 1890s in the Vulcan factory owned by Josiah Gimson, whose son [[Ernest Gimson]] was an influential furniture designer and architect of the English [[Arts and Crafts movement]].

Engineering companies today include [[sports car]] makers [[Noble Automotive Ltd]] in [[Barwell]] and [[Ultima Sports]] Ltd in Hinckley, [[Triumph Motorcycles Ltd|Triumph Motorcycles]] in [[Hinckley]], Jones & Shipman (machine tools), Caterpillar Redford (Plant machinery), Plant manufacturers Metalfacture Ltd (sheet metal work), Richards Engineering (foundry equipment), Transmon Engineering (materials handling equipment), Trelleborg Industrial AVS in [[Beaumont Leys]] (industrial suspension components), Parker Plant (quarrying equipment) in [[Belgrave, Leicester|Belgrave]] which opened in 1911 inside a single railway arch. The business relocated to an 18-acre site in 1926. In the 1950s, 60s and 70s they were employing over 1,400 people to meet demand. In 1969, 1978 and in 1994 the business won the prestigious [[Queen's Award for Enterprise]]. In 2006 Universal Conveyors was acquired and in 2007 Phoenix Parker Holdings Ltd was formed. In 2014 Phoenix Transworld, Cartem & Universal Conveyors marketed under the Parker brand. Aggregate Industries UK (construction materials), Infotec in Ashby-de-la-Zouch (electronic information display boards), Alstec in [[Whetstone, Leicestershire]] (airport baggage handling systems), and [[Brush Traction]] (railway locomotives) in [[Loughborough]]. There are also consultancies (including [[Pick Everard]]) in Leicestershire supporting engineering and the built environment. Local commitment to nurturing the upcoming cadre of British engineers includes apprenticeship schemes with local companies, and academic-industrial connections with the engineering departments at [[Leicester University]], [[De Montfort University]] and [[Loughborough University]].

The Engineering Innovation Centre and Centre for Excellence for low carbon and fuel cell technologies are both based at [[Loughborough University]]. Private sector research and development organisations include PERA—the technology based consultancy in Melton Mowbray, and MIRA—the automotive research and development centre based on the outskirts of Hinckley. Automotive and aerospace engineers use the test facilities at [[Mallory Park]], and [[Bruntingthorpe Aerodrome]] and proving ground. On 18 October 2007, the last airworthy [[Avro Vulcan]] was flown from Bruntingthorpe Aerodrome after 10 years of restoration there by aerospace engineers of the Vulcan Operating Company.

===Farming===
[[File:A field of sheep near Stoke Golding - geograph.org.uk - 961849.jpg|thumb|A field of sheep near Stoke Golding]]
Leicestershire has a long history of livestock farming which continues today. [[Robert Bakewell (farmer)|Robert Bakewell]] (1725–1795) of Dishley, near Loughborough, was a revolutionary in the field of selective breeding. Bakewell's [[Leicester Longwool]] sheep was much prized by farmers across the [[British Empire]] and is today a heritage breed admired.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/breeds/sheep/leicesterlongwool/index.htm |title=Breeds of Livestock: Leicester Longwool |website=Department of Animal Science, Oklahoma State University |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100605185524/http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/breeds/sheep/leicesterlongwool/index.htm |archive-date=5 June 2010}}</ref> Commercial and rare breeds associated with the descendants of Bakewell's sheep include the [[English Leicester]], [[Border Leicester]], Bluefaced Leicester, Scotch mule and Welsh halfbred.

The Leicestershire County Show is held on the first Bank Holiday in May each year and includes animal showings, trade exhibitions and show jumping. Melton Mowbray Market is an important regional livestock market.

Field sports remain an important part of the rural economy of Leicestershire, with stables, kennels and gunsmiths based in the county.

===Food and drink===
[[Stilton (cheese)|Stilton]] and [[Red Leicester]] cheeses and the [[pork pie]] are the three most famous contributions to [[English cuisine]] from Leicestershire.

Leicestershire food producers include Claybrooke mill, one of the very few commercially working watermills left in Britain producing a range of over 40 flours;<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.claybrookemagnaparishcouncil.gov.uk/history/|title=History fo Claybrooke Magna|author=Claybrooke Magna Parish Council|year=2025}}</ref> meat from rare and minority breeds from Brockleby's Pies;<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.visitleicester.info/shops-and-market/brocklebys-pies-p882961|website=VisitLeicester| title=Food and Shops, Brockleby’s Pies|access-date=25 March 2025}}</ref> and Christmas turkey and goose from Seldom Seen Farm.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://britishgoose.org.uk/suppliers/seldom-seen-farm/|website=britishgoose.org.uk| title=Seldom Seen Farm| author=British Poultry Council|access-date=25 March 2025}}</ref> Two dairies produce Red Leicester cheese in the county: Long Clawson, who also produce blue stilton,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.stiltoncheese.co.uk/producers/|website=stiltoncheese.co.uk|title=Producers|access-date=25 March 2025}}</ref> and the Leicestershire Handmade Cheese Company.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.visitleicester.info/taste-the-place/a-taste-of-england/sparkenhoe|website=VisitLeicester|title=The Rise of Sparkenhoe Red Leicester Cheese|access-date=25 March 2025}}</ref>

All-natural non-alcoholic fruit cordials and pressed drinks are made by Belvoir Fruit Farms and sold in supermarkets across Britain. Swithland Spring Water is sourced from the Charnwood hills. Breweries in Leicestershire and Rutland are listed on the Leicester [[Campaign for Real Ale|CAMRA]] website.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.leicestercamra.org.uk/leicesterbreweries.shtml |title=Leicestershire Breweries |website=Leicester CAMRA |date=31 August 2010 |access-date=25 September 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110726021454/http://www.leicestercamra.org.uk/leicesterbreweries.shtml |archive-date=26 July 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The county's largest beer brewer is [[Everards]], and there are several microbreweries.

