Aston-on-Trent History Walk No.1 - South Aston

The Aston-on-Trent Local History Group have produced a series of local walks to highlight the heritage of Aston-on-Trent, a cosy village whose records of settlement date all the way back to before the Norman Conquest in the 11th Century, and the surrounding area.

Walk No.1 is predominantly flat, easy walking. Most of the Aston-on-Trent walks use countryside paths at points along the route, so please be mindful of weather and ground conditions when planning a walk.

Below are some of the key points of interest to keep an eye out for:

• Yeoman House No.16 The Green
  • Starting life as a farm house constructed in the 17th century, the land would eventually be repurposed for housing developments in the latter half of the 20th Century. The people of Aston-on-Trent signed a petition in order to protect the building from demolition. The building is now Grade II Listed and only has some fairly minor alterations to the exterior as part of the changes made when converting the premises. A date stone from 1690 still stands within the wall of the first floor level.
• Aston Cursus
  • A Neolithic earthwork dating to around 3500 BC around which now sits a patch of uncultivated land, roughly one acre in size, and the site as a whole is a Listed Scheduled Monument. The Cursus would have taken the form of two parallel ditches and would have been used for traditional ceremonial purposes, such as the veneration of ancestors.
• Aston Lock
  • Built in 1770 as part of the construction of the Trent and Mersey Canal, that would open in 1777. Whilst the lock has undergone many renovations and much reinforcement over the 19th and 20th centuries, various parts of the original 18th Century brickwork still shine through in the modern form. The Grade II Listed bridge to the north was also built in 1770 and is largely unaltered from its original construction.
• Aston Lodge
  • The former Aston Lodge was an impressive 18th Century stately home that is, unfortunately, no longer still standing. The site was sold off in the 1930s and dismantled, passing hands before the Lodge Estate was built on the site. The pieces of the site were sold on when it was dismantled, so many of the remains of the Aston Lodge are actually still present in buildings around the area today. Additionally, the wrought iron gates that once stood at the entrance were sold to Long Eaton Borough Council and now stand tall at the entrance to West Park, Long Eaton.

Please visit the Aston-on-Trent Local History Group‘s page for the route directions, as well as more information on key points along the route.

A PDF of the walk can be accessed at the Aston-on-Trent Parish Council‘s website or via the download file button below.