Groby (pronounced "groo-bee") is a large village of over 7,000 inhabitants. It lies a few miles north-west of Leicester and is on the edge of the National Forest . It was mentioned in the Domesday Book in 1086. In 1445 title to the village passed to the Grey family and ultimately to the Earl of Stamford who started to sell-off the estate in the 1920s, sparking significant residential development. Local industry was based on agriculture and extraction of granite from the local quarries. Time Team of Channel 4 visited the village in April 2010 to excavate the historic Groby Castle
The village has a number of royal connections. Elizabeth Woodville married King Edward IV in 1464 after the death of her husband Sir John Grey of Groby. Lady Jane Grey, who became Queen of England for 9 days, was raised on the Grey estate. She was executed in 1553. Thomas Grey, Lord Grey of Groby, was the only aristocrat in 1649 to sign the death warrant of King Charles I which ushered in the Commonwealth led by Oliver Cromwell.
[1] From the car park take the tarmac path starting at the top left corner. Continue on this path going clockwise all the way round the edge of park passing the playground and BMX track on the right hand side and the Stamford Memorial to the right.
(A) The Stamford Memorial is a tribute to five Stamford Arms footballers who died in a tragic road accident on December 7th 1998.
Continue round the top of the park to the car park at the top right corner. (This is the second car park you pass.)
[2] Go down the drive from the car park, cross the road and go through the wooden kissing gate opposite. Go along the right edge of the first field to a gap then along the left edge of the second field to an exit leading onto Meadow Court Road
Note:- these fields get very wet and muddy and are unsuitable for wheeled vehicles. The alternative route turns left outside the park entrance, then take the first right into Hawthorn Rise, then left onto Meadow Way, then turn right at the end of Meadow Way to rejoin the route at [3] - Flaxfield Close
Continue to the end of the road. Turn left, passing between the houses onto Pymm Ley Close. Continue to the end of this road. Turn left onto Pymm Ley Lane, continuing for about 50 metres.
[3] Cross the road and turn right into Flaxfield Close. Continue to the T-junction and then bear left. Take the footpath immediately on the right continuing to a small playing field on the right. Turn left about half way down the field along another footpath. Continue to the footpath facing and continue to the end . Turn left at the top and continue to the end of Glebe Road, with Elizabeth Woodville School behind and to the right.
(B) Elizabeth Woodville (1437 - 1492) was married to Sir John Grey of Groby. Upon his death she married Edward IV. Two of her sons including Edward V were, allegedly, killed in the Tower of London.
[4] At the end of Glebe Road turn right and continue up Pymm Leys Lane until Budgens' car park is reached. Just before the car park turn right into Beacon Field along the gravelled footpath alongside Lady Jane Grey School. Continue to the end of the playing field. Dogs are prohibited from these fields and there is a potential fine of up to £1000. Dog owners should follow the alternative route:- Continue through Budgens car park and turn right onto Wolsey Close just past the school. Continue round and then turn right onto Laundon Way. Take the next right onto Oakmeadow Way. Continue forward and take the first left onto Garendon Way to rejoin the walk at [5].
(C) Lady Jane Grey (1537 to 1554) spent time at Bradgate Park. She became Queen of England for 9 days before being deposed in favour of Queen Mary (also known as 'Bloody Mary'). She was sent to the Tower of London where she was executed on February 12th 1554.
Follow the path between the houses and continue to the road and bear left around the bend.
[5] Almost immediately turn right into Garendon Way. After passing Buckingham Close on the right, take the footpath through the hedges, a few yards further on. At the end of this footpath cross the road, go left and take the path through the field on the right. At the end of the path turn right along the old mineral railway line.
(D) The Groby Granite Railway was opened in 1832 and was designed with help from George Stevenson and his son Robert . It was used to carry granite from the Groby quarries to Glenfield, where it was transferred onto the Leicester & Swannington Railway for onward shipment to Leicester West Bridge. The granite was then loaded onto barges and shipped to London.
(E) The site of the former railway tunnel runs from Spinney Rise under Ratby Road into the village centre.
[6] Continue along the old railway over Spinney Close and Oaktree Close. Then walk ahead along the grass parallel to a road a little to the left. On approaching a large white wall at the end of a row of terraced houses, find a footpath on the right, with a waymarker post pointing to Chapel Hill. Take this footpath through the allotments and reach the United Reformed Church.Turn left and left again along the cobbled street, Chapel Hill.
(F) Chapel Hill is in the Groby Conservation area and contains a number of thatched cottages which are Grade II listed buildings. Numbers 23 to 27 were built in the 17th century, number 20 in the early 19th century and number 33 around 1800. The street was cobbled in 1976.
When the cobbles end, carry straight on to the T Junction and turn left downhill to the road opposite Barclays Bank. Turn right and pass the row of shops on the right.
(G) Straight in front is the Stamford Arms. Named after the Earl of Stamford, a descendant of Lady Jane Grey, it was built in the 1870s Originally the family home of the Everard brewing family it was converted into a pub In 1921 . This is a Grade II listed building.
[7] Turn right up Rookery Lane, between the Santander Bank and the Stamford Arms.
(H) There are two Grade II listed buildings on the Rookery Lane Conservation Area :- on the left is the thatched and timber framed Blacksmiths Cottage, built in the late 17th century and, at the top of the hill, on the right, is 26 Rookery Lane, the Doctor's Surgery, which was built in the late 18th century.
At the top of the hill turn left at the top onto The Rookery and follow it to its end, where you see the library and village hall opposite. turn right onto Leicester Road.
(I) The former village school, built in 1873, is also a Grade II listed building. It is situated next to the Village Hall which also functioned as the village school for many years until the opening of the new village schools when the village expanded. Note the nicely presented information board outside the library which tells you more about the village.
Keeping to the right hand pavement, continue to the bottom of the hill and reach a bus shelter.
[8] Turn right immediately beyond the bus shelter and ahead along Dalby Drive. Continue to the top then ahead on path between the houses. Turn left onto Sycamore Drive, continue round the right hand bend and take the second left turning into Old Hall Close. At the end of Old Hall Close take the footpath to the right, which leads back into Stamford park. Turn left back to the Stamford memorial and turn left, retracing your steps, back to the start.