Wigston, or Wigston Magna, is a town in the Oadby and Wigston district of Leicestershire, England, just south of Leicester on the A5199. It had a population of 32,321 in 2011.
The Grand Union Canal runs along a southern route below Wigston from Newton Harcourt , Kilby Bridge , and for several miles through South Wigston, Glen Parva , Blaby and on towards Leicester.
Wigston's population of approximately 32,000 live in both the post-war private suburban housing estates surrounding the old town centre, and the 19th century buildings now sandwiched between modern housing developments. The oldest of the post-war developments is Wigston Fields north of Wigston towards Knighton and Leicester; the Meadows and Little Hill estates were developed in the 1970s and 1980s to the east and south of Wigston's old centre. Wigston Harcourt is an area of housing developed up until the early 1990s between the Little Hill and Meadows estates. These three estates mark the boundary of the greater Leicester urban area, beyond which lies agricultural land.
the Middle Ages it was known as Wigston Two Spires as, unusually, there were two mediaeval churches there, All Saints' and St Wistan's.
St Wistan's is so called because it was one of the places where the body of Wigstan rested before burial. Wigstan was a Mercian prince who was assassinated, but was regarded as a martyr. He was initially buried at Repton, but his body was then moved to Evesham.
All Saints' (illustrated above right) a fine medieval building in the Transitional style has a western steeple (one of the finest in the county); from the tower three monster arches lead into the nave; beneath a sepulchral arch is a coffin lid surmounted by a headless figure. Harvey, Alfred & Crowther-Beynon, V. B. (1924) Leicestershire and Rutland; 2nd ed. London: Methuen; p. 165
Wigston was the subject of W. G. Hoskins's pioneering historical study, The Midland Peasant (London: Macmillan, 1965), which traced the social history of this town from earliest recorded history into the 19th century.
Henry Davis Pochin, the manufacturing chemist who later owned the Bodnant Estate (now the National Trust's Bodnant Garden), was born in Wigston, son of another notable householder, William Pochin.
There is a Stocking frame Museum here, as it was an important occupation in this area from the 17th to 19th centuries. Hosiery manufacture continued to be an important industry in the town after the decline of hand process of framework knitting with manufacturing firms such as Two Steeples, George Deacon and sons, Wigston Co-Operative Hosiers, A H Broughton and William Holmes. In neighbouring South Wigston Henry Bates was the leading hosiery manufacturer.
In January 2022 W. H. Cox greengrocers located on Leicester Road (opposite Bell Street) announced it would be closing after trading for 134 years.
Wigston Academy is the secondary school for the area. It was formed in September 2015 from the merger of Abington Academy and Bushloe High School. Wigston College (formerly known as Guthlaxton College) is the post-16 provider for the area. Both institutions are part of Wigston Academies Trust.
Wigston Birkett House Community Special School is a special school located in the town that serves the wider area.
South Leicestershire College is a large further education provider for the area. It was rebuilt on Canal Street, South Wigston in 2010.
1461 (Wigston) Squadron of the Air Training Corps is located in Tigers Road, South Wigston, and recruits many members from the schools in Wigston.
Local radio stations are BBC Radio Leicester, Capital East Midlands, Smooth East Midlands, Hits Radio East Midlands, Greatest Hits Radio Midlands, and Cross Counties Radio, a community based radio station.
The town is served by the local newspaper, Leicester Mercury (formerly Oadby, Wigston & Blaby Mail).
Wigston Magna and the surrounding estates are served by bus services operated by Arriva Midlands and Centrebus.
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