Colin Crosby Heritage Tours

Whitwick

Whitwick is now a suburb of Coalville, but was for many years a thriving market town in its own right.

It is situated where the West Leicestershire coalfield gives way to the ancient volcanic rocks of Charnwood Forest, and the actual borderline is marked by a deep valley.

There was formerly a castle at Whitwick. The impressive mound, now in private ownership, is crowned by former almshouses. The castle was owned by the Comyn family, famous in Scottish history. A member of the family, Red Comyn, was one of the claimants to the Scottish throne, until murdered by Robert the Bruce in a church at Dumfries. Later owners of the castle were the Comyn family.

The Norman St. John the Baptist Church stands near the castle site, across the Grace Dieu Brook.

A railway, the Charnwood Forest Line, ran through Whitwick on its way from Loughborough via Shepshed to Coalville, and there was a station here. Part of the line of the railway is now a public footpath.

Whitwick has some eccentric street names, particularly City of Dan and City of Three Waters.

There was a famous coalmine at Whitwick. A disaster there in 1898 led to the deaths of 35 miners. Some of the bodies are still entombed in the mine.

Whitwick can be reached by bus from Leicester, Loughborough and Coalville.

Blue Badge Guide Colin Crosby is available to lead Guided Walks around Whitwick for groups.