LEI Country

Altar Stones, Markfield

Location plan for Altar Stones parking - SK485108 - view in Multimap or Streetmap format.
(Cul-De-Sac Off Ashby Road/Hill Lane Junc.)

This is situated just outside Markfield on the route of the old A50, now a dead end up to the M1. Presently owned by Leicestershire County Council and managed by the Country Parks Service, it was gifted to the County Council in 1949 and is noted for its rocky outcrops which date from the pre-Cambrian period and are designated as a Regionally Important Geological Site. It was part of the rim of an ancient volcano.

A neighbouring piece designated as Open Land under the CRoW Act is Blacksmith's Field with public access which is managed by the Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust who are currently negotiating to take over the management of Altar Stones itself. Another neighbouring piece called Raunscliffe is also open to the public under the CRoW Act as registered Common Land and is owned by the Parish Council.

The surrounding areas support heather and gorse. Numerous paths wander among the stones, passing two small ponds and giving good views over Charnwood Forest to the north. The area was once the site of a post mill and you can see the remains of the miller's store.

Whilst small the area is very technical and has been mapped and used for small training events for many years, sometimes in conjunction with the nearby Markfield Quarry (called Hill Hole locally) and the paths and lanes around Markfield itself. The path network does link it to Cliffe Hill Quarry via a cattle bridge over the M1.

Markfield Quarry itself was active in 1830 and large scale extraction began in 1852. By 1863, Ellis and Everard who operated it employed 90 men. Quarrying ended about the turn of the century. The rock is Markfieldite. The quarry is on top of a hill - and is in two tiers. The lower tier (pit) is filled with water to a depth of about 5m.