The Newarke

 

Newarke House Museum is made up of two historical houses, Wygston’s Chantry House built around 1513 and the 16^th century Skeffington house.William Wygston, Leicester’s richest citizen, built Wygston’s Chantry House. It became an urban gentry house after chantries were abolished in 1547 and is the only Elizabethan urban gentry house that survives in Leicestershire.

 

Many different people have used, lived in, changed and extended these buildings over the centuries. In World War II the building was hit by a bomb and restored in 1950. It now tells the story of 20^th century Leicester and the history of the Royal Leicestershire Regiment. The new displays including a cinema experience and children’s play area.

 

 

The hospital was founded in 1331 by Henry third Earl of Lancaster and Leicester. The Earl provided 4 acres of land next to Leicester Castle so the hospital could be used to care for the sick and elderly.

 

In the 1400’s The Newarke area was surrounded by stone walls and had several stone building within its boundaries, including Trinity Hospital. The main entry to The Newarke precincts was through the Magazine Gateway and the Turret Gateway. In 1548 The Newark was confiscated by the crown court and its various buildings were destroyed or sold off. The hospital survived and was renamed Trinity Hospital around 1615.

 

 

“ It was used to store military powder and weapons in the 17^th century.”