A to Z of Leicester

I love Leicester, UK. I’ve lived here all my life.

I’d like to share it with you but so that I don’t bore you, each item is exactly 40 words.

This is called a quadragintal.

Don’t try looking quadraginatal up in a dictionary. You won’t find it. It’s a word that I’ve created and it means a piece of writing that is exactly 40 words in length.

A is for Abbey Park

 

I spent my teenage years hanging round the boating lake,

wandering the paths,

strolling over the bridge.

walking by the river.

I never thought about the name,

never connected it to the ruins.

I never heard a single Abbots’ prayer.

 

B is for Belgrave Road - Leicester’s Gold Mile    

This once dreary street now shines and dazzles

with window displays of sequined saris and golden jewellery.

At Diwali time the celebrations are the biggest outside India.

The festivities and illuminations attract crowds from all over the country and beyond.

 C is for The Clock Tower and Curve (without a The) 

The Clock Tower used to be Leicester’s iconic image.

Intricately carved with statues of respected City elders,

it stood where all roads met.

Now the road is traffic free

and there are new icons

like Curve,

Leicester’s curvaceous new theatre.

D is for De Montfort Hall

I screamed at the Beatles,

swooned at The Stones,

danced and waved my arms to their music.

Now I sit and sing at Solid Silver Sixties Shows.

The place has been painted, extended...

but it’s still my favourite concert hall.

E is for Everards beer

William Everard first brewed beer in 1849 in Leicester.

Beer is not my drink but Everards must be good because Beacon Bitter received an award

at the 2011 Leicester Beer Festival and Tiger is on sale all round the world.

F is for Foxton Locks and Fosse Way - Two historic routes with a lesson in technological durability

Foxton Locks, the largest UK staircase lock, was precision built in 1900.

No surprise that it’s still in regular use today.

The Romans built Fosse Way in the 1^st century.

Guess what...

Part of that road is still in use! 

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Last updated 24.06.11