Various markets are held across the county. Leicester Market, given its Market status in the 13th century, is said to be the largest outdoor covered marketplace in Europe<ref>{{cite report|url=https://www.leicester.gov.uk/media/180445/market-place-conservation-area-character-appraisal.pdf|title=Market Place Conservation Area Character Appraisal| author=Leicester City Council| year=2007|page=9|access-date=25 March 2025}}</ref> and among the products on sale are fruit and vegetables sold by market stallholders, and fresh fish and meat in the Indoor Market.

The annual East Midlands Food & Drink Festival held in Melton Mowbray had over 200 exhibitors and 20,000 visitors attending in 2007 making it the largest British regional food festival.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.eastmidlandsfoodfestival.co.uk/ |title=East Midlands Food & Drink Festival |website=Eastmidlandsfoodfestival.co.uk |access-date=25 September 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100923061636/http://www.eastmidlandsfoodfestival.co.uk/ |archive-date=23 September 2010 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Food processing in the city and county includes popular British fish and chip shop pie [[Pukka Pies]] who are based in Syston. Walkers Midshire Foods, part of the [[Samworth Brothers]] group, makes sausages and pies in its Beaumont Leys factories. Walkers Midshire Foods - Walkers Deli & Sausage Co, part of [[Samworth Brothers]] is on the Cobden Street Industrial Estate in [[Belgrave, Leicester|Belgrave]]. The Business specialises in the manufacturing of Premium Sliced Cooked Meats and Sausages as well as being the largest producer of Pate in the UK. Samworth Brothers has operations in Leicestershire and Cornwall ([[Ginsters]]), making a range of products from sandwiches to desserts for UK retailers under their brands as well the company's own portfolio of brands including Dickinson & Morris, producers of pork pies and Melton Hunt Cake. [[Walkers (snack foods)|Walkers]] crisps are made in Beaumont Leys using Lincolnshire potatoes. [[United Biscuits]] have their distribution centre in Ashby-de-la-Zouch as well as a snacks factory and they also have a biscuit factory in Wigston.{{cn|date=February 2025}} The [[Pedigree Petfoods|Masterfoods]] UK factory at Melton Mowbray produces petfood. Hand made chocolates are produced by Chocolate Perfection in [[Ashby-de-la-Zouch]].{{cn|date=February 2025}}

Some 15 major Indian food manufacturers are based in Leicester including Sara Foods, Mayur Foods, [[Cofresh]] Snack Foods Ltd, Farsan, Apni Roti and Spice n Tice.{{cn|date=February 2025}} The 'Mithai' Indian sweet market is catered for by award-winning Indian restaurants—for instance, the vegetable samosas approved by the Vegetarian Society sold at The Sharmilee on Belgrave Road AKA the [[Golden Mile (Leicester)|Golden Mile]] in the [[Belgrave, Leicester|Belgrave area of Leicester]]. The growing market for Indian food has afforded new opportunities to long-standing local companies, for example the Long Clawson dairy, a co-operative manufacturer of [[Stilton (cheese)]] now also makes [[Paneer]] cheese used in the Indian dish [[Mattar Paneer]].{{cn|date=February 2025}}

Leicestershire food exported abroad includes cheese from the Long Clawson dairy, which is sold in supermarkets in Canada and the United States via a network of distributors coordinated by Taunton-based company Somerdale.{{cn|date=February 2025}} Belvoir Fruit Farms cordials and pressé drinks are sold on the United States east coast in [[Wegmans Food Markets]], [[Cost Plus, Inc.|World Market]], [[Harris Teeter]], [[Dean & DeLuca]], and in specialised British food stores such as Myers of Keswick (New York City) and the British Pantry (near Washington, D.C.).{{cn|date=February 2025}}

===Clothing===
{{unreferencedsect|date=February 2025}}
Leicester and Leicestershire has had a traditional industry of [[knitwear]], [[hosiery]] and [[footwear]], and the sheep on the county's coat of arms is recognition of this. The local manufacturing industry, which began with hand knitting in the Middle Ages, and was fully industrialised by the end of the 19th century, survived until the end of the 20th century through retailers buying UK-sourced products, and government measures such as the protection of the [[Multi Fibre Arrangement]] which ended in 2004. Cheaper global competition, coupled with the 1999 slump in the UK fashion retail sector, led to the end of much of the cheaper clothing manufacturing industry. Today Leicestershire companies focus on high quality clothing and speciality textiles.

