Townscape Heritage

'To better understand the evolution of our towns and contribute towards their future management, Buckinghamshire County Council has completed a project surveying 30 historic settlements in Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes. These range from the larger towns of Amersham, Aylesbury, High Wycombe and Newport Pagnell to villages that once aspired to urban status such as Long Crendon, Denham and Hanslope. The project, funded by English Heritage, has produced illustrated reports for each town together with a popular publication summarising the key findings of the project.'

'The walk begins at Chancery Lane underground station and ends at Tottenham Court Road underground station. The walk will take about three hours to complete, depending upon the time spent in gardens.'

'The Town Trail records 22 places of historic interest within the town, each shown by a brass plaque.'

'Like many towns in North East Lancashire, Accrington owed much of its growth and prosperity to the development of the textile industry - a fact reflected both in its architecture and design. Accrington's greatest development took place during the 19th century, growing rapidly from a small village of 3,000 people in 1801 to 10,000 by the middle of the century and reaching its peak in 1911 when it was an industrial town with 45,000 inhabitants.' ALERT Website Link changed from that orginally referenced.

'The Millennium Trail links footpaths around the town with illustrated boards that give information on the history of Alresford, its inhabitants, wildlife and countryside setting. The walk is about one mile and is suitable for wheelchair users and pushchairs.'

'The towns of Angus are well preserved, unspoiled and full of character and each has their own Heritage Trail showing many interesting buildings and features ... Whether you are looking to find out more about family from this area or would like to enjoy a fantastic heritage trail, we look forward to welcoming you to Angus.'

'Insight into three of the most historic settlements in the Borough of Antrim ... Follow the trails and learn about the characters, events and places that that shaped Antrim, Randalstown and Crumlin.'

'Living history epitomises Ardwick, an area rich in architectural features and cultural heritage. Originally a small village and bounded by the River Medlock, Ardwick can trace its origins back to 1282. By the early 19th century, Ardwick was an elegant suburb and its Georgian splendour is still on show at Ardwick Green, alongside one of Manchester's oldest churches St Thomas's Church, built in 1741 ...'

'Ballymoney Heritage Guide features many well known historic buildings and sites around the Borough as well as information about people from Ballymoney who are of historic importance in their respective fields.'

'Bangor's history is a wide and varied one. The first settlement was in Neolithic times but it was the founding of the monastery by St Comgall in AD558 that laid the town foundations ...'

'Seeks to highlight some of the places around the centre of Barmouth that have played a part in this history and given the town its character. Hopefully it will also encourage the exploration of places of interest further afield.' ALERT 'We have been notified that the Heritage Trail website has been hacked and is now directly linking to a very unpleasant site ...' [Facebook Page: 31 December 2017]

'This tour will guide you around some of Barnstaple’s interesting buildings and monuments, helping to piece together the story of a town that is well over 1000 years old.' ALERT 'Barnstaple Heritage Centre is to be closed down in March. The attraction on the Strand, which offers visitors the chance to discover 1,000 years of Barnstaple history, has fallen victim to the town council’s "Better Barnstaple" plan. The council today (Friday) revealed its five year vision to protect services in the town and make its heritage ‘available to a wider public audience’. [North Devon Gazette 15 January 2016]

Half a dozen walks around and about Barrow.

'Barton upon Humber is a town of over 10,000 population situated on the south bank of the River Humber. The town has a long history which can be traced back well before the 10th century AD.'

'A self-guided walk of the town centre starting in Basingstoke's 800-year old Market Place. As you follow the trail you will discover more about the town's history, from Domesday through to the modern day.'

'The Bedworth Society Town Trail is slightly less than a mile and a quarter long and can easily be walked in about an hour. This can be extended by exploring the Miners Welfare Park, or a welcome rest in the green oasis of Church Walk.'

'Several themed walking trails have been created around Berwick, Spittal and Tweedmouth: [1] The Lowry Trail - - - : [2] The Barleycorn Trail - - - : [3] The Fishy Trail.' Alert These Walks replace one from Northumberland County Council which seems to have disappeared.

