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Why is our history important?
In the 21st Century, we tend to focus on present problems or to look
forward to a brighter and better future. So why consider the
past?
History places present experiences in context. It tells
us how society reached its present position or predicament. It helps
us to judge the present and to understand what is happening
today. History shows us where each of us stands in the long
march of everyman and everywoman.
In Leicester, for instance, the
public transport system has its roots in the canal system, and
then in the age of steam. Leicester's first rail link
connected the coalfields of North-west Leicestershire to
Leicester, and enabled coal to be exported from the area to
markets in the south of England even during the winter months
when rainfall made the byways impassable to heavy-laden carts,
and when, conversely, coal was most needed for heating.
Today, freight trains make a similar journey, from the East
Midlands to the south coast, but now carry gravel instead of
coal.
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The access for the merchant's heavily laden carts to Leicester's
markets even `moved' the axis of the town eastwards. The route
northwards towards Leicester along the Welford Road was
superseded by the route through Market Harborough because the
latter was improved as a result of turnpiking. The merchants
arriving in Leicester along this improved route then found
themselves on the eastern boundaries of the town.
The small alleys that now link Gallowtree Gate to the Market
Place were created to enable goods to be carried into the town
through gaps in the town walls. Eventually, the town's market
also moved eastwards to its present location where previously
only the Saturday Market had been held. The
construction of the Shires Shopping Mall prompted renewed
development of the area west of the town walls, and has
encouraged a trend towards moving the axis of the modern city
back towards its original location. This trend is
continuing with the present development of the Mall and its
renaming as the Highcross Quarter. |
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History also speaks to us of power
and influence. Arguably, the first `power' in Leicester was
the might of Roman military rule. Centuries later, the Earls of
Leicester ruled the town from their castle above the Newarke. Later still the
merchants gained power, hence the rise of the gilds. The
image above is from the Guildhall in Leicester established by the Gild
of Corpus Christi.
The Guildhall today represents also other bodies that once held
power and may still hold power. It served as the first Town Hall
(the power of democracy), and as the first Police Station (the
power of the law) and Leicester's first library (the power
enabled by learning.) |
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We must consider too, the important
role of the power of faith. Over many centuries, Leicester
and Leicestershire provided a place of sanctuary (if not overt
support) for men of faith. John Wycliffe lived his final
years in the county under the protection of John of Gaunt
(another power). We can also number Hugh Latimer, Philip
Doddridge, George Fox, William Carey and Robert Hall as men of
a particular faith who were closely associated with this
region.
The village Parish Church is still a powerful symbol in so many
peoples' lives. Even those who claim to have no faith will
pass sometimes through the doors of their parish church for
baptisms, weddings, school concerts and plays, or funerals.
Agnostics and even atheists will protest loudly if a building
development threatens their local churchyard.
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the part that history plays in the way people think. Those
who celebrate the success of their local football club do so
because they relate the club's present position to its past
performance. Politicians justify the performance of
Government by comparing today's statistics, on unemployment or
trade, with those of the past. Even our popular
entertainment industry knows that there is money to be made by
mining the vaults of our memories. |
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So take a walk through
Leicestershire's amazing past. This image is of the Roman Gartree Road during the winter of 2003. At the very moment this
photograph was taken, much of the City of Leicester was
grid-locked. Out in the countryside, the lines of
communication were still open. |
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