Ashby and Coalville Methodist Circuit

Ashby & Coalville

North West Leicestershire

Ashby Castle Ashby de la Zouch and Coalville are market towns that lie at the heart of the flourishing National Forest, an area that embraces ancient buildings, interesting visitor attractions and miles of hidden nature trails. There are also precious reminders of the industrial revolution, lovingly preserved and proudly displayed.

The emerging National Forest is changing the face of this part of the county, providing lots of opportunities for walking, cycling and horse riding. At the heart of the forest lies the award-winning family visitor attraction Conkers, at Moira. Rain or shine, there’s lots to do, with indoor and outdoor activities providing fun for all ages.

At Ashby, climb to the top of the tower at Ashby Castle to enjoy the view that inspired Sir Walter Scott’s tournament scene in his famous novel, Ivanhoe. The town is also good for shopping, with many individual shops situated in narrow passageways off Market Street. Nearby at Staunton Harold, the Ferrer’s Centre has craft workshops, offering ceramics, paintings and furniture.

Coalville is also a main town in north west Leicestershire. Although an area once most known for its mining history it is now a town with a diverse industry. Its main visitor attraction, Snibston Discovery Park is set on George Stephenson’s former colliery, in 100 acres of landscaped grounds. Snibston offers an exciting full interactive day out for all ages. It has over 90 hands-on interactive displays covering science, technology and textiles. Snibston’s newest addition is a Fashion Gallery which houses one of the largest collections of costume and fashion in the country. There are over 1,000 items on show ranging from a 1750s gentleman’s suit right up to outfits from Next’s latest collections.

Mount St. Bernard Abbey

Mount St. Bernard Abbey is in a beautifully elevated position approx 3 miles from Coalville town centre. It was the first Catholic Abbey to be founded in this country after the reformation (1835).

At Mount St. Bernard Abbey today the monks are involved in the running of a 200 acre dairy farm and the milking of a herd of 90 cows. The monks also produce their own pottery, keep their own bees and run a shop and guesthouse.

Shop and Abbey Church open daily except Sundays 11-12pm and 2.30pm – 5pm.

For more information on North West Leicestershire:
Local authority information www.nwleicestershire.gov.uk
County Council information www.leicestershire.gov.uk
Tourism/visitor information www.goleicestershire.com
Local villages www.leicestershirevillages.co.uk