Other local companies manufacture knitwear such as Commando Knitwear of Wigston, and others specialise in technical textiles for industrial or medical purposes. Clothing and fabric for the [[British Asian]] community is made here—for example the shop Saree Mandir sells silk [[saree]]s and [[salwar kameez|salwar suits]] for women whose design patterns closely follow contemporary Indian trends. The Knitting Industries' Federation continues to be based in Leicestershire. On the creative side the design centre for [[Next plc|next]] is headquartered in Enderby, and the design centre for George Clothing (Asda/Walmart) is in Lutterworth. De Montfort University has, in the form of its Fashion and Contour Design course a leading design department for female underwear. It also has the only UK University courses in Footwear Design providing future designers for local shoemakers Shoefayre, Stead and Simpson, and [[Shoe Zone]], who all have their headquarters in the county.

[[Belgrave, Leicester|Belgrave]]-based [[British United Shoe Machinery]], part of a group which for most of the 20th century was the world's largest manufacturer of footwear machinery and materials, exporting shoe machinery to more than 50 countries. In the 1960s and 1970s it was Leicester's biggest employer, employing more than 4,500 locally and 9,500 worldwide. The company had "a respected reputation for technical innovation and excellence",<ref>{{Cite book
  |title=USM Serving the Shoemaker for 100 years
  |publisher=Shoe Trades Publishing
  |first=Iain  |last=Howie
  |isbn=0-9536531-0-2
  |year=1999
  |page=7
}}</ref> between 1898 and 1960 it developed and marketed nearly 800 new and improved shoe machines and [[patent]]ed more than 9,000 [[invention]]s, at one time employing 5% of the UK’s [[patent agent]]s.<ref name=p23>{{harvnb|Howie|1999|page=23}}</ref>

Also Belgrave-based [[Wolsey]], a heritage British clothing brand founded in 1755, making it one of the oldest existing textile companies in the world.

[[File:Wolsey Chimney, Belgrave, Leicester.jpg|alt=A photograph looking up from ground level at a tall, brick-built octagonal chimney on a square base with 'Wolsey' written vertically in white caps at the top.|thumb|Wolsey Chimney, part of the Hosiery Works, pictured in 2025]]

[[Fred Perry]] also had a Factory in Belgrave.

[[Gola (manufacturer)|Gola]] also originates from the county.

===Healthcare===
{{main|Healthcare in Leicestershire}}

[[University Hospitals Leicester]] NHS Trust<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.leicestershospitals.nhs.uk |title=Welcome to Leicester's hospitals website |website=Leicestershospitals.nhs.uk |access-date=2016-12-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180820074552/https://www.leicestershospitals.nhs.uk/ |archive-date=20 August 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> employs around 11,000 at its three hospitals in the city and county, the [[Glenfield Hospital|Glenfield]], the General and the [[Leicester Royal Infirmary|Royal Infirmary]]. Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust employs over 5,500 staff providing mental health, learning disability and community health services in the city and county.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.leicspart.nhs.uk/_Aboutus.aspx |title=About Us |website=Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust |access-date=15 January 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180124140531/http://www.leicspart.nhs.uk/_Aboutus.aspx |archive-date=24 January 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> These services are commissioned by the three Clinical Commissioning Groups, led by local GPs.
The [[British Psychological Society]], the [[Institution of Occupational Safety and Health]] (IOSH) based in Wigston, and the [[National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health]] (NEBOSH) have their head offices in Leicestershire.

===Biomedical industries===
Pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical instrument manufacturing companies include [[3M]], Bridgehead International in Melton, Fisher Scientific in Loughborough, and Ashfield Healthcare in Ashby-de-la-Zouch.

===Freight and distribution===
{{More citations needed section|date=April 2016}}

Transportation links are good. [[East Midlands Airport]] is {{convert|1|mi|km|spell=in}} south of Castle Donington, next to the [[M1 motorway|M1]] in north-west Leicestershire, and is the second largest freight airport in the United Kingdom after London Heathrow. [[DHL Aviation]] have a large purpose-built facility at EMA, and courier companies [[United Parcel Service|UPS]] and [[TNT N.V.|TNT]] also use the airport as a base. [[Lufthansa Cargo]] is also a regular user of East Midlands, and the airport is a primary hub for [[Royal Mail]]. The M1 is Leicestershire's other important transport hub. The start of the [[M6 motorway|M6]], and part of the [[A14 road (Great Britain)|A14]] briefly intersect with the southern tip of Leicestershire. Many large retail companies have huge warehouses at the [[Magna Park, Lutterworth|Magna Park]] complex near Lutterworth. The [[Widdowson Group]] make use of J21a of the M1 to provide warehousing, transportation, freight forwarding, garage services and LGV/HGV training. [[Pall-Ex]] of [[Ellistown]] provide automated palletised freight distribution services from their location off Junction 22 of the M1. The [[Midland Main Line]] provides important connections to Yorkshire and London, and the [[Birmingham to Peterborough Line|Birmingham–Stansted Line]] is essentially Leicestershire's east–west connection from Hinckley to Melton.

===Other===
[[Ibstock]]-based developer [[Wilson Bowden]] was bought in 2007 by [[Barratt Developments]] plc in a £2.2&nbsp;billion deal. Charles Street Buildings (Leicester) and Jelson Homes are two other successful Leicester-based property companies.

Hamilton-based [[Sofidel Group]] manufactures more than 600&nbsp;million [[toilet roll]]s and kitchen towel rolls per year in its Leicestershire factories.

