Heritage and Culture | University of Leicester

Exploring our heritage – both cultural and natural – examines much of the human experience. We delve into our ancient history to explore and preserve some of our earliest cultural monuments, and research right through to the present day to discover how our heritage institutions can meet the changing needs of modern society. Read more.

Discovering a king

Professor Turi King and the genetic investigation that confirmed the identity of King Richard III.

Exploring medieval culture

Professor Joanna Story explores early medieval culture and art through well-travelled manuscripts from scholars and scribes of the time.

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Tracking alien invaders

Professor Mark Williams and his team explore the spread of non-native animals and plants and their global impact.

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Leicester’s literary anarchist

Dr Emma Parker explores the cultural significance of literary anarchist and Leicester native Joe Orton, over a half a century since his death.

Uncovering the relationship between humans and animals

Professor Richard Thomas explores the changing relationships between humans and animals in the past.

Combating loneliness and isolation

Using stories from Calke Abbey, HumanKind challenges the stigma that surrounds loneliness and isolation.

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A forward-thinking view of history

Professors Sue MacLeod and Richard Sandell lead on research that will radically transform how museums, galleries and heritage sites become more inclusive and relevant to today’s audiences.

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River monster

An extraordinary discovery by a team of palaeontologists, including Dr David Unwin, was published in Nature and potentially rewrites our understanding of how dinosaurs lived.

Waging war on cultural terrorism

Professor David Mattingly explains the importance of protecting archaeological heritage sites from cultural terrorism.

Britain’s colonial past reinterpreted

Dr Corinne Fowler leads on ‘Colonial Countryside’ – a study of Trust houses’ colonial connections revealed that over a third had direct links to the British Empire.

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