In 1877, Leicestershire County Cricket Club purchased the land where Grace Road now stands from the Duke of Rutland, investing a substantial £40,000 to develop a cricket club, athletic track, and hotel. Three months later, the ground hosted its first match, with Leicestershire taking on a touring Australian team. Interestingly, the road wasn’t named after the legendary cricketer W. G. Grace, as often assumed, but after Grace Margaret Yearby, the daughter of local property owner Edward John Yearby.
In 1901, Leicestershire CCC vacated Grace Road due to low match attendances, attributed to poor public transport links to the ground. The club relocated to a site near Aylestone Road to be closer to the city center. However, after the Second World War, Leicestershire returned to Grace Road in 1946 and has remained there ever since. In 1966, the club officially repurchased the land, solidifying its long-term base at the historic venue.