Bradgate Park

A quick tour of Bradgate Country Park, Newtown Linford, Leicestershire.

Bradgate Park was once the estate of the Greys of Groby. Sir John Grey (1432 - 1461) began the construction of Bradgate House, the ruins of which can still be seen today. His great-granddaughter, Lady Jane Grey , was Queen of England for 9 days during July, 1553. Lady Jane was deposed by Mary I and imprisoned in the Tower of London. She was executed for treason on February 12th, 1554 after a failed attempt by her supporters to restore her to the throne.

The folly know as "Old John" stands on a ridge some 690 feet above sea-level overloking the park, and is probably Leicestershire's best known landmark. It was built in 1748 as an observation tower to give the ladies a view of the race course which once circled the hill. The name "Old John" was given to the tower later, in memory of an old retainer who died accidentally when a bonfire collapsed during birthday celebrations near the tower.

In 1925 the Park was put up for sale by the Grey family. It was purchased by Charles Bennion (a co-founder of British United Shoe Machinery Co. Ltd, and resident of Leicester) and presented in trust to the people of Leicestershire on December 29th, 1928. Since then, Bradgate Park has been one of the most popular attractions in Leicestershire and now attracts more than one million visitors each year.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Bradgate
• Park
• Charnwood
• Forest
• Leicestershire
• Newtown
• Linford
• Lady
• Jane
• Grey
• Old
• John
• Fallow
• Red
• Deer

[JoBO665]

We picnic here twice a year.

About me and 10 friends go to celebrate things ;)

Going in 2 weeks EEEE ^_^

[lidskidder]

Hope you have a great time! :)

[boleyn1536]

interesting video, i'd love to see Bradgate. how did it eventually fall in to ruin tho?

[lidskidder]

I believe the house fell into disrepair sometime in the 18th century, after the Greys moved out.

[deathrockmom]

I want to go there.

[raw79man]

Old John

[ViperDansta]

i live 30 mins away, its a nice place, not very wheelchair friendly though but i got to the top of old john eventually

[cajf1970]

Excellent video

[frenchielcfc]

had you been picking liberty caps? lool

[daybreak911]

I was once at Bradgate with some friends and we saw something like... I don't know what it was, it wasn't a monkey and it wasn't a man, it was somewhere inbetween. Anyway, we tried to coax it towards us with some chocolate hobnob's i had on me but it wouldn't approach. it just sighed mournfully and moved off into the thick, luxurious bracken.

[TorontoTributes]

its is very nice, you must i live a short walk from there, nice strolls and stuff