'Discover Blackburn and Darwen's incredible history when cotton was king and weaving was big business. Self-guided Heritage Town Trails will help you explore the borough from a new perspective, revealing the stories behind of some of Blackburn and Darwen's historic buildings and taking you back to a time when the town was "the weaving capital of the world".'

Our new Bolsover Interactive Trail is available for anybody to follow, and you can download the free mp3 files for your mp3 player. We would highly recommend downloading the mp3 files and visiting Bolsover to experience the sights and sounds of the Trail first hand.'

Stepping out in Bridgnorth!  'Initially this will be a level walk through the High Street of High Town with diversions for the fit and energetic by foot to Low Town, or for the less mobile a descent by the famous Bridgnorth Cliff Railway is recommended ...'

'One hour walk around Broadstairs, its fascinating history and its landmarks.'

'An enjoyable circular stroll around the town centre. A great way to discover the town's remarkable history through the buildings and architecture which provide clues to the past. Use the Town Map to help you follow the Trail: Get YOUR Great Value Map from Camborne's Tourist Information Centre, and other retail outlets around the town.'

'What made Cannock Chase and the surrounding area what it is today? Over the centuries people, places and events have shaped its heritage. Discover how by walking or cycling the Cannock Chase Heritage Trail ...'

Six walks around and about Carmarthen Town Centre: 'Many of the walks given can be lengthened as walking ability improves ... These additional streets only take an extra 5 - 20 minutes to walk and are just as quick and much healthier than jumping in a taxi or on a bus.'

'If you are planning a visit to Whitehall why not include a walk around Cheam village and look at some of the other historic buildings on this Heritage Walk? ... The walk takes approximately one hour ... A more detailed guide to the Cheam Heritage Walk is available from Whitehall.'

'Walking the streets of Kensington and Chelsea can be a fascinating introduction to its history. There are stories on every street, some of them both surprising and illuminating.'

'Walking trails are designed to lead you on interesting routes around the town mainly within the old town Portwall.'

'Walk around the 2000 year old history of this market town, visiting sites of Roman occupation, Christian heritage and Victorian industry. Take in the character and history of the buildings and sites as you enjoy your tour.'

'An introduction to the main points of interest in the town centre.'

'Hastings is an acclaimed coastal town with a long history of smuggling and conspiracy. There are plenty of seaside attractions and a long beach, but it also has an Old Town steeped in history, with black beamed houses overhanging the streets ... ' Two Self-Guided Walks to purchase online.

'A two hour gentle walk around the town of Dartmouth taking in historic features of interest.'

'Devizes is full of buildings of historic importance. The Trust has placed Blue Plaques on many of them, giving brief details ... ' (Unfortunately, the Link to the 'Town Trail' seems to have disappeared.)

'A step by step walking guide to Stowmarket; estimated walking time: 1 hour.'

'Several leaflets can be downloaded ... which give a brief history and guide to some of the important buildings and places within towns in the Dudley Borough, including suggested routes for walks.'

'The Duns Town Trail has been set up by Scottish Borders Council and Scottish Borders Tourist Board. The aim is to welcome the visitor to Duns and provide an added dimension to local history and a flavour of the town's development ... We hope you will enjoy walking around the Town Trail and trust that you will have a pleasant stay in Duns.'

Download from the Website PDFs of Historic Walk Guides of Ealing, Northolt, Greenford and Southall including maps.

Walking notes around the centre of Ealing, originally published in 1970, updated to 1986, with some more recent footnotes.

'Who first coined the term Queen of the Suburbs is not known, but the name sticks to the present day. The Mount Park Road area still retains much of its original character and is still dominated by grand family homes. For the most part, it has resisted the conversion into dormitory bed-sitters, an effect which has over taken so many of the other London suburbs.'

'Nine fascinating guides for walking around and observing Eastbourne.'

'The fast-growing town of Ellon now has its own circular walk enabling visitors and residents to appreciate the town's unrivalled setting by the banks of the Ythan.'

'A first published heritage trail guide focusing on Epsom Town Centre covered the area around Church Street and the High Street.' A more recent second guide 'leads out of the High Street at its western end, turning left into South Street and on to Dorking Road and to Woodcote. It also includes a possible detour to the Old Well for anyone who might wish to go the extra mile to visit the source of the town’s fame ...'

