Welcome to the North Arden Heritage Trail.

trail running

The North Arden Heritage Trail project worked with local communities to establish a 25 mile circular heritage trail in North Warwickshire passing through the parishes of Atherstone, Mancetter, Hartshill, Ansley, Arley, Astley, Fillongley, Maxstoke, Shustoke, Nether Whitacre, Kingsbury, Baddesley Ensor and Merevele.

The trails foundation is the historic network of ancient tracks, farmers’ walks for driving livestock and delivering local produce or timber to market, and miners’ walk between their home, work, friends, family and place of worship. Historically the parishes had strong connections with its neighbours via trading, supply labour and materials.

About Us

We wish to thank the many local people who committed their time to help with this project, bringing a sense of pride and appreciation of their surrounding environment for the enjoyment of all.

Today the trail provides a unique opportunity to celebrate the craft industries, agriculture and the industrial past while forging new links between the parishes through the circular walks and trails.

The trail and the heritage on which it is based focuses on three themes and particularly how they interconnect.

These are:

The former textile trade (hatting, ribbon making, and weaving)

The wealth of natural resources i.e.

Early industrialists

There is no particular start or finish to the 25 mile trail route however starting in Atherstone (former centre for the hatting industry) the trail follows the Coventry canal (with its unique style of sign writing) in a clockwise direction to wards Mancetter (a site of Roman pottery industry), onto Hartshill Hayes (where manganese was discovered), Ansley (renown for ribbon making), Arley (whose coal was reputedly supplied to Victorian Royal family) Fillongley (home of the silk weavers), Shustoke (with its pumping house) Nether Whitacre (home of the Jennen’s Family) Hurley (with its mineral railway line) Baddesley, Merevale and finally Atherstone.

The trail particularly concentrates on the heritage from the 16th Century to the present day.

Childrens Activities: Family Fun For Free…

Click on the banners below to download our fun and games activity sheets. Choose from games like ‘Adders and Ladders’ or ‘Snake maze’ or download the Atherstone Family Trail and go out and about as you try to ‘Spot the shop decorations’. Take a look…

trail

Find Your Feet And Go Exploring

This major walking route promotes the area’s fascinating local heritage and distinctive landscapes. Where possible, the route has been developed to make it accessible for all.

For each parish walk you will find a downloadable leaflet giving a map and extra information, an interactive map featuring google maps and ordinance survey maps of the route and photos from along the trail.

Enjoy your Walk!

The Walks

To read about the walk in its entirety click here.

To view overall interactive map click here. If you use a GPS device you may wish to download the GPX files here.

Alternatively view the 12 parish walks which make up the trail below:

Ansley

A relatively easy walk through Ansley village and Ansley Common.

    

Arley

An easy walk through Arley woods and village.

    

Astley

A relatively easy walk connecting the villages of Astley and Ansley.

    

Atherstone

A demanding walk with fine views of the local countryside and interesting geological features.

    

Baddesley

A relatively easy walk taking in areas of our rural and industrial heritage.

    

Fillongley

Fillongley consists of two parts, each section of the Walk is 3 miles long, each taking 1½ hours.

    

Hartshill

The walk passes over the Coventry Canal at Wood Bridge.

    

Kingsbury

The walk leaves the main North Arden Heritage Trail in Hurley village.

    

Mancetter

A challenging walk encompassing the rural nature of North Warwickshire, with panoramic views across the Anker Valley.

    

Merevale

A relatively easy walk taking in areas of our rural and Industrial heritage.

    

Shustoke

Two relatively easy walks, with the third longer walk being more challenging.

    

Whitacre

This is a short, very easy walk, with the only steps over the footbridge across the railway line.

    

Enjoying Your Visit:

We want you to enjoy your visit, so please remember you will be sharing the countryside with:

Walkers Please:

The Trail Gallery

Ansley

In the centre of Ansley stands the heritage feature known simply as ‘The Boulder’. On this magnificent five tonne sandstone sculpture, artist Graeme Mitcheson has carved memories and reflections of Ansley’s heritage. You can easily spot carvings of ribbon making, coal mining and railways. However, some relate to legend and religion as a representation of a Norman carving in St Laurence’s Church shows a Christian’s fight with good and evil. Other elements include the Ludford family coat of arms, brook jumping and the local Great Crested Newt.



Arley

The people of Arley chose the snail bench as their heritage interpretation feature. School children took part in modelling workshops to develop the themes and ideas for this popular woodland seat. The back rest is carved with the first two lines of a poem by William Henry Davies called “Leisure”.

