North Arden Heritage Trail

Welcome to the North Arden Heritage Trail.

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.

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. 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.