Oadby and Wigston, Borough in Leicestershire, England
Oadby and Wigston is a non-metropolitan district in the south of Leicestershire, England, made up of two towns of similar size sitting just outside Leicester. The area is largely residential, with local shopping streets, parks, and the kind of low-rise housing common across the English Midlands.
The district was formed in 1974 when the former urban districts of Oadby and Wigston were merged as part of a nationwide reform of local government in England. Wigston itself traces its roots much further back and appears in the Domesday Book of 1086 under the name Wichingestone.
The Framework Knitters Museum in Wigston displays the history of textile production through exhibits that show how important this work was to local families. Visitors can see the tools and learn about the craftspeople who shaped the region's identity.
The district lies just south of Leicester and is easy to reach from the city by bus or car, with both Oadby and Wigston having their own local centres. If you plan to visit any specific facility or office, it is worth checking opening times in advance as they can vary.
Wigston was once a major centre for the framework knitting trade across the East Midlands, and the town still has a museum dedicated to this craft that preserves original workshops where families both lived and worked under the same roof. This combination of home and workshop in a single building was common across the region and gives a very different picture of early industry compared to the large factory model.
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