LEICESTERSHIRE, an inland county of England, in
form almost circular. It has Nottinghamshire and
Derbyshire to the north; Rutlandshire and Lincoln-
shire on the east; Warwickshire on the west, from
which it is parted by the Roman military way called
Watling-street; and by Northamptonshire on the south;
and is about 170 miles in circumference. As it lies
at a great distance from the sea, and is free from
bogs and marshes, the air is sweet and wholesome. It
is a champaign country in general, and abundantly
fertile in corn and grass, being watered by several ri-
vers, as the Soure, or Sare, which passes through the
middle of it, and abounds in excellent salmon and other
fish; the Wreke, Trent, Eye, Sense, Auker, and
Aven. These rivers being mostly navigable, greatly
facilitate the trade of the county. In some parts
there is a great scarcity of fuel, both wood and coal;
but in the more hilly parts there is plenty of both, to-
gether with great flocks of sheep. Besides wheat, bar-
ley, oats, and pease, it produces the best beans in
England. They grow so tall and luxuriant in some
places, particularly about Barton in the Beans, that
they look, towards the harvest time, like a forest; and
the inhabitants eat them not only when they are green
as in other places, but all the year round; for which
reason their neighbours nickname them bean bellies.
They have plenty of good wool, of which they not on-
ly make great quantities of stockings, but send a great
quantity unmanufactured into other parts of England.
They make great profit of their corn and pulse; and
likewise breed great numbers of coach and dray horses.
It is not uncommon to rent grass farms from 500l. to
2000l. a-year. It is in the midland circuit, and
diocese of Lincoln: and sends four members to
parliament, two for Leicester, and two for the coun-
ty. It contains 200 parishes; and had 150,419 inhabi-
tants in 1811.