A historic Leicestershire community dating back to 1107
Freemen of the City of Leicester
Since 1107
Leicester Freemen's Estate, The Gild of Freemen and Freemen's Holt
The Freemen of the City of Leicester are an ancient body of people whose origins can be traced back to medieval history. It is recorded in the Domesday Book that in 1086 there were 65 burgesses (townsmen with certain privileges) in the borough of Leicester, and it is those burgesses who were the predecessors of today's Freemen.
In approximately the year 1107, Robert, Count of Meulan granted the merchants of Leicester a Charter, re-affirming their rights and laying the foundations for generations of Leicester Freemen, a proud and thriving community to this very day.
Three Arms, One Community
1. The Freemen of the City of Leicester can trace their origins back to 1107 but these days the body that represent the Freemen is Leicester Freemen's Estate Charity which is administered by the Board of Deputies, acting as trustees.
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2. Freemen's Holt, purchased following the sale of previous Freemen land known as Freemen's Common and now providing safe and secure housing for aged needy Freemen and their spouce', widows or widowers. Freemen's Holt is also the hub of the charity with a community centre and social events for all Freemen. The head office is also on site.
3. The Gild of Freemen, launched in 1976 by a small group of freemen who got together with the collective objective of providing means by which freemen could meet and get together socially. Membership is open to all Freemen for the benefit of them and their families and the Gild maintain a mutually beneficial relationship with the City Council to raise the profile of Freemen within the city.
Together, these three arms come together as one community which is embraced by this website as a central communication tool. We hope that it helps to keep you informed and in touch!
Allotments
