Southfields, Leicester facts for kids
Southfields is an area in Leicester, England. It's located just south of the city center. Long ago, this area was open land shared by everyone. Today, it's mostly developed with buildings and homes, but it still has some lovely green spaces.
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What is Southfields?
Southfields is a well-known part of Leicester. It's one of three big areas that used to be open fields around the city. The other two are called Highfields and Northfields.
A Look Back in Time
For a long time, Southfields was known as "common land." This meant it was open space that everyone in the city could use. People might have used it for grazing animals or just enjoying the outdoors.
Things changed in 1804. The local government, called the Corporation of Leicester, decided to "enclose" the land. This meant they divided the shared land into private plots. This decision caused some disagreements because many people didn't like it.
However, a part of the field was kept as "Freemen's common." This special area was set aside for people known as "freemen" of the city. Freemen were citizens who had certain traditional rights or privileges.
During the 1800s, Southfields began to grow and develop. Many new buildings and homes were built. Even with all this development, some large open spaces still remain in the area today.
Green Spaces and Important Places Today
Southfields is now a busy part of Leicester. It has a mix of residential areas, educational institutions, and green spaces.
Parks and Landmarks
You can find several important and well-loved places in Southfields. These include:
- Victoria Park: A large and popular park where people go for sports, picnics, and events.
- Welford Road Cemetery: A historic cemetery that also has green areas.
- Nelson Mandela Park: Another pleasant park for the community.
The Southfields area is also home to other significant landmarks. These include:
- HMP Leicester: A well-known building in the area.
- Leicester College: A large college where students can learn many different skills. It used to be called Southfields College.
- De Montfort Hall: A famous concert and events venue.
- University of Leicester: A large university with many students and buildings.
