Belgrave, United Kingdom

Another important influence on Belgrave was the construction of The Leicester Navigation in 1791. A canal was dug to the south and north of the village to provide a passage for barges where the River Soar was unsuitable for navigation. It helped industry in the town, bringing coal, limestone, state and wool into Leicester and taking hosiery and other finished goods out. The wharf in Belgrave Village, just south of the bridge was the offloading point for Mountsorrel Granite. The medieval bridge had to be widened to allow the barges to pass through.

Belgrave was one of the communities in Leicestershire that experienced the shock of military confrontation because of its situation on the busy London to Derby road which cut right through the heart of the village unlike neighbouring Birstall and Wanlip which it bypassed by some hundreds of yards.

When the English Civil War burst violently into Belgrave, records indicate that there were a number of skirmishes between the opposing forces around the Thurcaston Road Bridge and inside St Peter's Church. There is damage to the Tudor Memorial to Ambrose de Belgrave which suggests that it may have been used for target practice.

With large 19th century terraced developments along the A607 (Belgrave Road and Melton Road), this area now has a large, vibrant Asian community featuring the "Golden Mile". The Asian community based in and around Belgrave and Melton Road have been residents since the early 1970s.

In 1975 the old area of the village was declared a Conservation area and it is this area that represents the nucleus of the ancient village.

Belgrave is home to Belgrave Hall and Gardens. Belgrave Hall, built between 1709 and 1713 in a plain classical style is in the midst of two acres of serene walled gardens. It has changed hands many times but the owners have always played a major role in the economic, social and charitable life of the community. It is very well known for Paranormal Activity.

St Peter's Church is the oldest building in the local conservation area. It has the most magnificent Norman doorway in England. Archaeologists believe that there may be an earlier Saxon church beneath the present structure. Sightings of Apparitions have also been seen.

The Talbot Inn, named after the Talbot Hound, a white hunting Dog dates from the 18th Century and has origins in the 14th century, when it was a popular stop providing bed and board to those who travelled through Leicester along Loughborough Road. Originally a three-storey coaching inn on a major road, the second storey was removed in 1958 after a fire. It is said that The Talbot was the last place a criminal could get a meal or drink on their way to be executed. Their bodies were then returned to the Inn's outbuildings, which also served as a morgue. Paranormal Activity has been reported at The Talbot.

Cross Corners on Thurcaston Road was built by James Vann at the same time that his brother William built Belgrave House. During World War One Belgian refugees were accommodated here and in the 1920s it became a home for “mentally deficient” boys. The building is now owned by Leicester City Council and in 2003 Cross Corners Community Arts Centre opened there.

Tho National School on the corner of Loughborough Road and Thurcaston Road was built in 1861 and stands on the site of the original Bull's Head Pub. Alfred Ellis, who lived opposite in Cross Corners, disliked the “sordid” and “run-down” pub so bought and demolished it, giving the land for a new school. A new Bull's Head was built opposite the school on Bath Street a few years later. By 1877 the school had 350 pupils. It closed in 1974 and is now owned by a firm of solicitors. The Clock was bought to commemorate Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee of 1887.

As Belgrave grew it became important enough to be linked to Leicester by Horse Tram. The first route of the new Leicester Tramways Company Ltd in 1874 was from the Clock Tower to the Loughborough Road and Thurcaston Road Junction. Electric Trams replaced Horse Trams in 1904.

As can be seen by some of the Houses along Loughborough Road there were some very wealthy residents, including the Chief constable of Leicester at one point.

As the wealth of the area grew so did the population and by the late 19th century many more houses were being built.

As Belgrave grew so did the town of Leicester. In 1891 the parish had a population of 11,405. On 31 October 1891 most of the parish became part of the County Borough of Leicester, on 26 March 1896 the parish was abolished to form Leicester.