United Kingdom · England · Leicester
Black Friars, Leicester — Area Guide & Where to Stay
Roman ground, and civic ground. Black Friars holds Ratae Corieltauvorum, Leicester Castle and the Jewry Wall Museum within one quarter of Leicester.
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Where to stay in Black Friars
Where the beds are, and what that means for the visit.
This quarter holds the sights, so it holds most of the reasons to book nearby: Leicester Castle, the Leicester Guildhall and the King Richard III Visitor Centre all stand within the same few streets. Walking beats any other option. The Haymarket Memorial Clock Tower, the Jewry Wall Museum and Newarke Houses Museum give three fixed points for judging how far a room really is from the sights.
Book close to the Guildhall.
Find hotels in Black Friars
Direct booking searches for these neighbourhoods.
Castle and Guildhall streets
The castle precinct, the Leicester Guildhall and the Church of St Mary de Castro, Leicester form one walkable knot inside Black Friars.Find hotels in Castle and Guildhall streetsTravellers here for Ratae Corieltauvorum and the Jewry Wall MuseumJewry Wall side
Rooms on this side of Black Friars sit nearest the Roman remains and the Leicester Austin Friary ground. Beds are limited here, so book early.Find hotels in Jewry Wall sideArrivals wanting the Haymarket Memorial Clock Tower as their orientation pointHaymarket Memorial Clock Tower
The clock tower is the plainest meeting point in Black Friars, and the King Richard III Visitor Centre lies a few minutes on foot.Find hotels in Haymarket Memorial Clock TowerHotel links are affiliate links: booking through them may earn us a commission, at no extra cost to you. It never affects how places are ranked. How this works
Things to do in and around Leicester
Ranked by global recognition; descriptions from Wikidata (CC0).
Museums & Galleries
3- King Richard III Visitor Centre
- Jewry Wall Museum
- Guru Nanak Sikh Museum
Churches & Religious Sites
5- Greyfriars, Leicester Heritage
- Church of St Mary de Castro, Leicester Heritage
- St Nicholas' Church, Leicester Heritage
- St Margaret's Church, Leicester Heritage
- All Saints Church, Leicester Heritage
Castles & Historic Sites
3- Jewry Wall: remains of a Roman bath house, palaestra and Anglo-Saxon church Heritage
- Ratae Corieltauvorum
- Leicester Castle
Stadiums & Sports
1- Barker's Ground
Landmarks & Notable Places
6- Chantry House Heritage
- Wyggeston House Heritage
- 39 and 41 Friar Lane Heritage
- Castle House Heritage
- Clarence House Heritage
Show 1 more →
- Skeffington House Heritage
worth knowingacross 5 categories in and around Leicester
About Black Friars
What are the main landmarks in Black Friars?
Few districts carry this many. Leicester Castle, the Leicester Guildhall and the Church of St Mary de Castro, Leicester cluster in the old civic heart, with St Nicholas' Church, Leicester close beside them. The Roman layer is separate.
Ratae Corieltauvorum underlies the Jewry Wall Museum, while Newarke Houses Museum, the Leicester Austin Friary and the King Richard III Visitor Centre spread the story across later centuries. Greyfriars, Leicester adds a second friary name.
What is the history of Black Friars?
Rome came first. Ratae Corieltauvorum stood on this ground, and the Jewry Wall remains of a Roman bath house, palaestra and Anglo-Saxon church still mark the point where the town began. Later centuries built over it.
Leicester Castle, the Leicester Guildhall, the Leicester Austin Friary and Greyfriars, Leicester belong to the medieval town, while the King Richard III Visitor Centre carries a royal name into the same few streets. Museums hold what survives.
Where is Black Friars?
Black Friars is central Leicester. Its ground holds the Roman site of Ratae Corieltauvorum beneath a quarter of museums, churches and Leicester Castle.
Common questions
What is the best area to stay in Black Friars?
Castle and Guildhall streets: Stays that put Leicester Castle and the Leicester Guildhall at the end of the street. Jewry Wall side: Travellers here for Ratae Corieltauvorum and the Jewry Wall Museum. Haymarket Memorial Clock Tower: Arrivals wanting the Haymarket Memorial Clock Tower as their orientation point.
Good for
More areas in Leicester
Updated October 2026