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St Helen's Church – Ashby de la Zouch Castle loop from Ashby de la Zouch

Routes

Hiking trails & Routes

St Helen's Church – Ashby de la Zouch Castle loop from Ashby de la Zouch

Moderate

hikers

St Helen's Church – Ashby de la Zouch Castle loop from Ashby de la Zouch

03:23

12.8km

110m

Hiking

Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels. The starting point of the route is accessible with public transport.

Last updated: May 6, 2026

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Start point

Bus stop

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1.45 km

St Helen's Church

Highlight • Religious Site

There was a church in the town in the 11th century, but the core of the present building mainly dates from work started in 1474, when the church was rebuilt by the 1st Baron Hastings at the same time that he converted his neighbouring manor house into a castle. The church was refurbished in about 1670 to create more space, but the large & increasing size of the congregation led to further work in 1829, and a major rebuild in 1878–80.

Domesday recorded that a priest was resident in Ashby, and that the church dedicated to St Helen consisted only of a nave. In about 1144, Philip Beaumains, lord of the Manor of Ashby, granted the church, its lands and revenues to the Augustinian community of Lilleshall Abbey, which retained possession until 1538.

Parts of the current nave & chancel date from the C14, but the church was rebuilt and enlarged by William Hastings in 1474, at the same time that he erected the tower at the castle.

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1.47 km

Ashby de la Zouch Castle

Highlight • Castle

An imposing royalist stronghold. Now ruins. open 10am -4pm most days. English Heritage

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2.10 km

Holy Trinity Church, Ashby-de-la-Zouch

Highlight • Historical Site

The church was built between 1838 and 1840 to designs by the Derby architect, Henry Isaac Stevens. The chancel was added in 1866 by James Piers St Aubyn.

The church was consecrated by George Davys, Bishop of Peterborough on 13 August 1840.

It was reported that:

The Marquess of Hastings gave land for the site. The cost of the building, upwards of 3000l., together with a handsome sum towards an endowment fund, was raised by subscription, chiefly among the inhabitants aided by a grant from the Church Building Society. The church contains upwards of 900 sittings, 600 of which are free and unappropriated.

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4.90 km