Trinity Hospital, Leicester, Guida per visitatori e cosa fare nei dintorni

Trinity Hospital is a red brick almshouse in the Newarke area of Leicester, founded in 1331 by the Earl of Leicester and Lancaster. Its buildings look fairly modern, but the foundation behind them is medieval and tied to the Plantagenet family. It is a quiet stop beside Leicester's castle quarter.

The story behind it

The hospital dates back to 1331, when the Earl of Leicester and Lancaster, a member of the Plantagenet family, established it. The Lancasters were a branch of the same royal house as Richard III. In the Middle Ages a hospital was not only for the sick. It was also an almshouse, a place that gave shelter and care to the poor, so a person in one of its beds might simply have had nowhere else to go.

The chapel is linked with Lady Mary Hervey, a benefactor of the hospital. She is traditionally remembered as governess to the children of Henry IV, and her tomb is said to lie in the chapel. The red brick buildings you see from the street are much later than the medieval foundation, which is why the place can surprise people who expect something older looking.

What to look for

• The red brick frontage looks far younger than the 1331 foundation it represents, so see if you can spot the contrast with the older stonework nearby.
• The chapel is the heart of the site and holds the tomb of Lady Mary Hervey, so ask whether it can be seen when you visit.
• The almshouse layout, with its low buildings and courtyard feel, shows how care for the poor was organised around a shared community space.
• The surrounding Newarke streets, with the castle quarter close by, show how this medieval religious and charitable district sat next to the seat of the Lancastrian earls.

Tips for your visit

• Allow 10 to 15 minutes to look at the building from outside and take in the setting, longer if you combine it with nearby sights.
• Check current opening hours and access before you go if you hope to see the chapel, as the site is not a standard museum.
• It is still a place where people live, so keep voices low and respect the privacy of residents.
• Pair it with the nearby castle area and the centre of Leicester, which are an easy walk away, and visit in daylight for the best view of the brickwork.

See it on a quest

You can reach Trinity Hospital on foot as one stop of Richard the Third's Leicester, a self-guided quest through the city's medieval past. The app tells you about each place as you arrive and sets you a puzzle based on what is in front of you, so you look closely at the building rather than just walking past. There is no guide and no group to join, you can start whenever suits you, and one ticket covers the whole group.