Visit Market Harborough Places

Welcome to Visit Market Harborough Places
The Walkfo guide to things to do & explore in Market Harborough

  

Market Harborough Places Overview: History, Culture & Facts about Market Harborough

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Market Harborough history

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Before 1066

Market Harborough was founded by the Saxons between 410 and 1066. Originally a small village, believed to have been called hæfera-beorg, (harborough) meaning “oat hill”

1066–1799

In 1086 the Domesday Book records Bowden as a Royal Manor organised in seventy-three manors. The population lived in three villages, Great Bowden, Arden and Little Bowden. A market was established by 1204 and has been held on a Tuesday ever since 1221. Harborough figured nationally in the English Civil War in June 1645, when it became the headquarters of the King’s Army.

1800–1899

Market Harborough became a centre for fox hunting with hounds during the 19th century. The Grand National Hunt Steeple Chase was held to the south west of the town in 1860, 1861 and 1863. A railway did not serve the town until 1850 with a link to Rugby but this was quickly followed by links to Leicester and London in 1857.

1900–1999

In 1888 Little Bowden parish was transferred from Northamptonshire to Leicestershire and following the Local Government Act of 1894, an Urban District Council was formed for Market Harborough, covering the town and the parishes of Little and Great Bowden. Various schemes were implemented to improve the town. It acquired the gas company and built a public baths. It acquired land for the construction of Abbey Street in 1901 which removed the multi occupied yard of the Coach and Horses Inn and enabled the building of a fire station on the new street in 1903. In the same year a new livestock market was opened between Springfield Street and the river on 12 acres (4.9 ha) of land, enabling the cattle and sheep markets to be cleared from the streets. In 1905 the council bought land at Great Bowden and Little Bowden for recreation grounds. In 1919 there were still around 150 dwellings identified as unfit for human habitation mostly in the yards and courts of Harborough and there was an identified need for 300 new houses. Land to the north of the town was selected and a scheme for 98 homes for rent developed as the Bowden Fields Estate. Following the introduction of mortgage subsidy, over 100 private homes were built and a further development of 72 rented homes took place. By 1928 about 400 houses had been built since 1918, 164 by the Council. A major improvement took place from 1930 with the acquisition of land between Northampton Road and Farndon Road. This enabled the construction of Welland Park Road (which enabled east west traffic to bypass the town centre), provision of 100 homes for rent along Welland Park Road and 52 in Walcot Road to rehouse occupants of the old yard houses, plots for private housing, the layout of Welland Park and the construction of Welland Park School. On October 23, 1936, the town hosted the members and entourage of the Jarrow Crusade. A covered market hall was opened at the western end of the Cattlemarket in 1938, replacing the market stalls on the Square on Tuesdays and Saturdays. The post-war period saw another shortage of housing and some 600 people on the waiting list for council housing. The council developed a 100 dwelling extension to the Bowden Fields Estate by 1949 and acquired 140 acres (0.57 km) of land to the south west of the town to deal with the problem. A new Southern Estate was planned to accommodate 700 dwellings, shopping centre, school and recreation ground. The Council laid initial access roads named after personalities of the Battle of Naseby since these fields were crossed by both armies on 14 June 1645. A plaque now records the events and was unveiled by Mrs H.B. Lenthall on 1 February 1951 to mark the opening of the estate development. Around 150 dwellings were built for rent with the remaining plots available for private building. The final phase of development occurred in the 1980s. In 1950 the canal basin was the venue for a week long National Festival of Boats, the first such festival organised by the Inland Waterways Association and marking the beginning of the revival of the canal network for leisure use. The old brewery site was acquired for a bus station in 1951 and in 1958 a main car park was opened at the Commons and further car parks established in the 1960s to deal with the increasing demand. Proposals for development of an industrial estate at Riverside and Rockingham Road were approved in 1962 and the area developed during the 1960s. Following serious flooding in the town centre on 2 July 1958, a flood relief scheme was begun and the river bed was straightened and deepened. In 1968 the centre of Market Harborough was declared a conservation area. Major developments included the development of headquarters for Golden Wonder crisp makers, and the demolition of the old Symington factory in Adam and Eve Street for redevelopment as Eden Court shops and flats. During the 1970s, draft proposals were made for an inner relief road to avoid traffic congestion in the town centre. However, it was rejected in favour of a bypass outside the town. In 1980 the Symington’s factory at Church Square was redeveloped as the District Council offices, library and museum. Plans for an A6 by-pass were approved by the Department for Transport during the 1980s and the 5 miles (8.0 km) road costing £9.5m was opened in June 1992. In addition, proposals were made for a new east-west link road (A14) between the A1 and M1 and a route was identified 10 miles (16 km) south. It was opened in summer 1991. The opening of these roads has reduced considerably the volume of heavy goods vehicles passing through the town centre. Associated improvements to the town centre took place as part of a “By-pass Demonstration Project” completed in 1994. This involved comprehensive re-paving and new street furniture to make the centre more pedestrian friendly whilst through-traffic with a 20 mph (32 km/h) speed limit. In 1993 the former cattle market, bus station, indoor market and several properties next to the old post office and the former Peacock Hotel were re-developed to form a new pedestrianised shopping centre called St Mary’s Place. This included a Sainsbury’s supermarket.

