100 Treasures
Charnwood Forest in 100 Treasures
We invite you to join us on our journey of discovery as we seek to uncover what makes Charnwood Forest so special through the selection of one hundred ‘treasures’.
charnwood forest
Celebrating All Things Charnwood Forest
100 Treasures
Charnwood Forest’s long history stretches back over millennia. Today, it is possible to piece together the fascinating story of a landscape whose first chapter began some 600 million years ago. This story takes us on a remarkable journey that begins with Earth’s earliest animal life, taking in ancient deserts and Ice Age hunters, invaders and settlers, religious communities, farmers, industrialists and conservationists on its way to the twenty-first century. The people and processes that shaped the landscape of Charnwood Forest over the course of its history left behind indelible evidence of the exceptional nature of our region. Some of this evidence – its outcrops, quarries, waterways, nature, fields, woodlands, historic buildings and settlements to name but a few examples – surrounds us still. And yet more lies within museums, archives and public institutions. Whether you live, work or play within Charnwood Forest Geopark, we invite you to join us on our journey of discovery as we seek to uncover what makes Charnwood Forest so special through the selection of one hundred ‘treasures’ that are meaningful in the context of Charnwood Forest’s 600-million-year history.
Charnwood Forest
100 Treasures
Nominations are now closed, and our committee of experts are meeting to consider the final 100. Stay tuned for the big announcement later in the year…
Image by Roger Bowdler
Featured Nomination
Rothley's Anglo-Saxon Cross
Nominated by Elizabeth Tingle
This cross in the grounds of St Mary and St John’s Church in Rothley is a rare example of a standing cross from the pre-Viking period; it is one of only two near-complete examples in the East Midlands.
Elizabeth said “The cross’s long history and solidity makes me feel rooted in deep time. It is an immediate, tangible link to the distant past of Leicestershire. It has witnessed the coming and integration of people speaking different languages and explaining its stories in different ways. Yet we all share the same space, and the cross is a marker of the permanence of place, across a very long time.”
Image by GCR Railway
Featured Nomination
Quorn & Woodhouse Station
Nominated by Jack Arthur Shaw
Opening in 1899 as part of the Great Central Railway, this Grade-II listed building is now and important part of the GCR heritage railway.
Jack said “The opening of Quorn and Woodhouse station in 1899 opened up Charnwood Forest to a new audience and made travel to places like Woodhouse Eaves, Windmill Hill and Beacon Hill much easier. In the first half of the 20th Century, travelling to Quorn and Woodhouse station to visit the Forest became a Leicestershire Bank Holiday tradition. A somewhat forgotten story today, Quorn station re-defined how people accessed Charnwood Forest before the advent of the motorcar and as the current Station Master, it is my privilege to champion the station’s story and bring it to the attention to a new generation.“
Featured Nomination
Anstey's Packhorse Bridge
Nominated by Sue Bicknell
Built around 1500AD the bridge over the Rothley Brook, that forms the boundary of Charnwood Forest, has been an entrance to the Forest ever since.
Sue said “On leaving the hustle and bustle of Leicester city and heading to Charnwood Forest you cross the boundary of Rothley Brook on the approach to Anstey. The packhorse bridge nestles on the green bounded by a ridge and furrow field with an Anglo-Saxon standing marker post. Watch the brook flow under the 5 arches. Sometimes the water fills the arches and at other times an egret or heron will stand on the parapets hoping for a catch as the water flows on to Castle Hill Country Park. You are immediately embraced by the rich nature of Charnwood Forest.”
Get Involved
Nominate A Treasure
Got an idea for a treasure to be included in our 100? It could already be well-known, or perhaps a forgotten treasure that deserves greater fame? Either way, let us know by nominating your treasure today.
Discover What Makes Charnwood Forest Special
From amazing fossils, to rare creatures, and thousands of years of human history, Charnwood Forest has it all. Explore the rich layers of heritage in the Geopark on our website.
