Points of interest The Enjoying Your Visit 1. The Fillongley Heritage Feature. Fillongley’s heritage interpretation feature is We want you to enjoy your visit, so ‘The Family’. Carved by Graeme Mitcheson from FILLONGLEY please remember you will be sharing sandstone, it shows the family group with each member holding a representation of local heritage. Parish Walk the countryside with: The father - a lamb, for its farming history. The • Other visitors enjoying themselves mother - a lantern, recalling the light that used to The Fillongley Parish walk is a • People who live in the countryside always burn in the church to remember villagers who had passed away. The daughter - a banner of silk, to waymarked route off The North • Wildlife and farm animals remember the towns ancient silk weaving industry and showing part of the historic De Hastings family Arden Heritage Trail. This is a _ Walkers PLEASE: coat of arms. The son - a loaf of bread, a tribute project which has worked with to the village’s ancient mill and a reminder that the • Wear suitable footwear and clothes village was at one time self-sufficient. local communities to establish • Keep your dog under close control 2. There are great views over the landscape from • Leave gates and property as you find them up here. Daw Mill Colliery lies in the valley, while a 25 mile circular heritage trail Shustoke Church stands on higher ground. On a through North . • Protect plants and animals and take your clear day, you can see Birmingham City Centre litter home and beyond to Staffordshire & Worcestershire. In The project was funded by a • Be safe, plan ahead and always give yourself the past, the view would have been full of smoking enough time to finish the route before it gets dark chimneys and steaming cooling towers. grant from the Heritage Lottery 3. Fillongley had two castles at various times but Fund and supported by the all that remains today are earthworks and a few FOR MORE INFORMATION stones. At Castle Hills to the north-east of the Community village, a mound and a moat show clearly the site For more walks and information visit:- of a Norman motte and bailey, founded by Robert Partnership and Parish Councils. www.northardenheritagetrail.co.uk Marmion. Nearby, Little London is the site of two The Trail passes through the parishes of fishponds, which today survive as earthworks. Atherstone, Mancetter, Hartshill, Ansley, Arley, 4. There are fine views from here back to Fillongley in Astley, Fillongley, Maxstoke, Shustoke, Nether the valley. Whitacre, Kingsbury, Baddesley Ensor and 5. Look out for kingfishers and buzzards near the Merevale. brook, as well as ancient alder trees. This major walking route promotes the area’s 6. The pretty Church of St Mary and All Saints dates from the 12th century but has developed over the fascinating local heritage and distinctive centuries. As with many churches in this area, it is landscapes. Where possible, the route has Acknowledgements built of glowing red sandstone. been developed to make it accessible for all. 7. To the south-west of the village is the site of Fillongley’s other castle. Here, some earthworks Enjoy your Walk! survive from a motte and bailey founded by Johannes de Hastings in 1301. FILLONGLEY Parish Walk

Fillongley Parish Walk 8pp_03.indd 1 10/6/10 12:26:27 Follow the hedge on the left down to a kissing gate, and Walk 2 The then the waymarked path through the Fillongley Mill Starting at the Fillongley heritage feature (1), take Farm development to a steep set of steps. Turn right Tipper’s Hill the footpath along the B4102 Road as far Mill Farm Tipper’s Farm down a drive between buildings and then ahead along a Ta Hill

FILLONGLEY as the bridge over the stream, turning right onto the mw garden path to cross a low brick wall into another drive. 2 Tipper’s Hill waymarked path. or Farm The th Uplands Parish Walk Turn right, leaving the North Arden Heritage Trail, and Road (*) Continue as far as Church Road, then turn left and ne after crossing a bridge, head diagonally up the field La Glebe ill Crossways This can be done in two sections, each starting at the M Farm towards the power lines and Tippers Hill Farm (2). Keep cross over to reach the entrance to the playing fields (3). Fillongley Mill Farm Fillongley heritage feature (1) at the crossroads, or as one Farm the hedgerow on your right to the top of the hill. Where Cross the playing fields, passing the Scout hut on your longer continuous walk. it turns away to the right, head across the field towards right. With the brook and hedge to your right, exit in the St David’s Wood the farm. corner of the field, following the waymark path uphill Farm 3 End 6 Castle Hills across fields (4) as far as a track. Motte & Bailey Church Road, When crossing With the farm buildings to your left, follow the edge of Wo opposite St Mary roads at various Fillongley od the field until it narrows. Go around the end of the field Hall Green’s Walker’s Miles 3hrs & All Saints Church points along the trail Turn right onto Green Lane, going down, and then uphill Farm Farm En Black and back to the right along the far hedge as far as a d as far as another track on the right. Turn right through Hall La Farm waymarked opening. ne Alternative Routes:- metal barriers into Hobgoblin Lane, eventually exiting 3 Holly Mount Each section of the Walk is 3 miles long, each taking 1½ hours. Farm Aiming for the houses ahead, go downhill to a gate onto the tarmac footpath at Road. Bear to Little Sand London y La and after crossing another field, through two further Sc1h ne An easy walk around the village of Fillongley and through your left and follow the road as far as the waymarked gates to Berryfield Farm. Take the track which turns to path on your right opposite Wood End Lane. Pump Lane 6 farmland. FILLONGLEY the left in front of the houses, joining a lane bearing to 7 Grange Head downhill towards the traffic noise from the M6. Home Motte & the right past a row of houses, then meeting Nuneaton Bailey Farm Fillongley Walk 1 Farm Park 5 Ta Grange Road. Cross the road [ ], turn right, and if returning to At the junction of paths, bear to your right and pick up House mw Starting at the Fillongley heritage feature (1), take the or the starting point, go on to the crossroads along the the path crossing the fields (5), heading back towards Fillongley th footpath along the B4098 Tamworth Road until just Mount Roa footpath. Fillongley Church (6). Bear left around the end of the d Rose before Fillongley Garage. Cross the road [ ] and take the Farm last field, do not take the track towards the houses, and If continuing the walk, go as far as the bridge over the waymarked footpath through the gate. ne exit in the corner coming out at Fillongley Castle (7), an stream, turn left onto the waymarked path, and then Red Hill La With the hedgerow on the right, cross the field to a stile, Farm go to (*). ancient monument. and a further field to a kissing gate. Turn right and go 4 Square downhill through a gate to cross Didgley Brook. Follow Turn right and continue following the waymark signs, n Road Red Hill the hedge on your right, past Black Hall Farm, crossing over a plank bridge to a kissing gate. Then turn right Ash TO LEARN MORE Meride the field to the stile ahead. around the edge of the field to a wooden gate and stile. Turn right over a footbridge and along a passageway White y To learn more about Fillongley visit:- House Wa Cross the next field to a kissing gate and then turn right ntry between houses, exiting onto the Coventry Road. Bear Farm ove M6 onto a track, joining the North Arden Heritage Trail. Follow www.northardenheritagetrail.co.uk C left into the village, passing St Mary’s and All Saints this, turning right when you come to a lane. After about Highfield Church (6) on the right, a short distance from your M6 50 yards, turn left onto another track, keeping to this as Farm original starting point. far as the Tamworth Road. Cross the road [ ], and walk along the grass verge as far as a stile on the left, opposite the works entrance. North Arden Heritage Trail Fillongley Parish Walks

Fillongley Parish Walk 8pp_03.indd 2 10/6/10 12:26:33