Leave the park by the exit on the left and opposite is the Carnegie Library

Seven Old Boys have been Mayor of Loughborough and there are currently three councillors who are Old Boys. The original mayoral chain, mace and borough arms were designed by Ernest Baldwin (LGS 1866-72) and the mace was given by Marmaduke Barrowcliff, father of George.

After walking through the market place, turn left and on your right are the Echo Offices.

The Echo Offices

Loughborough Grammar School moved here in 1825 along with the Writing, Reading and Hickling Schools. In 1840 these become the High School (which was for boys) and the Lancasterian School for Boys and Girls. In 1931 it was demolished to enable a widening of the road and the Lancasterian Schools to become Limehurst School. The new road was called Lemyngton Street after Ralph Lemyngton, who was executor of Thomas Burton’s will and was responsible for funding of the early School. The School adopted his arms as its shield in 1873.

Continue walking along Church Gate and turn left into Steeple Row. Proceed past the Church until you reach Rectory Place.

11 Chesterton House

In 1850, as the Grammar School planned to move, the Lancasterian Girls’ School moved here and was called the Upper Girls’ School. This was the first Girls’ Grammar School in England and a plaque commemorating this is on the wall.

Designed by Allcock in 1931 the cream faience tiles were created by Hathernware Ltd whose chairmen were George Hodson (LGS 1896-91) and F Walter Hodson (LGS 1881-88). The School’s Hall bears the family name thanks to a generous bequest.

Retrace your steps and enter the Churchyard and head to the Church.

Slightly retrace your steps and turn left onto Church Gate, going under the arch. Cross Fennel Street and to the right of where you are standing is the site of the 1825 Church Gate School.

As you approach the church, look to the right immediately above the west door and you will see Ralph Lemyngton’s shield. As you enter the church, above the porch is the small room where, according to tradition, the School started in 1495. As it expanded it moved to the chancel and by 1553 there were 140 boys. On entering the church directly opposite you on the north wall is the charity board which includes details of Thomas Burton’s endowments. On your right is the Burton Chapel, the

idea of Canon George Briggs (LGS 1891- 93) in 1930, and designed by Allcock. The oak screen was added as a war memorial after WW2. Here you can see the tablet in Latin commemorating Thomas Burton and, behind the panels on the right, the 1545 Burton Chantry Certificate. Look at the east window. This is a memorial to Bishop George Davys (LGS 1789-98) who was tutor to Queen Victoria and Bishop of Peterborough and who laid the School’s foundation stone in Burton Walks in 1850. You will see a long memorial plaque to him to the left of the window. www.allsaintsloughborough.org.uk

The School left the Church and moved into a purpose built two-storey building in 1593, illustrated here, which was rebuilt in 1748 at a cost of £214. It stayed here until 1825.

Head to the right of Caravelli’s Restaurant, along Sparrow Hill and then turn right into Baxter Gate. On your right is Beacon Bingo.

14 Beacon Bingo

Originally the Odeon Cinema, it opened in 1936 and was regarded as the showcase building for the Hodsons’ Hathernware. (See Loughborough Echo Offices) F W Hodson was also an engineer and he built the Blackbrook Reservoir in 1906 which supplied the town.

On leaving the Church, turn left and walk towards Lowe’s antique shop. On your left, roughly where the brick toilets of the Windmill Pub are, was the Tudor School. Continue along Baxter Gate until you come to ‘Baxter Store’ on your right.

In 1888 William Charles (LGS 1872-75) opened his first shop here. For the next 64 years their products were regarded as the best in the world and the company expanded to new premises in 1912. He was Mayor 1919-1921.

Almost immediately you come to the courtyard for Loughborough Baptist Church.

16 Loughborough Baptist Church Courtyard

Here there are two war memorials. On the right you will see the names of Old Boys W E Bourne and W F Kent and, on the building on the left, Sydney Corah, Howard Moss and Albert Purnell, five of the 58 Old Boys killed in the Great War.

Not on the trail but worth visiting. The east side of Taylor’s Bell Foundry was designed by Allcock and Barrowcliff in 1898. In 1900 the School was presented with its bell by Taylor’s to mark its education of four brothers:

John (LGS 1861-69); Pryce (LGS 1868-75); E Denison (LGS 1872-79) and Owen (LGS 1876-83). Details at www.taylorbells.co.uk

Continue to the end of Baxter Gate and the end of the trail. The Market Place is to your right and turning left and heading down the A6 takes you back to the School.

Loughborough Grammar School Burton Walks Loughborough LE11 2DU 01509 233233 grammar.office@lsf.org www.lsf.org/grammar

Map drawn by Janet Anderton If you have enjoyed the trail and want to know more about the School’s history visit the digital archive at www.lgs-heritage.org