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Market Harborough
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Market Harborough | |
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| Population | 20,785 (2001) |
|---|---|
| OS grid reference | |
| District | Harborough |
| Shire county | Leicestershire |
| Region | East Midlands |
| Constituent country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | MARKET HARBOROUGH |
| Postcode district | LE16 |
| Dial code | 01858 |
| Police | Leicestershire |
| Fire | Leicestershire |
| Ambulance | East Midlands |
| UK Parliament | Harborough |
| European Parliament | East Midlands |
| List of places: UK • England • Leicestershire | |
Market Harborough is a market town in Leicestershire, England. It has a population of 20,785 (2001 census), and is the administrative headquarters of the Harborough district.
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Market Harborough is located in a rural part of south Leicestershire, upon the River Welland. It is very close to the Northamptonshire border, and is roughly 15 miles (24 km) south of Leicester and 10 miles north of Kettering. The town is near the A14 main road and Market Harborough railway station is served by the Midland Main Line railway. There is also a branch of the Grand Union Canal which terminates on the north side of the town. Nearby to the town are the famous Foxton Locks.
Market Harborough was founded in the 12th century as a market town to provide a market to boost the economy of the surrounding area. The town had a clothes making industry making corsets, most famously the Liberty bodice. The factory where they were made is behind the Old Grammar School in the photo is now Harborough Library.
The town is currently an unparished area in the Harborough district, with no town council of its own. It is the third least populated town of this sort.
One of the town's most notable features is an unusual grammar school dating from 1614 located in the town centre which stands on wooden stilts. The underside was once used as a butter market. Market Harborough Grammar School was founded in 1607 by Robert Smyth, a poor native of the town who became Comptroller of the City of London's Chamber and member of the Merchant Taylors' Company. The school has since moved sites and now the Robert Smyth School catering for 13-18 year-olds. The school badge is the arms of the City of London.
The Church of England parish church is dedicated to St Dionysius, and is of a broach spire construction. It dates back to the 14th century but has been added to since. There is a sundial on the south side of the Church dating from the 18th century.
Situated in part of what was once the old Symington's Corset Factory, the Museum shares the building with the Council offices and the Library. Since opening in 1983 the Museum has continued to collect and display objects of local interest including local Roman archaeological finds. It is open to the pubic most days of the year and is free to visit.
In 1993 the former Cattle Market, Bus Station, Indoor Market, and several properties adjacent to the Old Post Office & The Peacock Hotel were re-developed to form a new Shopping Centre called St.Mary's Place. Consisting of 26 retail units, and a new Indoor Market Hall, it also heralded the Sainsburys store to the town. The original 'Settling Rooms' from the Cattle Market were listed as a building to preserve, and still stand as a point of interest in the centre of the Sainsburys Car Park. This pedestrian only shopping site straddles the River Welland, joined by one large suspension style bridge, and two further smaller footbridges.
Market Harborough Cricket Club has two teams, one of which plays in the Leicestershire Premier Division.
- Market Harborough Football Club Has two teams and a veterans team.
Harborough Town Juniors also boasts an outstanding setup.
The town also has the smallest street (in terms of length) in Europe, called Little Street, connecting the High Street to the Nags Head.
The town's main source of media is the Harborough Mail, a weekly newspaper.
The town now has its own Community Radio Station Harborough FM which began broadcasting in February 2007 on 102.3FM.
Former England rugby captain Martin Johnson was brought up in Market Harborough.[1]
Actor Jeremy Bulloch, who played Boba Fett in the original Star Wars trilogy, was born in the town.