Standing in the centre of Leicester, The High Cross is a historic monument marking what was once the crossroads of the two principal Roman streets of the ancient settlement of Ratae Corieltauvorum. The intersection of Fosse Way and the road running north to south through the Roman town placed this spot at the geographical and civic heart of Leicester for nearly two thousand years. Today the monument occupies a prominent position near St Nicholas Circle, within easy reach of the city’s Roman Quarter and close to the remains of the Jewry Wall, one of the largest surviving pieces of Roman civil masonry in Britain.
The Monument Itself
The current structure is a stone pillar topped with a sundial, erected in the eighteenth century to commemorate the ancient crossroads. It replaces earlier markers that stood at the same location through the medieval period, when the High Cross was a recognised point for public gatherings and market trading. The surrounding area retains traces of Leicester’s layered history, with Roman, Saxon, and medieval remains all within a short walk.