Leicester Abbey’s full name is the Abbey Of St Mary De Paris, meaning the abbey of St Mary of the Meadows. It is also famously the last known resting place of Henry Vlll Lord Chancellor, Cardinal Wolsey.
The Abbey is situated towards the north - east of medieval Leicester, near River Soar. Abbey Park has a number of beautiful ruins related to the abbey complex and can be seen by visitors till date.
Leicester Abbey is one of the most wealthiest religious houses in the country. Unfortunately, all trace of the abbey had disappeared by the 18th century. And it’s only in the 19th and 20th century that the plans of the main buildings were announced through archaeological excavation.
The well known church still stands strong and is a beautiful structure.
An interesting part about the area is the kitchen, which was investigated by the University of Leicester in 2002/2005 and that’s when they found corner fireplaces, making the entire place an octagon in shape. It’s one of the largest kitchens in the country, spreading up to 12 metres.
A fun - fact about the Leicester Abbey is that it held upto 30 to 40 canons at some point. It is now protected as a scheduled monument and is in Grade l listed.
There are a number of events that take place at this monument.
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