Anstey, Leicestershire

Anstey is a semi-industrialised village in Leicestershire, located northwest of Leicester in the borough of Charnwood. Its population is c.6000. The village is separated from Leicester by the Rothley Brook, Castle Hill Park and the A46, and it borders the villages of Glenfield, Groby, Newtown Linford, Cropston and Thurcaston. To the west lies Bradgate Park.

Famous past Anstey residents include Ned Lud (machine-wrecker, whose name was appropriated by the Luddites), and Snooker player and commentator Willie Thorne.

Anstey is known as the Gateway to Charnwood Forest. It is a combination of traditional English village (with thatched cottages and its village green) and an industrial town (with several 19th century hosiery factories, many of which are now being turned into apartments).

The centre of the village is The Nook, where all the main shops are located (including 2 banks, a building society, pharmacy, bakers, greengrocers and hairdressers). There are also a supermarket (the brand new Co-op store – a second supermarket, Alldays, closed down at the end of 2004) and a variety of pubs and smaller shops (including a deli, giftshops and old fashioned furniture shops). There are also a variety of CofE, Baptist, UR and Methodist churches.

Anstey has plenty of opportunities for take away or eat in food, ranging from Fish and Chips through Chinese and Indian to traditional English tearooms.

The traditional english cottages and large houses of Bradgate Road change into terraced houses in the old industrial area, and then modern suburbia out towards Link Road, where the Anstey Martin school can be found. Just off the Nook is Latimer primary school, named after Bishop Latimer.

The Rothley Brook flows through the village on its way to the River Soar, and there are two ancient bridges (the Packhorse Bridge and King William's Bridge) and an old Water Mill.

Nearby Glenfield is the home of Leicestershire county council, and all the shops and facilities of the city can be found about 2 miles away in Leicester. Hotel accommodation can also be found in Glenfield, at the Gynsills Hotel and The Brant Inn.

Bradgate Park, childhood home of Lady Jane Grey stretches above the village, between the two neighbouring villages of Newtown Linford and Cropston. For transport, Anstey is served by regular bus services to Leicester, Glenfield and Loughborough, and the Beaumont Leys Shopping Centre (about a mile away) where there is a Tesco Hypermarket, as well as Smiths, Argos, Wilkinsons, Boots and many other big name shops. By road, Anstey is just off the A46 Leicester Western Bypass, which provides a fast link to the M1 Southbound to London, with the A50 providing access to the M1 North.

External links

• Grid reference: SK545085