There is a [[Bostik]] Factory in [[Belgrave, Leicester|Belgrave]].

Toy car company [[Corgi Classics Limited|Corgi]] have their European operation at the Meridian Business Park, although the toys are now manufactured in China and the company is owned by Margate-based [[Hornby Railways|Hornby]].

Leicestershire is twinned with [[Kilkenny]], Ireland.

Leicester's Cultural Quarter is an ambitious plan to drive the regeneration of a large run-down area of the city. It has delivered: a new venue for the performing arts, Curve; creative workspaces for artists and designers, LCB Depot; and a Digital Media Centre. Many creative and media businesses have thrived in the region.

As part of a [[County flowers of the United Kingdom|2002 marketing campaign]], the plant conservation charity [[Plantlife]] chose the [[Digitalis purpurea|foxglove]] as the [[county flower]].

===Financial and business services===
Financial and business service companies with operations in Leicestershire include [[Alliance & Leicester]], Cambridge & Counties Bank, [[Royal Bank of Scotland]], [[State Bank of India]], [[HSBC]] and [[PricewaterhouseCoopers]].

Pension provision company [[Mattioli Woods]] employs 170 people at its Grove Park, Enderby, HQ and has a reputation for employing graduates directly from Leicestershire Universities.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://edition.pagesuite-professional.co.uk/launch.aspx?referral=mypagesuite&pnum=&refresh=pS1403Qjy15H&EID=3d6ce322-30f6-4e9d-bd54-72fbcb94d397&skip= |title=Graduates move pays off |date=4 May 2010 |newspaper=[[Leicester Mercury]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110725171858/http://edition.pagesuite-professional.co.uk/launch.aspx?referral=mypagesuite&pnum=&refresh=pS1403Qjy15H&EID=3d6ce322-30f6-4e9d-bd54-72fbcb94d397&skip= |archive-date=25 July 2011}}</ref>

Companies that have their head office in the area include [[Next plc|Next]] and British Gas Business.

The European Association of Trade Mark Owners and the Point of Purchase Advertising International (POPAI) are based in Leicestershire.

Key stakeholders promoting economic development formed [https://www.llep.org.uk/ Leicester & Leicestershire Economic Partnership] in 2011. [http://www.chamberofcommerce.co.uk/ Leicestershire Chamber of Commerce] is another good source for business advice.

===Business awards===
The Leicestershire Business Awards has categories including Investing in Leicestershire, Contribution to the Community, and Entrepreneur of the Year.

Recent Leicestershire winners of the Queen's Award for Enterprise are listed on the Lord Lieutenant's [http://www.leics.gov.uk/index/your_council/about_leicestershire/leicestershire_lieutenancy_index/leicestershire_lieutenancy_queens_enterprise.htm website].

===Statistics===
This is a chart of trend of regional gross value added of the non-metropolitan county of Leicestershire and [[Rutland]] (it does not include the [[City of Leicester]]) at current basic prices [https://web.archive.org/web/20070226163731/http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_economy/RegionalGVA.pdf published] (pp.&nbsp;240–253) by ''Office for National Statistics'' with figures in millions of British Pounds Sterling.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year || Regional Gross Value Added – components may not sum to totals due to rounding || Agriculture – includes hunting and forestry || Industry – includes energy and construction || Services – includes financial intermediation services indirectly measured
|-
| 1995 || '''6,666''' || 145 || 2,763 || 3,758
|-
| 2000 || '''7,813''' || 112 || 2,861 || 4,840
|-
| 2003 || '''9,509''' || 142 || 3,045 || 6,321
|}

==Governance==
[[File:Arms of Leicestershire County Council.svg|thumb|upright|The coat of arms of [[Leicestershire County Council]], which governs the county other than [[Leicester]]]]
For lieutenancy purposes, Leicestershire consists of the non-metropolitan county and the [[Leicester|City of Leicester]].<ref name=":0">{{cite web |url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1997/23/schedule/1 |title=Lieutenancies Act 1997, Schedule 1(3) |website=Legislation.gov.uk |access-date=6 April 2022}}</ref>

For administrative purposes, most of the county is run by the [[Leicestershire County Council]], though the City of Leicester is run independently by the [[Leicester City Council]]. The non-metropolitan county is divided into seven districts ran by district councils: The seven district councils in Leicestershire are [[Blaby (district)|Blaby]], [[Charnwood (borough)|Charnwood]], [[Harborough (district)|Harborough]], [[Hinckley and Bosworth|Hinckley & Bosworth]], [[Melton (district)|Melton]], [[North West Leicestershire]] and [[Oadby and Wigston|Oadby & Wigston]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Find your district council |url=https://www.leicestershire.gov.uk/find-your-district-council |access-date=2022-04-09 |website=Leicestershire County Council}}</ref> It has been proposed by the Leicestershire County Council in 2018 to get rid of the district councils.<ref>{{Cite web |title=A new council for Leicestershire |url=https://www.leicestershire.gov.uk/about-the-council/a-new-council-for-leicestershire |access-date=2022-04-09 |website=Leicestershire County Council}}</ref>

Leicestershire County Council consists of 55 elected members, from 52 wards. The most recent election was the [[2017 United Kingdom local elections|May 2017 elections]], where all seats were up for re-election. Following these elections<ref>{{cite news |title=Election Results 2017 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2017-39795422 |access-date=5 May 2017 |publisher=BBC News|date=5 May 2017 }}</ref> the current political composition of the council is 42 Conservatives, 9 Liberal Democrats and 4 Labour councillors.

