Cottesmore: Church, Forest and Railway

When looking for a hotel in Cottesmore, it is worth first deciding what you want to focus on during your stay. The different themes include church and architectural history, a wooded area east of the village, and an open-air museum with a quarry and railway tracks. The advertised operating days at Rocks by Rail are a particularly important planning consideration if you would like to take a ride on the former mineral railway.

Church and Historic Buildings

The Church of St Nicholas dates from the 12th to the 15th century; its south doorway was built in 1851. This places the church’s long construction period alongside a building feature with a specific date. An RAF memorial chapel is located in the eastern part of the north aisle. The church therefore brings together distinct, clearly situated aspects of architectural history and commemoration.

The Outbuilding at Site of Cottesmore Hall is on Mill Lane and is a Grade II listed building. It dates from the late 15th or early 16th century and is thought to have formerly served as a dwelling and stables. The Sun Inn is also a Grade II listed building. It has a thatched roof and is dated to approximately the 17th or 18th century. The former use of the outbuilding remains a supposition; the date of the Sun Inn should be understood as an approximate estimate.

Cottesmore Wood East of the Village

Cottesmore Wood lies immediately east of Cottesmore. The historic woodland covers 43.2 hectares and is mostly planted with conifers. The area figure describes its extent, while the predominantly coniferous tree cover indicates its composition. This landscape feature is distinct from the historic buildings and their architecture.

The western edge of the woodland is also useful for orientation: a minor road runs along this boundary and can be reached from Exton Road, east of Cottesmore.

Rocks by Rail: Quarry and Railway

Rocks by Rail is located at the Cottesmore Iron Ore Mines Sidings on Ashwell Road in Cottesmore. The open-air museum occupies a 19-acre site with a reclaimed quarry and railway tracks. These are two distinct features of the site: the reclaimed quarry and the tracks, which connect it to railway history.

On advertised operating days, visitors can ride part of the former mineral railway, which once served the local quarry tracks. This ride is available on advertised operating days; check the current events calendar before travelling. This allows you to plan the ride’s date as part of your trip.

The different travel highlights can be understood as follows: at the church and buildings, the focus is on construction dates and architectural features; in the woodland, it is on location and tree cover. At Rocks by Rail, the advertised operating day is an additional consideration if you want to take a ride.

Discover more destinations: Morcott, Ashwell, Greetham, Oakham, North Luffenham, Clipsham, Langham, Empingham.

For the regional travel overview: Rutland.