A unique feature of Arley Woods is its rare colony of Red Wood Ants (Formica rufa). These ants have been here for at least a hundred years and live in mounds built of forest material, like pine needles. These nests are usually on the edge of cleared areas, where they are sheltered from winds, but get plenty of sunlight. The carvings on the seat feature the ants, together with many other woodland residents, and a scene from the parish’s mining heritage. If you bring paper and crayons, you can make rubbings to take home and keep.



Astley

When artist Johnny White created Astley’s heritage feature, the new Lantern of Arden, he took his inspiration from the church. In the lantern’s windows, stainless steel panels mirror the ancient themes and history of the parish.

Three queens and the castle are represented. Sir Henry Grey hiding in an oak tree and the Victorian author, George Eliot, can all be found on the lantern, made from the same red sandstone as the church.



Atherstone

The Atherstone heritage feature is a ‘Tree of Life’ sculpture which illustrates parts of the town’s long heritage. The cast iron frame encases a living tree, showing that the town’s life and history are always changing and growing. The carved discs represent Atherstone’s canal and Market place and the ancient, infamous Ball Game. Atherstone’s adders climb the legs, and hats adorn the top.

The feature was created by Julie Edwards & Ron Thompson of Planet Art, Walsall Wood. Opposite the feature stands the old hat factory, now a listed building, for which a new use will be found soon.



Baddesley

This feature can be found on the main Arden Trail route as it crosses Baddesley Common, just off Newlands Road. Based on themes of nature, peace, tranquillity and the local coal mining heritage, Stroud based artist Ant Beetlestone used community suggestions and designs to develop and create two stone benches and a beautiful central birdbath.

Encouraging walkers to sit and rest awhile, one seat back is carved with images of nature on the Common whilst the other shows the toil of the underground coal miners.



Fillongley

Fillongley’s heritage interpretation feature is ‘The Family’. Carved by Graeme Mitcheson from sandstone, it shows the family group with each member holding a representation of local heritage.

The father - a lamb, for its farming history. The mother - a lantern, recalling the light that used to always burn in the church to remember villagers who had passed away. The daughter - a banner of silk, to remember the towns ancient silk weaving industry and showing part of the historic De Hastings family coat of arms. The son - a loaf of bread, a tribute to the village’s ancient mill and a reminder that the village was at one time self-sufficient.



Kingsbury

A sculpture by Julie Edwards & Ron Thompson of Planet Art, Walsall Wood is a beautiful granite bench seat, over which a cast iron carved arch stands proud. It is filled with images of the areas industrial heritage - mining, the brickworks, the mill, the oil refinery, as well as agricultural carvings, images of the Water Park and the Coat of Arms of The Bracebridge Family who were historic residents of Kingsbury Hall.

The trinity of villages, Kingsbury, Wood End and Hurley are all depicted in this sculpture.



Mancetter

Mancetter’s Jubilee Quarry has an exciting feature for walkers to enjoy, to stop for a bite to eat and a well-earned rest or just to pause and enjoy the surroundings. The six stones that make up the sculpture were carved by artist Ant Beetlestone and each stone represents Mancetter’s Roman history and the story of Queen Boudicca.

Visit the piece and you’ll see carvings of Celtic trumpet blowers announcing the charge into battle, Boudicca taking up arms against the oppression of the Romans, and faces representing the spirits of the dead… the ghosts that are said to march up the track, past the benches themselves. The artist used the volcanic rock diorite which is mined at Mancetter Quarry. It is known as ‘salt and pepper’ because of its colouring, and was donated by the quarry owners, Tarmac.



Shustoke

The Shustoke heritage interpretation feature takes the form of series of stepping stones across the green created by artist Michael Scheuermann. Each granite stone represents an aspect of Shustoke’s natural or industrial heritage: the railway, Blythe Hall and the church are amongst those featured.



Whitacre

The Whitacre heritage trail interpretation feature was carved by stone sculptor Graeme Mitcheson. The twisting sandstone tower brings together river and railway, farming and nature, which all meet at its peak, just as all aspects of traditional village life come together here.

Contact Us

For issues concerning the Heritage Interpretation Features, Interpretation Boards please contact North Warwickshire Borough Council:

Email: customerservices@northwarks.gov.uk
Tel: 01827 715341 (Mon-Fri: 08.30 - 20.00, Sat: 09.00 - 16.00)
Fax: 01827 719225

Write to:

North Warwickshire Borough Council
South Street
Atherstone
Warwickshire
CV9 1DE

For issues concerning footpaths and bridleways and any other public rights of way please contact Warwickshire County Council:

Rights of Way Team

Email paths@warwickshire.gov.uk
Telephone 01926 412824
Address

Warwickshire County Council
PO Box 43
Shire Hall
Warwick
CV34 4SX

Visit our website at www.warwickshire.gov.uk/rightsofway for more information about public rights of way in Warwickshire