Woodgate, Leicester

[2] The majority of the housing in Woodgate dates from the beginning of the 20th century, and like Newfoundpool was developed mainly by local builder Orson Wright.

In the past Woodgate had a significant number of active factories, including hosiery, dyeworks, an iron foundry, light engineering and biscuit manufacture.

The former pubs, "The Friar Tuck" and "The Old Robin Hood" have long been derelict and been the scenes of crime including a murder[citation needed].

The former Nabisco factory site, home to a few small businesses and local Labour party offices was demolished in April 2008.

[4] How effective this was is unknown, but it is said that in 1645, during the English Civil War, with the Royalist forces besieging the city, the church tower was demolished as it commanded the North Bridge.

[4] For the next 230 years St Leonard's was a parish without a church, although the burial ground remained in use until after the opening of Welford Road Cemetery in 1849.

Services were initially held in the school, and in 1876 work began on the new church, situated on the corner of Woodgate and Abbey Gate.

[5] Built in an austere version of Gothic Revival architecture, mainly from Mountsorrel granite, the church had been designed by Leicester architects Frederick Webster Ordish and John Charles Traylen, and the final cost was £7,600.

The former Midland railway line is now a cycle/foot path leading in the direction of Glenfield and Groby to the north, and towards Leicester city centre to the south.