An impressive new mural celebrating the history of Leicester Market through the centuries has been created overlooking Green Dragon Square.
The huge artwork overlooks the new route connecting Town Hall Square to the historic market, which dates back to medieval times and has been the site of numerous key events in Leicester’s history.
It has been undertaken by Graffwerk, the city-based organisation behind many of the other landmark murals and public art around the city centre, including those at the recently-created Savoy Street off Belgrave Gate, the LCB Depot in Rutland Street and Europe’s tallest painted artwork on the side of the landmark blue building at the top of Granby Street.
The mural features images of landmarks including the Fish Market and Corn Exchange, as well as links to long-lost 16th century buildings at the site, including the Lion and Dolphin Inn, the White Swan Inn, the Angel Inn, Bull’s Head Inn and the Green Dragon Inn from which the present day market square takes its name.
Suffragette Alice Hawkins, who would have given public speeches in the market a century ago as part of the fight to allow women to vote, is also commemorated in the artwork, as is the UK’s first Labour Prime Minister, Ramsay Macdonald, who was a Leicester MP in the early 1900s.
Images of traders, local produce such as Stilton and Red Leicester cheeses, and vintage market scenes complete the colourful artwork.
