LEI Country

Castle Hill Country Park, Leicester

Location plan for Castle Hill Country Park - SK554083 - view in Multimap or Streetmap format.
(Cul-De-Sac Near Anstey Tennis Club)

This small Country Park is on the borders of Leicester City and the County and adjoins Anstey. Established in the early 1980's the park comprises some 250 acres of grassland, plantation and broad leaved woodland. The A46, Leicester Western By-Pass cuts the park into two linear sections but the ability to cross at both ends and in the middle lends it to figure of eight courses and makes it quite useable.

The south east section borders Beaumont Leys and is made up of relatively high land with good views out over Bradgate Park and the Charnwood Hills. The north and west section, bordering Anstey, comprises mainly flat meadow land associated with the Rothley Brook with periodic flooding. Aside from this pleasant brook, with its established abundance of birdlife, and the newer planting in copses, the park also has bluebell woods, located of the Astill Lodge Road and some fine ash, oak and willow trees associated with the old hedgerows and streamside.

The Castle Hill Country Park is also home to two Scheduled Monuments. The Castle Hill Earthworks located off the Astill Lodge back road, comprise of an earthen rectangular banked enclosure and fish pond dating to the medieval period. The site is associated with the Knights Hospitallier and seems to have functioned as a monastic grange or sheep farm. We tend to infrequently use this bit as it is infested with nettles. King William's Bridge, historically known as the 'Dambridge', crosses over the Rothley Brook. This is a medieval stone packhorse bridge, which was widened in 1696 for King William III's visit to nearby Bradgate House. As its name suggests, there was once a sheep wash associated with the bridge. Other interesting heritage features include ancient hedgerows, some complete with wood banks and deep ditches. These are a physical reminder of the area's past as a royal hunting ground and deer park. In the vicinity of the Castle Hill Earthworks there are also industrial remains from the Victorian Beaumont Leys Sewage and irrigation scheme. In its time, this was the biggest scheme of its type in the country.

Ancient tracks pass through the park and despite the proximity to areas of some deprivation this is a corridor of genuine attractiveness.