[[County Hall, Glenfield|County Hall]], in [[Glenfield, Leicestershire|Glenfield]], some {{convert|3|mi|1}} north-west of central Leicester and a little over {{convert|4|mi|1}} from [[Leicester railway station]], is the seat of [[Leicestershire County Council]] and the headquarters of the county authority. Below the County Council, there are seven district councils, [[Blaby District|Blaby]], [[Borough of Charnwood|Charnwood]], [[Harborough District|Harborough]], [[Hinckley and Bosworth]], [[Borough of Melton|Melton]], [[North West Leicestershire]] and [[Oadby and Wigston]]. The City of Leicester is a [[Unitary authorities of England|unitary authority]] which is separate from the county for local government, and provides all services in its area; the City Council meets at [[Leicester Town Hall]].

=== Parliamentary constituencies ===
{{Unreferenced section|date=November 2012}}

Following the [[2024 United Kingdom general election]], Leicestershire is represented by eleven [[Parliament of the United Kingdom|members of parliament]] (MPs). [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]] won three seats within the City of Leicester in [[2019 United Kingdom general election|2019]], but ended up losing two, [[Leicester East (UK Parliament constituency)|Leicester East]] was won by [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] and [[Leicester South (UK Parliament constituency)|Leicester South]] was won by an [[Independent politician]]. Labour however gained two seats back in Leicestershire from the Conservatives in [[Loughborough (UK Parliament constituency)|Loughborough]] and [[North West Leicestershire (UK Parliament constituency)|North West Leicestershire]]. The other six Leicestershire seats are represented by [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] MPs.<ref>{{Cite news |title=As it happened: General election results across Leicestershire and Rutland|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cd1d6v478ypt|date=5 July 2024 |access-date=12 July 2024 |publisher=BBC News}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+General Election 2024: Leicestershire & [[Rutland]]
|-
! Conservative
! Labour
! Reform UK
! Liberal Democrat
! Green
!Others
!''Turnout''
|- class="nowrap"|
| 173,711 {{wbr}}'''(34.2%)'''<br/>{{decrease}} 107,308
| 142,114 {{wbr}}'''(28.0%)'''<br/>{{decrease}} 27,361
| 77,889 {{wbr}}'''(15.3%)'''<br/>{{increase}} 73,839
| 49,343 {{wbr}}'''(9.7%)'''<br/>{{decrease}} 2,263
| 34,014 {{wbr}}'''(6.7%)'''<br/>{{increase}} 15,309
| 30,875 {{wbr}}'''(6.1%)'''<br/>{{increase}} 23,990
|''507,946''<br/>{{decrease}} 19,476
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+General Election 2019: Leicestershire & Rutland
|-
! Conservative
! Labour
! Reform UK
! Liberal Democrat
! Green
!Others
!''Turnout''
|- class="nowrap"|
| 281,019 {{wbr}}'''(53.3%)'''<br/>{{increase}}21,216
| 169,475 {{wbr}}'''(32.1%)'''<br/>{{decrease}}43,696
| 4,050 {{wbr}}'''(0.8%)'''<br/>{{steady}}
| 51,606 {{wbr}}'''(9.8%)'''<br/>{{increase}}16,631
| 18,705 {{wbr}}'''(3.5%)'''<br/>{{increase}}7,739
| 6,885 {{wbr}}'''(1.3%)'''<br/>{{decrease}}5,572
|''527,692''<br/>{{decrease}}3,762
|}
{| class="wikitable"
|+Overall Number of Seats as of 2024
|-
! Conservative
! Labour
! Reform UK
! Liberal Democrat
! Green
!Others
|- style="text-align:center;"
|7<br/>{{steady}}
|3<br/>{{steady}}
|0<br/>{{steady}}
|0<br/>{{steady}}
|0<br/>{{steady}}
|1<br/>{{increase}}1
|}

== Education ==
{{See also|List of schools in Leicestershire}}
Publicly funded secondary schools in Leicestershire are comprehensive. The schools are segregated by age in some areas to ages 10–14 ([[middle school]]s), and 14–16 ([[upper school]]s) or 14–18 (upper schools which also provide [[sixth form|sixth-form]] education). The schools, compared with other [[Local education authorities in England and Wales|LEAs]], have large numbers on the roll with school enrolment often 2,000 and more. For Melton and Blaby districts, although there is division by middle and upper schools, there is only one upper school in either district, giving no choice of school. However, many students of [[Lutterworth College]] in [[Harborough District]] actually hail from Blaby district.

Charnwood has the largest school population—four times the size of the Melton district. In 2007, the best-performing state school at GCSE was [[Beauchamp College]] in Oadby. No comprehensives in Leicestershire LEA were rated as poor performers, unlike in some neighbouring counties. In 2007, 7,800 pupils took GCSE exams.

For [[A-level]]s, the best comprehensive school in the county was the [[De Lisle College]] in Loughborough. The best schools overall at A-level were the two private single-sex schools in Loughborough—[[Loughborough Grammar School]] and [[Loughborough High School]].