'If you see people walking around Framlingham who appear to be staring constantly at their feet, they're probably actually following the Town Trail ... Framlingham is bursting with history and hidden nooks making much of its history and interest easy to miss, so we have created the Town Trail which is a circular walk marked by metal plaques around the town which take you on a comprehensive tour of Framlingham.'

'Made up of 21 plaques which are situated in pavements across the central area of Greenock, highlighting historic locations in the town as well as famous local people in Greenock’s past, notably James Watt and Abram Lyle.'

'This walk shows how easily the hustle and bustle of the town centre can be left behind. A few minutes walking are all that is required to reach the beautiful and tranquil riverside environment of the River Wey Valley. Allow 30 mins to an hour depending on walking speed. Parts of the route, especially the towpath, may be uneven in places and muddy in winter.'

'The Hackney Society works to preserve Hackney's unique heritage and make the area a better place in which to live and work. The Society was formed in 1967 to involve and support local people in the conservation and regeneration of Hackney's built environment and public spaces.'

'Modern Halesworth probably dates from the middle Saxon period. There is evidence of a settlement here in 850 - 1150 AD. By the 11th Century, Halesworth had moved to the top of the ridge - to the East of the church, gradually developing and growing into the town as we know it today. This Trail will guide you around the town with notes to illustrate some of the events that occured in the history of Halesworth.'

Four Discovery Trails designed by pupils at local schools discovering more about their local area.

'This curriculum resource has been produced with financial support from the Heritage Lottery Fund. It aims to increase young people's knowledge and appreciation of Hammersmith and Fulham's history and heritage.'

'Explore Handsworth's hidden gems on a walking tour through time.'

'Nestling in the foothills of the Rhinog mountain range, Harlech is a beautiful little town overlooking Cardigan Bay. Dominated by its medievel castle and surrounding hills, it is one of Snowdonia's best kept secrets ...'

'A joint project between Havant Rotary Club in celebration of 50 years of Rotary in Havant, Bosmere 100 and Havant Borough Council.'

'Hay Tours is about bringing the fascinating stories of Hay's history to life. The people, the places and the landscape from Medieval times right up to the present. Tours are designed to be fun, informative and friendly and take 1-2 hours to complete depending on the route.'

'A series of 7 gentle walks around the town, highlighting local history and places of interest.'

'For me, Helston is quite simply the finest town in Cornwall to live in. Whether one considers the quality of schools, the richness of local history, the fine old architecture of the town, the variety of local shops and businesses, the beauty of the local countryside and coastal areas, or the wide variety of local volunteer groups who work so hard to make life good in the town, Helston has so much to be proud of.'

'Directions for self-guided walks around Herefordshire's six market towns, plus a walk around the Victorian places of interest in Hereford itself.'

Local history and heritage walks around and about Huddersfield.

'Self-guided Historic Town Walks around the town, discovering lots about Hungerford's interesting history.'

'Due to its position on the Great North Road, Huntingdon developed into a major coaching centre in the 16th and 17th centuries. The opening of the Great Northern line in 1850 meant that rail travel superceded travel by road, and this, coupled with the agricultural depression, led to a period of decline ...'

Six Trails in Islington 'Walking is a great way to discover what Islington has to offer. Click on the links for details of walks that our members have created ...'

'The Jewish community of Bedford was always a small but interesting community and this tour gives a good insight into their life and times as well as touching on wider aspects of Bedford's life and landmarks.'

'Brackley is a very small market town, in rural Northamptonshire, on the main road between Northampton and Oxford. Until after the War, the town was little larger than a large village, with a market place and 2 - 3,000 residents ...'

'This trail illustrates the fascinating and extensive Jewish Heritage of Brighton and Hove and demonstrates that it is among the most important Jewish heritage locations in the country. The trail falls into two linked trails - the Brighton Trail and the West Brighton and Hove Trail.

'While the 20th and 21st centuries offer little evidence of any Jewish activity in Bury St Edmunds, Moyses Hall serves as a prominent reminder of the town's Jewish heritage and, today, the Hall and its museum are a key tourist attraction.'

