Visit Ab Kettleby Places

Welcome to Visit Ab Kettleby Places
The Walkfo guide to things to do & explore in Ab Kettleby

  

Ab Kettleby Places Overview: History, Culture & Facts about Ab Kettleby

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Ab Kettleby history

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Ab Kettleby was first recorded in the Domesday Book as Chetelbi. St. James’s Church has a Norman font, and a memorial to Everard Digby one of the Gunpowder plotters. The name Holwell is of Old English origin meaning spring or stream in a hollow.

Iron ore

Iron ore was obtained in all three parts of the parish. Holwell was the most important centre. Iron ore was first quarried to the north of Holwell on the south side of the narrow part of Landyke Lane in 1875 and continued in various places to the north and east of the hamlet until 1930. From 1931 until 1943 iron ore was mined rather than quarried east of Brown’s Hill. The mine was a drift mine and the tunnel emerged from the north side of the hill in 1943. Quarrying was resumed at that point and continued until 1962. The last quarrying took place close to the road to Scalford Hall. Quarrying was done by hand with the help of explosives at first. The first quarrying machine was a petrol paraffin digger introduced in 1930. The first diesel digger arrived in 1943. The ore was at first taken away by horse and cart, but the Holwell Iron Company built a standard-gauge mineral railway in 1877 which connected with the Midland Railway’s Syston to Peterborough line west of Melton Mowbray. Most of this mineral railway was taken over and improved by the Midland in two stages: first as part of their Nottingham to Melton line and then as their Holwell branch (connecting with that line) in 1887. This was extended the same year northwards to Wycomb Junction on the Great Northern’s Waltham branch. This branch transported the ore from Holwell as well as some of that from Eaton. The Holwell company built their own iron works close to the Holwell Branch which operated from 1881. The works was called Holwell Works because it was built by the Holwell Company but was actually at Asfordby Hill. The quarries and the mine fed the standard gauge line by means of narrow-gauge tramways. These were at first worked by gravity or horses, but diesel locomotives were introduced in 1933. The tramways were replaced by lorries in 1948. Part of the quarry area has been landscaped and returned to agriculture; part has been left and retained as a nature reserve. One entrance to the mine tunnel has been blocked; the other entrance only partly blocked to allow bats to roost in the mine. In 1986, the area above the mine carried warning notices that the land is liable to subsidence. The railway has been lifted. Iron ore was quarried to the east and west of Wartnaby, to the west of the A606 and to the north of the village on both sides of the Six Hills to Eastwell Road. Quarrying began in 1879 near to Stonepit House on the north side of the latter road. The last ore was obtained close to the A606 south of the crossroads in 1929. Quarrying always seems to have been done by hand with the help of explosives. No mechanical diggers were used. The ore was taken away by narrow gauge tramway to a tipping dock on the Midland Railway’s Nottingham to Melton line to the north of the Old Dalby tunnel. From there it was taken by train to the Stanton Ironworks near Nottingham. The part of the tramway close to the tipping dock was a cable-operated incline, the loaded wagons going down the incline. The line from the quarries to the top of the incline was worked by horses at first but steam locomotives were introduced in 1880. The quarries were shallow but traces can be seen near to Stonepit House (marked now on OS maps as Berlea Farm). Elsewhere as a result of the quarrying the fields are at a lower level than the roads. However at one place the Six Hills Road was diverted onto land that had already been quarried and then the old course was quarried. Parts of the tramway’s earthworks can still be seen. Quarrying took place at Ab Kettleby between 1892 and 1907. The quarries were to the north of the village: on either side of the lane to Holwell (which probably started first); in the triangle between the A606, the Six Hills to Eastwell road and the lane to Holwell Mouth from Ab Kettleby; and on the north side of the Six Hills to Eastwell road. Quarrying was done by hand with the aid of explosives and the ore was taken by narrow gauge tramway to a tipping dock at the Midland Railway Holwell Branch north of Potter Hill. From there the ore was taken by train to Holwell Iron Works at Asfordby Hill. The lower end of the tramway was a cable-worked incline. At the quarry end the line was probably worked by horses which were later replaced by steam locomotives. The gauge was, unusually, 2 ft 8 in (813 mm). The main sign of quarrying now is that some of the fields are at a lower level than the roads. In 1986 there was still an upturned quarry wagon at the site of the old tipping dock.

You can visit Ab Kettleby places with Walkfo Ab Kettleby to hear history at Ab Kettleby’s places whilst walking around using the free digital tour app. Walkfo Ab Kettleby has 13 places to visit in our interactive Ab Kettleby map, with amazing history, culture & travel facts you can explore the same way you would at a museum or art gallery with information audio headset. With Walkfo, you can travel by foot, bike or bus throughout Ab Kettleby, being in the moment, without digital distraction or limits to a specific walking route. Our historic audio walks, National Trust interactive audio experiences, digital tour guides for English Heritage locations are available at Ab Kettleby places, with a AI tour guide to help you get the best from a visit to Ab Kettleby & the surrounding areas.

“Curated content for millions of locations across the UK, with 13 audio facts unique to Ab Kettleby places in an interactive Ab Kettleby map you can explore.”

Walkfo: Visit Ab Kettleby Places Map
13 tourist, history, culture & geography spots

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Ab Kettleby historic spots	Ab Kettleby tourist destinations	Ab Kettleby plaques	Ab Kettleby geographic features
Walkfo Ab Kettleby tourism map key: places to see & visit like National Trust sites, Blue Plaques, English Heritage locations & top tourist destinations in Ab Kettleby

  

Best Ab Kettleby places to visit

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Ab Kettleby has places to explore by foot, bike or bus. Below are a selection of the varied Ab Kettleby’s destinations you can visit with additional content available at the Walkfo Ab Kettleby’s information audio spots:

Paint Research Association The Paint Research Association is a research institute, formerly in Teddington, south-west London, and now in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire. It is now known as the PRA.

Melton Country Park Melton Country Park is a country park in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, England. It is located on the outskirts of the town.

Holwell Sports F.C. Holwell Sports Football Club is based in Asfordby Hill, near Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, England. They are currently members of the United Counties League Division One and play at Welby Road.

St James’ Church, Ab Kettleby St James’ Church, Ab Kettleby is a Grade II* listed parish church in Leicestershire. It was built in the 1930s and is located in Ab Kettleby.

Nether Broughton Nether Broughton lies on the main A606 road between Melton Mowbray and Nottingham. The population of the village is included in the civil parish of Broughton and Old Dalby, whose parish council is based in the village. The neighbouring village is on the same road, but within Nottinghamshire.

Visit Ab Kettleby plaques