Residents and visitors to Charnwood Forest will have another opportunity to dig deeper into the history of one of the Geopark’s villages, thanks to a new exhibition in Loughborough.
In 2024 the Geopark, using our funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, supported the Leicestershire Victoria County History Trust to research a history of Nanpantan, a small village on the fringe of Loughborough that falls within the Geopark boundary.
The project involved 31 volunteers and was a great success, introducing new people to historical research and revealing many things that were not previously known about the village and its history.
The research uncovered that on sunny summer days from the 1880s through to at least the 1920s, Nanpantan was being visited by upwards of 1,000 day-trippers and other visitors. It is clear that the claim that Nanpantan was ‘the holiday resort of the people’ is justified, with historical evidence being found for ample catering provision, games, dances, and even occasional firework displays. Evidence was also found for very early factory outings to Nanpantan, from the 1820s.
The project concluded in March 2025 with an exhibition in Nanpantan Hall, attended by 100 people. But with tickets quickly selling out, many were unable to view the final presentation of the research findings.
Now, thanks to the support of the Loughborough Archaeological and Historical Society, visitors can get another chance to view the fascinating outcomes of this important Geopark-supported project. Each Saturday for the next few months you can visit the Old Rectory Museum in Loughborough between 11am and 3pm to see the Nanpantan Exhibition.
The Old Rectory Museum, Rectory Place, Loughborough (LE11 1UW), is reliant of the volunteers of the Loughborough Archaeological and Historical Society to be open, so it is recommended that potential visitors check the Society’s Facebook page before making a special journey.
The Geopark is grateful to the Leicestershire Victoria County History Society and the Loughborough Archaeological and Historical Society for arranging and hosting this exhibition.