'Cheltenham remains an elegant and attractive town which continues to draw visitors from around the world for its fine buildings and ambiance. Most of the sites of Jewish interest lie around the centre of the town. The synagogue is of exceptional interest due to the acknowledged beauty and historical interest of its interior and should be visited ...'

'The origins of the Dover Jewish community are surrounded in some mystery. The community may have begun in the medieval period, though the evidence is incomplete.'

'Gloucester has an unexpected and fascinating Jewish history linked to the military and port history of the city ... '

'Until very recently, with little documentary evidence of its existence, the medieval Jews of Guildford would have merited little more than a footnote in a history of Anglo-Jewry. However, an exciting archaeological discovery in 1996 changed all that, when the remains of what’s believed to have been a 12th century synagogue were unearthed in the town.'

'Lincoln was, in the Middle Ages, one of the most important of the English Jewish communities In its heyday, in the late 12th century, it was second only to London in importance in both financial and population terms. It remained a prominent Jewish centre right up to the General Expulsion of the Jews in 1290. It had some notable scholars. Jews subsequently re-settled the City in very small numbers from the 18th century onwards. A new Jewish congregation was finally re-founded in 1992.'

'One of the leading medieval communities in England, Northampton's Jews were given the boot in 1290. However, seven centuries later they would return to give the boot to Northampton.'

'This Trail was the first ever Jewish heritage trail of Ramsgate, originally created in 2004.'

'While many would not immediately associate Richmond and its surrounds with a significant or even rich Jewish history it is replete with Jewish associations going back to the late 17th century ...'

'The Jewish heritage and history of Sheerness and Blue Town is fascinating and virtually unknown in this still remote part of England. The Jewish community in Blue Town grew up alongside the Naval Dock Yard during the Napoleonic Wars and echos of this past can still be detected in the western part of Blue Town next to the old Dock Wall.'

'Stroud's main claim to note has been as a woolen and worsted producing town in the west of England. The town lies quite dramatically on the steep flanks of a valley and is surprisingly remindful of one of the old woolen towns in the north of England ...'

'This descriptive series of three walks will take you from the Square on each occasion. Starting from the front of the Town Hall, which houses the Tourist Information Centre, you will be taken along one of the arteries leading out of town, to look at the historical growth of the town, its buildings and other items of interest connected with the town ...'

'Visitors and locals can learn about the history of Kilmarnock with the Kilmarnock Town Trail - a walking trail exploring Kilmarnock's history and architecture ...'

'A fascinating visitor trail links The Walks in King's Lynn with other ancient treasures in the town and celebrates a rich chapter in local history.'

'Kingston is a beautiful place to live, work and visit, but often its natural and historical wealth is overshadowed by its reputation as the shopping hub of South West London. We wanted to encourage residents and visitors to look at Kingston afresh and tap into the fascinating history, flora and fauna the Royal Borough has to offer, and so Kingston Trails was born.'

'Heritage walks around six of the borough's conservation areas have been developed in partnership with the Merseyside Guides to raise awareness of the forgotten past, and to discover something about what makes Knowsley a special place to live.'

'Lauder is situated beside the River Leader on one of the oldest routes between Edinburgh and England. It lies in a lush valley near the foot of the Lammermuir Hills. The earliest mentions of Lauder are when it was known as Lawedir (12-15th century), Loweder (c.1300) and Lawdir (1574). Lauder is in a perfect location for the visitor and local alike to enjoy the peace and beauty of the Borders.'

'This Trail covers much of that part of Launceston which was the core of the Mediaeval town built within the Town Wall, now designated as a Conservation Area of Outstanding Status. It contains examples of every significant type of architecture since the Norman Conquest.'

'Ledbury is a market town in east Herefordshire. It is named after the river Leadon, which runs through the area. In the Domesday Survey of 1086 it is recorded as "Liedeberge" ... In the 12th century Ledbury had a Bishop's Palace and the Bishop of Hereford was formally lord of the manor of Ledbury. For some time Ledbury was the most valuable of all the manors held by the Bishop.'

'You can get to know Lee-on-the-Solent better by taking a circular walk around the town and seafront described in the leaflet Lee-on-the-Solent Historical Tour of the Town and Seafront ... It passes some of the most important landmarks in the history of Lee-on-the-Solent. Starting at the Interpretation panel on the Seafront, the route passes through the town centre, along the site of a Medieval track, through the Victorian and Edwardian planned town and back along the seafront promenade, with its dramatic views of the Solent and the Isle of Wight.'

