Newarke Houses Museum facts for kids
The two historic buildings: Wyggeston's Chantry House (left) and Skeffington House (right)
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| Established | 1953 |
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| Location | Leicester |
| Type | Military Museum |
The Newarke Houses Museum is a cool place to visit in Leicester, England. It's actually two old houses that became a museum. Here, you can learn all about Leicester's history, especially from the 1600s to today. It also has a special section dedicated to the Royal Leicestershire Regiment, a famous army group. The museum is located near the old Magazine Gateway and the De Montfort University campus.
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History of Newarke Houses
The museum is made up of two very old buildings. One is called Wyggeston's Chantry House, built around 1511. The other is Skeffington House, built in the 1600s. These houses played a part in the English Civil War in 1645. During the Siege of Leicester, soldiers used them.
After many years, the houses were sold in 1908. Chantry House stayed a private home, but Skeffington House became a school for boys. In 1953, both buildings were bought and turned into the museum we see today. This happened as part of the celebrations for Queen Elizabeth II's coronation. You can even see a room on the ground floor that looks just like it did in the 1600s!
What You Can See at the Museum
The Newarke Houses Museum has lots of interesting things to explore. It shows you what life was like in Leicester through different times.
Famous People and Everyday Life
One of the most famous people featured is Daniel Lambert. He lived in Leicester in the 1700s and was known for being a very large man. You can see some of his clothes and even his special chair!
The museum also has a fun display that looks like a 1950s street in Leicester. It has model shops that show what they used to look like. There's also a collection of toys, from old ones used in Tudor times to modern toys.
Leicester's Industries
You can learn about Leicester's history of making things, especially clothes. There are exhibits about big clothing companies like Corah's and Wolsey. These displays show how important these industries were to the city. The museum focuses on Leicester's more recent history, from the 1800s onwards.
War History and the Royal Leicestershire Regiment
The museum has a large collection about wars, especially the First World War and Second World War. From 2014 to 2018, they had special exhibits called 'Leicester Remembers' to mark 100 years since the First World War.
There's a special section about the Royal Leicestershire Regiment. You can see drums from their band and even a tiger, which was their mascot! The museum has many items showing what life was like for soldiers on the front lines and for people at home. You can also find a huge collection of medals and learn about the people who served in the Leicester Regiment.
Life During Wartime
On the first floor, there's a model of a trench, like the ones soldiers lived in during the First World War. You can also see a Morrison shelter, which was a type of indoor air-raid shelter used during the Second World War. Gas masks are also on display, showing how people protected themselves during air raids. These items help you understand what the "Home Front" was like for families during the wars.
Museum Gardens
The museum has beautiful gardens on different sides of the main building. They have cool, maze-like patterns made from box hedges, designed in a medieval style. Many old and interesting trees and plants from the Victorian era still grow there today.
At the end of the garden, you can see an old wall with special holes called "gun loops." These were cut into the wall by Cromwell's soldiers, known as the Roundheads, in 1645. This happened during the English Civil War when Prince Rupert's army was attacking the town.
Other Places to Explore in Leicester
