Market Harborough Travel Guide

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Dating from the early 1600s and built by one Robert Smyth, this is an interesting bit of architecture.

It's up on wooden 'stilts: Mr Smyth made it so, in order that the market folk would take shelter 'in time of foul weather'. Which was nice of him.

The brick part was added in the mid 1800s.

There is some pretty 'pargetting' on the white plasterwork.

The wood should be brown, and the plasterwork over the 'wattle and daub' should be cream.......it was the Victorian fashion to paint timber-framed buildings black and white. When it is next restored the building will revert to it correct colours.

It has not actually been a school for many, many decades, of course.

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Built in the 14th century, St Dionysius towers over the main street of Market Harborough.

Although quite old, it has little of historical interest inside (it's usually open on Saturdays for visitors) The stained glass is pretty, but not old.

Unusually, there are wooden galleries along the nave. These too are not especially old, but are not commonly seen in English churches.

The steeple was considered by Pevsner to be particularly pleasing.

St Dionysius was used by the Cromwellian 'Roundheads' as a 'prisoner-of-war' holding point during the English Civil War, after the nearby battle of Naseby in 1645.

I did spot a couple of old stone heads carved into the doorway. Photos with this tip.