2000 onwards

A footpath and cycleway alongside the canal to Foxton became part of the National Cycle Network Route 6. The canal basin was restored as a boating centre called Union Wharf. A cycle and footway along the river through the town was created called the Millennium Mile. In 2007 Welland Park was awarded Green Flag Award status.

Market Harborough culture & places

Music and theatre

Market Harborough has an Orchestra and The Harborough Collective, a professional classical ensemble formed by violinist David le Page. The town is home to a number of choirs, a chamber choir and a Rock Choir. The Great Bowden Recital Trust is a charitable music organisation.

Art

Market Harborough Art Club has existed in the town since 1963. Harborough Artists Cluster is a group of artists, photographers and makers who open their Studios every September. Arts Fresco is a free street theatre festival that transforms the town centre into the biggest street arts festival in the Midlands.

In popular culture

In the 1967 film Robbery, the scenes at the railway bridge where the robbery took place were shot in the village of Theddingworth, 5 miles west of Market Harborough. J. K. Rowling visited the town in 2015 and set part of her third Cormoran Strike novel Career of Evil in the town.

Market Harborough landmarks

The Old Grammar School

The school was founded in 1607 and built in 1614, through the generosity of Robert Smyth, a poor native of the town. The subjects taught were Latin, Greek and Hebrew, and many boys were sent to Oxford and Cambridge universities. The school badge is the arms of the City of London.

Other landmarks

The Harborough Museum is in part of what was once Symington’s Corset Factory. The museum opened in 1983 and collects and displays objects and finds of local interest.

Market Harborough geography / climate

Market Harborough is in a rural part of southeast Leicestershire and close to the Northamptonshire border. The town is near the A14 road running from the M1/M6 motorway Catthorpe Interchange to Felixstowe. The Midland Main Line railway connects to London St Pancras.

You can visit Market Harborough places with Walkfo Market Harborough to hear history at Market Harborough’s places whilst walking around using the free digital tour app. Walkfo Market Harborough has 27 places to visit in our interactive Market Harborough map, with amazing history, culture & travel facts you can explore the same way you would at a museum or art gallery with information audio headset. With Walkfo, you can travel by foot, bike or bus throughout Market Harborough, being in the moment, without digital distraction or limits to a specific walking route. Our historic audio walks, National Trust interactive audio experiences, digital tour guides for English Heritage locations are available at Market Harborough places, with a AI tour guide to help you get the best from a visit to Market Harborough & the surrounding areas.

“Curated content for millions of locations across the UK, with 27 audio facts unique to Market Harborough places in an interactive Market Harborough map you can explore.”

Walkfo: Visit Market Harborough Places Map
27 tourist, history, culture & geography spots

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Market Harborough historic spots	Market Harborough tourist destinations	Market Harborough plaques	Market Harborough geographic features
Walkfo Market Harborough tourism map key: places to see & visit like National Trust sites, Blue Plaques, English Heritage locations & top tourist destinations in Market Harborough

  

Best Market Harborough places to visit

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Market Harborough has places to explore by foot, bike or bus. Below are a selection of the varied Market Harborough’s destinations you can visit with additional content available at the Walkfo Market Harborough’s information audio spots:

Dingley, Northamptonshire Dingley is a village and civil parish in Northamptonshire, England. It is located along the A427, about 2 miles east of the nearest town, Market Harborough. At the time of the 2001 census, the parish’s population was 209 people, reducing to 194 at the 2011 census.

HMC Projects in Central and Eastern Europe HMC Projects in Central and Eastern Europe is a registered charity and a company limited by guarantee operating from UK. It offers opportunities for students and teachers from 14 countries to either study or teach in a British independent school for an academic year.

St Dionysius’ Church, Market Harborough St Dionysius’ Church, Market Harborough, Leicestershire is a Grade I listed parish church in the Church of England.

Harborough Museum Harborough Museum was opened in 1983 in the former R & W H Symington corset factory. It is run by a partnership between Leicestershire County Council, Harborough District Council and Market Harborough Historical Society. Regular displays include Symington Soups, Table Creams and Pea Flour, the Harboro Rubber Company and Falkner’s Boot and Shoe Making Workshop.

Harborough District Market Harborough is the largest of the eight district authorities in Leicestershire. It covers 230 square miles (600 km) and covers almost a quarter of the county. The population of the district at mid-2007 was estimated as 82,300, increasing to 85,382 at the 2011 census.

Market Harborough Market Harborough is a market town in the Harborough district of Leicestershire, England, in the far southeast of the county. It is the administrative headquarters of the larger Harborough District. The town was formerly at a crossroads for both road and rail; however, the A6 now bypasses the town to the east and the A14 is 6 miles (9.7 km) to the south.

Great Bowden Great Bowden is a village and civil parish in the Harborough district of Leicestershire. It is north-east of and a suburb of Market Harborough. The population is around 1,000, being measured at the 2011 census as 1,017.

Rothwell Corinthians F.C. Rothwell Corinthians F.C. are based in Rothwell, Northamptonshire, England. They play in the United Counties League Premier Division South.

RAF Market Harborough RAF Market Harborough is a former Royal Air Force station in Leicestershire. Part of the site of the former airbase is now occupied by HMP Gartree.

HM Prison Gartree HM Prison Gartree is a Category B men’s prison. It is located in Market Harborough, Leicestershire, England. The prison is operated by Her Majesty’s Prison Service.

Visit Market Harborough plaques