Leicestershire History & Heritage

Friday

6:30pm Enjoy dinner where you are staying or visit one of the many restaurants in the area.

Saturday

9:00am Depart

9:30am Arrive at Snibston Discovery Centre

Snibston is set in the heart of the National Forest on the site of a former colliery (which was created by the famous engineers George and Robert Stephenson and it produced coal continuously between 1833 and 1983) and consists of an award winning interactive museum, scheduled ancient colliery buildings, the Century Theatre, and a one hundred acre country park and nature reserve. The museum displays a diverse and rich collection of historic objects telling the story of technology and design and how it has affected everyday life from the past to the present day, and the future.

11:30am Leave Snibston

12.00pm Arrive Moria Furnace for lunch and tour
An early 19th century iron-making furnace. New interactive displays relate to the iron making process, the industries of Moira and the story of its inhabitants. There is also a restored section of Ashby Canal near the site so you can enjoy a boat trip. The furnace adjoins a 50 acre newly planted Woodland Park.

There are a few craft workshops including: Furnace Lane Pottery, Glover Cues and the Furnace Tea Rooms.

2.00pm Tour on canal boat - ring to book
Enjoy a 40 minute, return, canal boat trip along the restored section of Ashby Canal from Moira Furnace to Conkers Basin.

3.00pm Depart Moira Furnace.

4:00pm Return to hotel

5:00pm Depart for Bosworth Battlefield

5:30pm Tour of Bosworth Visitor Centre
Tour of the site, interactive exhibitions and Ambion Parva Medieval Village.
Bosworth Battlefield witnessed the death of a King and saw the end of the 30 year power struggle for the throne of England. Was King Richard III, who lost his life and crown at Bosworth, a noble warrior or murdering crookback who ordered the death of the Princes in the Tower? And who was Henry Tudor whose success at Bosworth gave birth to the powerful Tudor dynasty bringing two of our most famous monarchs, Henry VIII and Elizabeth I to the throne?

6:30pm Medieval banquet at Tithe Barn, Bosworth Battlefield - ring to book in advance.

9:30pm Return to hotel

Sunday

9:30am Depart Hotel

10.00am Arrive Donington le Heath for tour and morning coffee
Explore medieval life at a superbly restored 13th century Manor House. Period herb and flower gardens, maze and orchard. See how people lived in medieval, Tudor and Stuart times. Try on replicas of their clothes and have a go with some of the toys and games that would have been played over the past seven centuries. A computer based virtual tour, a free audio guide and interactive activities.

11:15am Depart Donington le Heath

11:50am Arrive Great Central Railway (recently a location for the Ricky Gervais film ‘Cemetery Junction')
The Great Central Railway is Britain's only double track main line steam railway. Hire a portable handset and plan a route around the railway and its stations finding out more about the history of the line, what happens behind the scenes and unlock some of the surprises about how it operates.

Great Central Railway has an exciting calendar of events taking place throughout the year.

1:00pm Depart Great Central Railway and head to The Manor House at Quorn for Lunch
The Manor House, at Quorn, sits next to the Great Central Railway a mile from Woodhouse Eaves. The Manor House is recommended by CAMRA & Cask Marque and have the BBPA Best Beer Gold Award.

3:15pm Arrive at Taylors Bellfoundry for tour - please ring in advance.
(recently a location for the Ricky Gervais film ‘Cemetery Junction')
The museum at John Taylor & Co, tells the story of the Bellfoundry going right back to its links with bellfounding in the 13th Century. An extensive range of exhibits and memorabilia tells the story of one of the oldest manufacturing industries in the world. Located over two floors there are lots of displays to look at including a room full of bells from different ages and different founders. This display has a wooden mallet so you can sound the bells and see for yourself which sounds best. The best way to learn about the foundry past and present is to book onto one of our guided tours. If you are lucky you may even get to see a bell being cast!

4:15pm Depart for hotel