'Levi Stephenson was one of the early traders who summed up the spirit of Cleethorpes. Born 1815, he appears on the Cleethorpes Coat of Arms ...' Alert The Trail seems no longer to be accessible via the Civic Society Website; so I have replaced the Link with one to the Friends of Cleethorpes Heritage.

Two walks based on the (out-of-print) book "Through the Lanes of Leyland": 'The book attempted to cover most parts of Leyland by taking two walks through the old country lanes of the village that now make up the main thoroughfares of the town'.

Download from the Website PDFs of six walks, two from the Society's 'History Walks' series, four from their 'Wanstead Flats History Walks'.

'The trail takes you around the town to 12 different boards, each board highlighting key buildings and their architectural features. Each board also relates some of the town's history.'

'The Town Trail has been established in recent years by the local authority which has placed large informative boards at fifteen locations in Llandudno town each with a distinctive circular map ... and detailed information on nearby places of interest and a recommended walking route between these 15 trail markers to encompass the whole town.'

Note 'This website was originally developed and edited by the late Noel Whalley ... Last updated, April 2009'

'To celebrate the final phase of the Long Eaton Townscape Heritage Initiative, the Council has produced a self-guided walk booklet so that residents and visitors can follow a route to see some of the town's historic buildings – including properties that have been repaired through the THI project.'

'This walk takes in the historic buildings and other places of interest within Loughborough town centre. It guides you around the town using dropped kerbs and pedestrian crossings where possible. Accessible to all, the route takes approximately one hour to complete, but you may want to stop off for a picnic on the way!'

'A journey of discovery following the heritage buildings of Lurgan. In all parts of the town are to be found many impressive examples erected by talented local builders and craftsmen. They have an appeal deeper than can be conveyed by mere terms of brick, stone and plaster. Discover the treasure of our past by taking a fresh look at the rich architectural legacy left by previous generations.'

Alert The 'Discover Craigavon' Website originally cited here seems no longer. So I have referenced Lurgan Park rather than the Lurgan Town Trail.

'A Walk Around Macclesfield's Historic Buildings.'

'Discover Madeley's hidden historical gems on this self-guided trail.'

Seventeen locations in Manningtree Town Centre, each illustrated with a current or historic photograph.

'This tour will guide you around some of the interesting buildings an monuments in this bustling market town and will help to build up a picture of life here during the past one thousand years. This trail is also available as an audio download.'

'Two walks – the Town Trail and the Riverside Trail - both of which highlight the older more interesting buildings in March and the stories behind them.  The two trails may be linked to form a single walk.' ALERT The Fens Museum Partnership Website itself seems no longer.

'This Guide provides visitors with a suggested tour around the heritage sites in Melton town centre. The route is accessible for all and facilities are available along the way ... You can explore parkland, visit cafes, buy cheese or pork pies and visit Melton Carnegie Museum which features excellent exhibitions on the history of Melton Mowbray and the surrounding area.'

'New Mills has an extensive conservation area which has contributed to preserving and enhancing the architectural heritage and character of the town's public buildings, shops, and houses.'

'These leaflets are produced by Newark Civic Trust with support from the Newark Town Partnership and other local organisations. The routes all begin in the grounds of Newark Castle close to the Gilstrap Centre.'

'Historically Newport has always had strong trade links with the mainland using the River Medina and this meant that the town flourished. The layout of the town centre still reflects the original medieval street pattern. It was not a walled town and the edge of the town is defined by the street names (i.e. East Street, South Street, West Street etc).'

'Delve into the fascinating history of North Ayrshire, which comprises of Skelmorlie, Largs, Fairlie, West Kilbride, Ardrossan, Saltcoats, Stevenston, Irvine, Dreghorn, Kilwinning, Dalry, Kilbirnie, Beith and the Isles of Arran and Cumbrae.'

'Whether you are a visitor to Northampton, or indeed a resident or live nearby, you may be surprised at the many fascinating glimpses of Old Northampton, which remain and can be enjoyed ... '