Leicester Guildhall

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The Guildhall

Leicester's Guildhall is a very old timber framed building, that once acted as the town hall for the city.

The building dates from the 15th century (parts are earlier), and is in the old walled city, on a street now known as Guildhall Lane. It was used first as the meeting place for the Guild of Corpus Christi, and then later for the more formal Corporation of Leicester. The hall was used for many purposes, including council meetings, feasts, as a courtroom, and for theatrical performances.

The Guildhall was retained in use until quite late. It was not until 1876 that the Corporation moved to the new Leicester Town Hall. It was later used as a police station and school, before becoming a museum. It is currently also used as a venue for musical performances.

The Guildhall is a Grade I Listed Building, and the surrounding area, also including the Cathedral of St Martin's, is a conservation area. [1]

The Guildhall is also reputed to be haunted with numerous ghost sightings. Most recently a video taken by CCTV show a ‘figure’ moving across a room. The video can be viewed at: http://www.ghostsceneinvestigations.com/Video/index.php The Guildhall has also appeared on Living TV’s “most haunted” program. Regular Ghost hunts take place where you can spend the evening looking for paranormal activity.