===GCSE results by district council===
Percentage of pupils gaining 5 grades A–C in 2007 including English and Maths (46.8% was the England average compared to Leicestershire's 48.9%).
* Harborough 56.3
* Oadby and Wigston 55.4
* Hinckley and Bosworth 48.5
* Charnwood 47.9
* North West Leicestershire 46.5
* Melton 41.0
* Blaby 41.0
* (City of Leicester Unitary Authority 36.5)

===Independent schools===
[[Private schools in the United Kingdom|Independent]] senior schools in Leicestershire include [[Leicester Grammar School]] (day, co-educational), [[Leicester High School for Girls]] (day, girls), [[Loughborough Grammar School]] (day and boarding, boys), [[Loughborough High School]] (day, girls), [[Ratcliffe College]] (day and boarding, co-educational), LGS Stoneygate (day, co-educational) and [[Dixie Grammar School]] (day, co-educational). 

[[Loughborough Amherst School]] (formerly Our Lady's Convent School) was a co-educational day and boarding school located in Loughborough. It closed at the end of the 2024–25 academic year, following financial hardship. 

===Further education===
There are four general [[further education]] colleges operating in Leicestershire; [[Leicester College]], [[Loughborough College]], [[South Leicestershire College]] and [[Stephenson College, Coalville|Stephenson College]]. All offer various vocational courses as well as apprenticeships and some academic courses.

[[Brooksby Melton College]] provides apprenticeships and further education training courses in animal care, countryside, equine, fisheries and land-based service engineering, at their Brooksby campus.

===Higher education===
Leicestershire has three universities, the [[University of Leicester]], [[Loughborough University]] and [[De Montfort University]].

===Educational associations===
Several educational associations have their head offices in Leicestershire, including the Mathematical Association, the Association of School and College Leaders, the Association for College Management, the Girls Schools Association, the National Adult School Association, the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education and the Headmasters & Headmistresses Conference.

===Sporting associations===
A number of UK sporting bodies have their head offices in Leicestershire, including the Institute of Sports & Recreation Management, the [[Institute of Swimming]], [[Volleyball England]], the [[Great Britain Wheelchair Basketball Association]], the [[British Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association]], the [[British Judo Association]], the [[British Parachute Association]], the [[British Triathlon Federation]], the [[Amateur Swimming Association]], the [[British Gliding Association]], the British Motorcycle Federation, the English Indoor Bowls Association, the Youth Sport Trust and the British Isles Bowls Council.

==Music==
{{See also|Music in Leicester}}
The full range of music is performed in the county, from early medieval, European and Asian classical music, folk, jazz, blues, rock and pop. [[Download Festival]], a major hard rock and metal festival, is hosted at [[Donington Park]] and 110 Above Festival takes place in the north west of the county near to Twycross.

===Symphony orchestras===
The [[Leicester Symphony Orchestra]] and the [[Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra]] are two of the larger orchestras based in the county. The [[Philharmonia Orchestra]], though based in London, holds annual residencies in Leicester.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.philharmonia.co.uk/concerts/residencies/41/leicester |title=Residencies: Leicester |website=Philharmonia Orchestra |date=2019 |access-date=30 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200130133449/https://www.philharmonia.co.uk/concerts/residencies/41/leicester |archive-date=30 January 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref>

===Amateur orchestras===
Amateur orchestras include the Leicestershire Sinfonia, Loughborough Orchestra, Charnwood Orchestra, Coalville Light Orchestra and Soar Valley Music Centre Orchestra.

===Choirs and choral societies===
Leicester-based choirs include the Leicester Cathedral Choir, Leicester Bach Choir, Broom Leys Choral Society [[Whitwick]], Cantamici, the Cecilian Singers, Charnwood Choral Society, Coalville and District Male Voice Choir, Coro Nostro Chamber Choir, Humberstone Choral Society, Kainé Gospel Choir, Kingfisher Chorale, Leicester Church Music Consort, Leicester City Male Voice Choir, Leicester Philharmonic Choir, Leicestershire Chorale, Loughborough Ladies Choir, Loughborough Male Voice Choir, Meridian Singers, Newtown Linford mixed voice choir, Red Leicester choir, the Scarlet choir, Shepshed Singers, Synergy Community Choir, Wigston and district male voice choir, Unity Community Choir and the Peepul Choir.

===Early music===
The Longsdale Consort perform music of the renaissance and baroque periods. Leicester Recorder Society.

===Music shops===
Stores selling sheet music and musical instruments in Leicestershire include Music Junkie Ltd, Sona Rupa (Indian), Intasound Music Ltd and MH Music (MH Music are actually in the centre of Market Harborough).

== Media ==
The county is served by [[BBC East Midlands]] and [[ITV Central]] (East) television regions, with television signals received from the [[Waltham transmitting station]].

The BBC local radio station is [[BBC Radio Leicester]], broadcast from studios in Leicester. Local commercial radio stations serving the county are [[Capital Midlands]], [[Greatest Hits Radio Midlands]], [[Smooth East Midlands]] and [[Hits Radio East Midlands]]. The [[community radio]] stations are [[Demon FM]] in Leicester; [[The Eye (radio station)|The Eye]] serving [[Melton Mowbray]] and the [[Vale of Belvoir]]; [[Harborough FM]] in Market Harborough; and [[Cross Counties Radio]] serving [[Lutterworth]].

