The UK's Leicester Was Once Europe’s Wool Capital

September 23, 2025

When you hear talk about Leicester today, you might think of football glory, a buzzing multicultural city, or the echoes of Richard III. But roll the clock back to the Middle Ages, and Leicester was famous for something else entirely: wool.

From the rolling fields of Leicestershire came some of the finest fleeces in Europe. The county’s sheep produced long, strong wool that Flemish weavers adored. Flemish clothmakers were the best in the business, and they were willing to pay handsomely for Leicester’s golden fleece.

This trade turned Leicester into one of the wealthiest towns in medieval Europe. Merchants prospered, guilds flourished, and wealth poured into the city, funding churches, civic buildings, and a growing middle class.

The prosperity was so great that Leicester became synonymous with sheep, giving rise to the enduring nickname for locals: “woolly-backs.” Whether it referred to men driving sheep to market or carrying fleeces on their backs, the name stuck, a woolly badge of honour.

Leicester wasn’t alone in its success. Lincoln, Norwich, and Coventry all grew fat on wool and cloth. But Leicester’s reputation stood out for both quality and volume, and it helped anchor England’s wider dominance in the wool trade. The riches of sheep farming and wool exports didn’t just build towns; they built a kingdom’s strength.

So, if you're from Leicester, the next time someone calls you a woolly-back, remember: it’s not an insult. It’s a reminder that Leicester once clothed Europe, built its fortunes on fleeces, and helped put England on the map as a trading powerhouse.