Frog Island, Leicester

Moreover, the opening of the Leicester to Swannington Railway in 1832 meant that the coal fields of Leicestershire were even better linked with the Soar and the Grand Union Canal, which extends as far as London.

These manufactured clothing, machinery (particularly for the production of textiles) and materials demanded by the city's hosiery trade, such as spun wool and dyes.

The western tip of the island was crossed by the Great Central Main Line, which linked Leicester with Sheffield and Nottingham in the north, and Marylebone station in the south.

The arches are constructed from the distinctive Staffordshire Blue bricks, and were part of the immense north viaduct which brought the line into central Leicester.

[6] The quality of the mill's architecture is evidenced by the building materials employed in its construction: colour tile, dressed stone, wrought iron and extensive glazing.

It is grade II listed and, with the Slater Street School and Frisby Jarvis works, forms part of a significant group of historic buildings.

It employed water power to drive its equipment, and the mill race – which is crossed by a distinctive Victorian iron bridge – still survives on the island.

The bridge was designed by Robert Stephenson,[14] and careful counterbalancing allowed it to be operated by hand from a booth at the side of the canal.

A disability arts charity, 27a Access Artspace, moved into an unused car showroom on Northgate Street at the beginning of 2008.

The West End Gallery also moved to Highcross Street, and an old mill building just by the canal is occasionally used by artists to host exhibitions and art events.

The project has produced a number of photographs, Ordnance Survey maps, and various other learning materials pertaining to Frog Island and licensed under the Creative Commons – Attribution – NonCommercial licence.