Discover Markfield

Markfield combines a historic centre with natural areas and geological features. When looking for a hotel in Markfield, you might consider whether you want to focus primarily on the history of the settlement, a walk with views, or a hike with a clearly stated distance. These different themes offer different perspectives on time: buildings reflect centuries, while the rocks at Altar Stones offer a geological timescale of hundreds of millions of years.

Historic Centre and Church

The Markfield Conservation Area forms the historic centre of the settlement. Its built heritage includes buildings from many different periods. The character of the centre is therefore shaped by its historical variety. If you are interested in history, you can explore Markfield not just through a single building, but also through the different periods represented in the Conservation Area.

The Church of St Michael and All Angels dominates the buildings around Upper and Lower Greens. Its origins date back to the 12th century; its two-stage tower dates from the 14th century. This church therefore brings two distinct historical reference points together: the church’s early origins and the later date of its tower. This distinction makes the span of the building’s history tangible in a specific landmark.

There are also several ways to explore the village’s history. The Markfield Village Trail brochure covers 39 places of interest. The information board in the car park on Main Street highlights some of the village’s older buildings and their history. While the brochure includes numerous places, the board focuses specifically on older buildings and their history. This lets you choose between a broader look at various places and a more focused introduction to older buildings.

Nature and Geological Features

Hill Hole Quarry adds a natural area to the historical attractions. This area within the National Forest covers a total of 5.2 hectares. The figure describes its size, while its designation as a natural area highlights its landscape. Alongside the history of the buildings, it offers another distinct aspect to consider when planning your trip: the natural surroundings in and around Markfield.

At Altar Stones, a nature experience goes hand in hand with a remarkable geological timespan. The large rock outcrops there are between 600 and 700 million years old. That is a different timescale from the centuries reflected in the Church of St Michael and All Angels. At the same time, the Altar Stones nature reserve is well suited to a leisurely walk with views across Leicestershire. Geology and scenery therefore offer two distinct reasons to visit.

Walk or Hike

You can distinguish between the walking routes by their stated highlights: Altar Stones is known for its leisurely walk and views across Leicestershire. Walk 32, by contrast, is a hike with a stated distance of 5 miles (8 km) and starts in Markfield. If you want to include a specific distance in your plans, Walk 32 provides a clear reference point. Altar Stones is the alternative for a walk focused on nature and views. You can choose your outing according to whether the scenery or a route with a stated distance matters more to you.

Discover more destinations: Sutton Cheney, Market Bosworth, Coalville, Lutterworth, Shepshed, Rothley, Earl Shilton, Melton Mowbray.

For the broader travel overview: Leicestershire.