Groby, which is pronounced grooby, is a Leicestershire village lying around five miles to the north-west of Leicester city.

It is famous for its historical links to two English Queens: nine-day monarch Lady Jane Grey and Elizabeth Woodville, who was married to Edward IV. More recently, survey results from a 2011 study based on data from local police, Ofsted, the Office for National Statistics and the Land Registry found that Groby was the best East Midlands’ location to raise children in.

Groby has a population of around 7,000 people and has experienced huge growth since the 1970s. It is within the Leicester Urban area and offers a range of property options, including thatched cottages and modern housing estates.

The village centre retains some character, and there are cobbled lanes along with the thatched cottages. Another historic landmark is the church of St Philip and St James. This was built in 1840 by the seventh Earl of Stamford, George Harry Grey, and sits on the Groby Castle site.

There is very little remaining of the castle itself, apart from a small hill which sits to the eastern side of the church and a manor house known as Groby Old Hall. In April 2010, an area behind the parish church and old hall was excavated by archaeologists working with the Time Team Channel 4 show.

The episode, which was shown on March 20 the following year, showed how whilst looking at the castle’s history the architects discovered a lost mansion and chapel dating from Medieval times.

The village centre is a hub of amenities for local residents and includes a range of shops and services, ranging from hairdressers to supermarkets, and is more than adequate to fulfil most daily needs.

For children and young people, there are five schools, including three primaries and two secondary schools, and a successful Scout troop, which has its base near to Martinshaw Woods.

One of the area’s most famous features is Groby Pool, which is said to be Leicestershire’s biggest natural stretch of open water. The 38-acre lake is the property of Hanson quarries but is English Nature-managed.

It was named as a Site of Special Scientific Interest in 1956 and is renowned as one of the county’s most significant areas for wildlife because of its lack of drainage. It is popular with both visitors and locals, although there is are strict no-fishing and no-bird-feeding policies in place.

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