Discover Aston Cantlow

Explore Aston Cantlow via its walking routes, historic buildings and Shakespeare connections. When choosing a place to stay, you could first consider whether you would rather focus on routes through the surrounding area or on local history. Several circular walks offer different starting points and distances, alongside historic sites that connect the village with the Shakespeare family.

Walking routes with Shakespeare connections

The “Walk in the footsteps of Shakespeare” connects Wilmcote, Aston Cantlow and Billesley. It runs mostly along public footpaths. This makes it possible to explore Aston Cantlow as part of a route that also takes in the other two villages. If you are planning a walk, check the path conditions before setting off.

Local history also gives the route’s name a special significance: according to local tradition, John Shakespeare and Mary Arden married in 1557 at Aston Cantlow church. This connection to the Shakespeare family adds a historical dimension to the walk, without requiring it to be treated solely as a historical excursion.

Circular walks and different starting points

An approximately six-mile circular walk starts and finishes at The King's Head in Aston Cantlow. It goes via Newnham and along the canal to Wootton Wawen; the return leg follows the river to Aston Cantlow. The combination of a circular route, named places along the way and a return leg makes the route easy to distinguish. Check current path conditions before walking.

Two other circular walks are each 4.5 miles long, but start in different places. One begins at Aston Cantlow church and is described as taking two to three hours. The other starts at Island Meadow Caravan Park in Aston Cantlow and leads through the surrounding area. When comparing these options, both have the same stated distance but different starting points; a time range is also provided for the route starting at the church. You can therefore choose a route based on the details that matter for your plans.

A longer option is the 26-mile Arden Way, which passes through Aston Cantlow parish. It offers a different scale from the shorter circular walks. The routes do not have to be treated as one continuous tour: the information describes different routes and starting points.

Historic buildings in the village

The village’s history is also reflected in its buildings. The frontage of Aston Cantlow Village Hall is a 16th-century guildhall. The history of The King's Head Inn also dates back to the 16th century: the inn was partly rebuilt and extended in the 19th century. The two buildings offer different historical perspectives, from the appearance of the guildhall to the inn’s later alterations.

Together with the account of John Shakespeare and Mary Arden’s wedding, these buildings provide a tangible setting for a visit focused on history and architecture. You can combine this interest with a walk when planning your visit; the routes each offer their own distances and starting points.

Landscape and orientation

At parish level, Aston Cantlow is bounded on one side by the Rough Hils and on the other by the River Alne. The landscape adds to the village’s history and walking routes, but does not imply any particular connection between paths. When choosing your activities, specific route descriptions are therefore a more useful guide than a general impression of the landscape.

Buses run between Wilmcote, Aston Cantlow and Stratford-Upon-Avon. If you plan to use this connection for your journey or to get around, check the current timetable before travelling.

Discover more destinations: Lighthorne, Ettington, Coleshill, Curdworth, Kingsbury, Hatton, Lapworth, Bubbenhall.

For the wider travel guide: Warwickshire.