==Towns and villages==
{{Main|List of places in Leicestershire|List of settlements in Leicestershire by population}}

==Places of interest==
{{EngPlacesKey|align=right}}
[[File:BelvoirCastle.jpg|thumb|right|[[Belvoir Castle]] today]]
[[File:Burrough Hill gateway, 2011.jpg|thumb|right|The entrance to [[Burrough Hill]] Iron Age [[hillfort]]]]
[[File:National Space Centre, Leicester.jpg|thumb|right|upright|The [[National Space Centre (England)|National Space Centre]] in Leicester]]
{{main category|Tourist attractions in Leicestershire}}
{{columns-list|colwidth=40em|

* [[Ab Kettleby Manor]] [[File:HH icon.svg|Historic house]]
* [[Abbey Pumping Station]] [[File:Museum icon.png]]
* [[Ashby-de-la-Zouch Canal]] [[File:UKAL icon.svg]]
* [[Ashby Castle]] [[File:CL icon.svg|Castle]] [[File:EH icon.svg|English Heritage]]
* [[Arnesby]] May Fayre
* [[Battlefield Line Railway|The Battlefield Line]] [[File:HR icon.svg|Heritage railway]]
* [[Beacon Hill, Leicestershire|Beacon Hill]] [[File:Country parks.svg|15px|Country Park]] [[File:UKAL icon.svg]]
* [[Beaumanor Hall]] [[File:HH icon.svg|Historic house]] [[File:Museum icon.png]]
* [[Belgrave Hall|Belgrave Hall & Gardens]] [[File:HH icon.svg|Historic house]] [[File:Museum icon.png]]
* [[Belvoir Castle]] [[File:CL icon.svg|Castle]] 
* [[Battle of Bosworth Field|Bosworth Battlefield]] [[File:Museum icon (red).png]]
* [[Bradgate Park]]  [[File:Country parks.svg|15px|Country Park]]
* [[Brampton Valley Way]] (former railway path to [[Northampton]]) [[File:UKAL icon.svg]]
* [[Breedon on the Hill|Breedon Hill]] (Iron Age hill fort and Saxon church) [[File:AP Icon.svg|16px]] [[File:UKAL icon.svg]]
* [[Bruntingthorpe Aerodrome]] and proving ground
* [[Burrough Hill]] Iron Age Hill Fort [[File:UKAL icon.svg]]
* [[Charnwood Forest]] [[File:Country parks.svg|15px|Country Park]] [[File:FC icon.png]]
* [[Charnwood Museum]] [[File:Museum icon.png]]
* [[Cold Overton Hall]] [[File:HH icon.svg|Historic house]]
* [[Donington le Heath Manor House Museum]] [[File:HH icon.svg|Historic house]] [[File:Museum icon.png]]
* [[Donington Park]] and the [[Donington Grand Prix Collection]] museum [[File:Museum icon (red).png]]
* [[East Midlands Airport]]
* [[Eyebrook Reservoir]] [[File:UKAL icon.svg]]
* [[Fosse Shopping Park]]
* [[Foxton Locks]] [[File:Museum icon.png]] [[File:UKAL icon.svg]]
* [[Great Central Railway (preserved)|Great Central Railway (heritage railway)]] [[File:HR icon.svg|Heritage railway]]
* [[Grace Dieu Manor]] [[File:HH icon.svg|Historic house]]
* [[Grace Dieu Priory]] [[File:AP Icon.svg|16px]] [[File:UKAL icon.svg]]
* [[Groby Old Hall]] [[File:HH icon.svg|Historic house]]
* [[Harborough Museum]] [[File:Museum icon.png]]
* [[High Cross, Leicestershire|High Cross]] (Roman settlement) [[File:UKAL icon.svg]]
* [[Kirby Muxloe Castle]] [[File:CL icon.svg|Castle]] 
* [[Launde Abbey]] [[File:AP Icon.svg|16px]]
* [[Abbey Park, Leicester|Leicester Abbey Park]] 
* [[Leicester Abbey|Leicester Abbey ruins]] [[File:AP Icon.svg|16px]] [[File:UKAL icon.svg]]
* [[Leicester Castle]] [[File:CL icon.svg|Castle]] [[File:UKAL icon.svg]]
* [[Leicester Cathedral]] [[File:AP Icon.svg|16px]]
* [[Leicester Guildhall]] [[File:Museum icon.png]]
* [[Jewry Wall Museum|Leicester Jewry Wall Museum]] [[File:Museum icon.png]]
* [[New Walk, Leicester|Leicester New Walk]] (Regency promenade following the Roman [[Via Devana]]) [[File:UKAL icon.svg]]
* [[New Walk Museum|Leicester New Walk Museum & Art Gallery]] [[File:Museum icon.png]]
* [[Lowesby Hall]] [[File:HH icon.svg|Historic house]]
* [[Lutterworth]] (historic market town)
* [[St Mary's Church, Lutterworth|Lutterworth Church]] (home of the [[St Mary's Church, Lutterworth#The Lutterworth Wall Paintings|Lutterworth Wall Paintings]]) [[File:AP Icon.svg|16px]]
* [[Mallory Park]]
* [[Market Bosworth]] (historic market town)
* [[Market Harborough]] (historic market town)
* [[Melton Mowbray]] (historic market town)
* [[Melton Carnegie Museum]] [[File:Museum icon.png]]
* [[Moira Furnace]] [[File:Museum icon.png]]
* [[Mount St. Bernard Abbey]] [[File:AP Icon.svg|16px]]
* [[National Space Centre (England)|National Space Centre]] [[File:Museum icon (red).png]]
* [[National Forest, England|The National Forest]] and [https://www.visitconkers.com/ Conkers] [[File:Country parks.svg|15px|Country Park]] [[File:FC icon.png]]
* [[Nevill Holt Hall]] [[File:HH icon.svg|Historic house]]
* [[Newark Houses Museum]] [[File:HH icon.svg|Historic house]] [[File:Museum icon.png]]
* [[Quenby Hall]] [[File:HH icon.svg|Historic house]]
* [[Quorn Hall]] [[File:HH icon.svg|Historic house]]
* [[Shenton Hall]] [[File:HH icon.svg|Historic house]]
* [[Snibston|Snibston Discovery Museum]] [[File:Museum icon (red).png]]
* [[Stanford Hall, Leicestershire|Stanford Hall]] [[File:HH icon.svg|Historic house]]
* [[Stoney Cove]] the National Diving Centre
* [[Stoneywell]] [[File:HH icon.svg|Historic house]] [[File:NTE icon.png]]
* [[Stapleford Miniature Railway]] [[File:HR icon.svg|Heritage railway]]
* [[Stapleford Park]] [[File:HH icon.svg|Historic house]]
* [[Swithland Reservoir]] [[File:UKAL icon.svg]]
* [[Swithland Wood]] [[File:Country parks.svg|15px|Country Park]] [[File:FC icon.png]]
* [[Twinlakes Theme Park]] [[File:Themepark uk icon.png]]
* [[Twycross Zoo]] [[File:Zoo icon.jpg|20px]]
* [[Ulverscroft Priory]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.charnwood.gov.uk/environment/ulverscroft.html |title=Ulverscroft |date=26 June 2006 |website=Charnwood Borough Council |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060626111256/http://www.charnwood.gov.uk/environment/ulverscroft.html |archive-date=26 June 2006}}</ref> [[File:AP Icon.svg|16px]] [[File:UKAL icon.svg]]
* [[University of Leicester Botanic Garden]]
* [[Watermead Country Park]] [[File:Country parks.svg|15px|Country Park]]
* Wigston Framework Knitters Museum<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.knittingtogether.org.uk/doc2.asp?doc=7342&cat=753 |title=Wigston Framework Knitters Museum, Leicester |date=23 July 2005 |website=Knitting Together |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050723084349/http://www.knittingtogether.org.uk/doc2.asp?doc=7342&cat=753 |archive-date=23 July 2005}}</ref> [[File:Museum icon.png]]
* [[Wistow Hall]] [[File:HH icon.svg|Historic house]]
}}

