erected by the Mayor and Burgesses,
in the fifteenth of Elizabeth, who granted them for that purpose, the
materials of the adjoining church of St. Peter.

On the opposite side of the street projects the gabel end of a building
once part of the _Blue Boar_, afterwards _Blue Bell_ inn, in ancient
times undoubtedly the principal inn of the place. The old over-hanging
window gave light to a chamber in which stood the bedstead, which has
been celebrated by the name of _King Richard's Bedstead_, from the
circumstance of his having slept in it a few nights preceding Bosworth
Fight.

Antiquaries have spoken of this bedstead as belonging to the king rather
than to the master of the house; and this opinion has been thought
favoured by the circumstance of a large sum in gold coin, partly of
Richard's reign, accidentally discovered in its double bottom. The
bedstead is of oak, highly ornamented with carved work, and is now, in
the possession of Tho. Babington Esq. M.P. There seems but little reason
to suppose that a Royal General while attending the march of his Army,
should unnecessarily encrease his baggage by so cumbrous a piece of
furniture, or that a Sovereign, guarded by nearly all the military force
of the Nation, should find it expedient to hide his gold like a private
unprotected person. The bedstead therefore, it may safely be inferred,
belonged, not to a monarch, but to the master of a good inn; and the
money was secreted in it by some person anxious to secure his property
from the dangers threatened by times of civil distraction.

At the bottom of _Blue Boar Lane_, which takes it name from the inn, is a
small Alms-house, founded 1712, by Matthew Simons Esq. for six Widows,
and endowed with 20_l._ 10_s._ annually.

The next observable object in the High Cross Street, is the TOWN GOAL.
It is a commodious building, with a handsome stone front, and built after
the plan of Howard--the Architect, Mr. W. Firmadge.

In taking down the old Goal for the erection of the present edifice, in
the year 1792, incorporated with the walls of the cells were discovered
the remains of the chapel of St John, supposed to have been destroyed
during the contests between Henry the Second and his Son. A regular
stone arch belonging to this chapel, of a circular form, with ornaments
of cheveron work, was carefully taken from among the ruins of the old
goal, and preserved by that industrious Antiquary and Historian of
Leicester, Mr. Thros