New Walk, Leicester

New Walk is a promenade in the city of Leicester which connects the areas around Victoria Park (including Stoneygate, Evington, and Clarendon Park) to the city centre.[1] The promenade is a rare surviving example of a Georgian promenade. The walk is just under a mile long.[2] A number of buildings sit along New Walk, including office buildings for the Leicester Mercury, Leicester Museum & Art Gallery, and Holy Cross Priory.[3]

A view of a portion of New Walk

History

The Corporation of Leicester laid out the route in 1785. It is believed that an ancient Roman trackway called the Via Devana predated the promenade and that this trackway formed the basis for the route. The original plan for the route was to connect the area, which is now Welford Road, to the then-racecourse, which was later developed into Victoria Park. On its foundation, it was named Queen's Walk in honor of Queen Charlotte. The new name was adopted later, at an unknown date.[1]

Houses were built alongside New Walk for the first time in the 1820s. The houses were built at a distance, set by the corporation, of 'no less than 10 yards' from the path.[1]

The promenade was solely for the use of pedestrians; no carriages were allowed to use New Walk. The route remains pedestrianized and is not open to vehicles of any kind. A number of controversies regarding the use of the promenade by cyclists have arisen in recent years.[4]

References
  1. "New Walk - Story of Leicester". www.storyofleicester.info. Retrieved 24 June 2019.
  2. "NEW WALK, LEICESTER, City of Leicester - 1000963 | Historic England". historicengland.org.uk. Retrieved 24 June 2019.
  3. "Maps | Friends of New Walk, Leicester, UK". www.friendsofnewwalk.com. Retrieved 24 June 2019.
  4. Smith, Kerry (24 June 2019). "Leicester Mercury". Leicester Mercury.
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