==See also==
{{Portal|England}}
* [[Centre points of the United Kingdom]]
* [[Custos Rotulorum of Leicestershire]] – List of keepers of the Rolls
* [[High Sheriff of Leicestershire]]
* [[Leicestershire (UK Parliament constituency)]] – Historical list of MPs for the Leicestershire constituency
* [[Leicestershire and Rutland Fire and Rescue Service]]
* [[Leicestershire Police]]
* [[Leicestershire Police and Crime Commissioner]]
* [[List of birds of Leicestershire and Rutland]]
* [[List of English and Welsh endowed schools (19th century)#Leicestershire]]
* [[List of people from Leicester and Leicestershire]]
* [[Lord Lieutenant of Leicestershire]]
* [[University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust]]

{{Clear}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Leicestershire}}
{{Wikivoyage}}
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/leicester/hi/ Leicester News]
* [http://www.leics.gov.uk Leicestershire County Council]
* [http://www.wartimeleicestershire.com Wartime Leicestershire]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20150923204453/http://www.civicheraldry.co.uk/leics.html Heraldry of Leicestershire]
* [http://www.goleicestershire.com Official tourism website for Leicester & Leicestershire]
* [http://www.lrgt.org Leicestershire and Rutland Gardens Trust]
* [http://viewfinder.english-heritage.org.uk/search/results.aspx?index=0&mainQuery=&searchType=all&form=basic&theme=&county=LEICESTERSHIRE&district=&placeName= Images of Leicestershire] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140810133141/http://viewfinder.english-heritage.org.uk/search/results.aspx?index=0&mainQuery=&searchType=all&form=basic&theme=&county=LEICESTERSHIRE&district=&placeName= |date=10 August 2014 }} at the [[English Heritage Archive]]

{{Geographic Location
|title = '''Neighbouring counties'''
|Centre    = Leicestershire
|North     = [[Nottinghamshire]]
|Northeast = [[Lincolnshire]]
|East      = [[Rutland]]
|Southeast = [[Northamptonshire]]
|South     = [[Northamptonshire]]
|Southwest = [[Warwickshire]]
|West      = [[Staffordshire]]<br/>[[Warwickshire]]
|Northwest = [[Derbyshire]]
}}

{{England counties}}
{{Leicestershire}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Leicestershire| ]]
[[Category:Non-metropolitan counties]]
[[Category:East Midlands]]
[[Category:Counties of England established in antiquity]]