Leicester, England, United Kingdom — Northwestern Europe (the British Isles)

Chantry House and Skeffington House

Photographed By Michael Herrick, August 12, 2018

1. Chantry House and Skeffington House Marker

Inscription. The Wigston Family and Leicester
Chantry House and Skeffington House Two Tudor houses in the heart of modern Leicester
William Wigston’s Chantry House was added to the Newarke precinct around 1511. William Wigston was a wealthy Leicester wool merchant and town benefactor. The Chantry House was built as a home for two priests who said masses and prayers for the souls of the royal family and William Wigston himself. Around 1600 the Chantry House became a grand domestic residence.

Skeffington House, built between 1560 and 1583, is the only surviving Elizabethan urban gentry house in Leicestershire. Thomas Skeffington, the house’s first owner, was sheriff of Leicestershire at the time of the Spanish Armada. John Whatton, the house’s third owner and part of Charles I’s royal household, was on the Siege of Leicester Committee during the English Civil War. The house, originally of rubble stone like the Chantry House, was much altered by its 18th-century owners. They built a brick extension and clad everything in stucco (plaster) to give it an elegant Georgian appearance.

What remains of the two houses today? Fortunately the Chantry House survived bomb damage during World War II and now both houses form Newarke Houses Museum. Features of the original buildings and their past owners remain.

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William Wigston’s coat of arms and a partition wall survive inside the Chantry House. The elegant panelling and grand staircase added by William Wright to Skeffington House in the 18th century are also evident, as are his initials over the front gate.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Notable Buildings.

Location. 52° 37.895′ N, 1° 8.338′ W. Marker is in Leicester, England. Marker is at the intersection of The Newarke and Castle View, on the right when traveling west on The Newarke. Located in front of the Newarke Houses Museum on the campus of De Montfort University. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Leicester, England LE2 7GZ, United Kingdom. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. The Whipping Toms (within shouting distance of this marker); The Collegiate Church (within shouting distance of this marker); Municipal Technical & Art Schools (within shouting distance of this marker); Visit of the Queen (within shouting distance of this marker); Church of the Annunciation (within shouting distance of this marker); Newarke Gateway (within shouting distance of this marker); The South Gate (within shouting distance of this marker); The Magazine (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Leicester.

Also see . . .

Photographed By Michael Herrick, August 12, 2018

2. Chantry House and Skeffington House Marker

De Montfort University. (Submitted on October 17, 2018, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut.)

Newarke Houses Museum image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Michael Herrick, August 12, 2018

3. Newarke Houses Museum

Credits. This page was last revised on January 27, 2022. It was originally submitted on October 17, 2018, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut. This page has been viewed 162 times since then and 31 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on October 17, 2018, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut.