Property, Houses and Flats for Sale in Leicestershire, England

The county of Leicestershire is in the heart of England, bordering Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, Northamptonshire and Rutland. The county town of Leicester is one of the most exciting multicultural societies in the UK. Leicestershire has the third largest Hindu population in the country, the tenth largest Sikh community and the seventeenth largest Muslim population. The county has a diverse economy which is generally robust and prosperous, is the second largest in the East Midlands, and has recently been recognised as the second most creative area in the UK. Leicestershire is home to beautiful landscapes, including Charnwood Forest, the Soar, and the Leicestershire Vales. Food lovers will be interested to learn that Leicestershire is famous for its locally made specialities, in particular Stilton cheese and Melton Mowbray pork pies.

A brief history

The county town of Leicester probably started as a Celtic settlement, and was the capital of the local Celtic tribe - the Coriletavi. The Romans invaded Britain in 43 AD and captured Leicestershire by 47 AD. The Romans built a fort at Leicester in 48 AD. King Richard III, Leicester's most famous historical figure, spent his last fateful days in the city before his death at the nearby Battle of Bosworth in 1485. His crown passed to Henry Tudor, and Richard's body was brought back to Leicester to be buried at Greyfriars Monastery. Moving forward to 18th and 19th Century Leicester, as early as 1700 it was clear that Leicester's future was to be in manufacturing. The stocking frame began the hosiery industry, but because the frames required only human power, the majority of work was done at home. It wasn't until the 1800's, which brought the full force of the Industrial Revolution, that factories took over. Two well known Leicester landmarks were built in the late 19th Century - the Clock Tower (1868), and the Town Hall (1875).

Living in Leicestershire

Whether you are harbouring a desire to live in a rural location with views of rolling hills from your back garden, or you would like to be part of a village community, or maybe live in a busy town but still have access to beautiful countryside - the county of Leicestershire has something to satisfy all these requirements. People searching for property for sale in Leicestershire will find housing is affordable and diverse. The types of property for sale in Leicestershire include 19th Century cottages in village locations, Victorian terraced houses, Grade II listed houses, stone built cottages, bungalows, and plenty of new developments of houses. Expect to pay £179k+ for a one bedroom apartment in a brand new city centre development.

Leicestershire is going through one of the most comprehensive regeneration programmes in the East Midlands. Over £3 billion of regeneration projects are to take place in and around Leicester city centre, covering areas such as education, health, community and cultural developments. Employment prospects are good in Leicestershire. As well as being an important base for food and clothing related businesses, it is home to a number of blue chip companies including: the Alliance & Leicester Building Society, Next, Walkers Crisps, and Pedigree Petfoods.

Families who enjoy shopping, will discover the county towns of Leicestershire are perfect for browsing. Market Harborough has a selection of exclusive boutiques, antiques shops and galleries. Ashby de la Zouch has a wealth of individual shops in narrow passageways. Melton Mowbray is best known for its famous pork pie shop and lively traditional markets, whilst Loughborough boasts The Rushes, a brand new shopping centre, just a few minutes walk from town centre. Leicester has all the high street names, located in two large shopping centres - The Shires and the Haymarket. Small independent shops can be found in St Martin's Square and in the Leicester Lanes.

Market Harborough is a popular market town, with good commuter links, a large shopping centre, plenty of sporting and leisure facilities and a good sized library. People searching for houses in Market Harborough should expect to pay £245k+ for a three bedroom semi-detached house.

Leicestershire has seven colleges and universities, two of which are located in Loughborough. Loughborough, with its unique atmosphere and wealth of historic buildings, is the principal town of the Borough of Charnwood - one of the largest boroughs in Leicestershire. It is a busy commercial centre with modern industries such as pharmaceuticals and electrical engineering. People searching for property for sale in Loughborough can find a selection of flats and houses advertised by the estate agents on Primelocation.com.

Families looking for property in Leicestershire will discover the county has a good range of attractions. Families will enjoy exploring Leicester's award-winning National Space Centre, with real rockets and satellites, or, for something completely different head for Conkers in the National Forest, which is an ideal place to relax and learn about trees and wildlife. Twinlakes Park near Melton Mowbray has a boating lake, falconry displays and an animal farm. More unusual animals can be found at Twycross Zoo, near Market Bosworth, home to some of the planet's most endangered species. Fans of motorsport will enjoy visiting Donington Grand Prix Collection. Five halls house 130 exhibits, including Nigel Mansell's Williams and Ayrton Senna's Mclaren.

Travel and transport links in the county of Leicestershire

Leicestershire has excellent road, rail and air links, and is easy to reach from all parts of the UK. People searching for property for sale in Leicestershire will find that Leicester is just a two hour drive from London and Manchester, and one hour from Birmingham. The M1 passes through Leicestershire, with junctions 20-24 providing good access to the county. The M69 and M6 also offer easy access from Birmingham, Wales and the south west. For rail travel, Leicester is on the Midland Mainline from London St. Pancras. Central Trains provide regular services from Birmingham, and from the east and west of the UK. Market Harborough, Loughborough, Melton Mowbray and Hinckley all have railway stations. East Midlands Airport and Birmingham International Airport are both under an hour's drive from Leicester.