Harby between architectural history and landscape
Harby lies in the Vale of Belvoir on the border with Leicestershire. When planning your visit, you can focus on two different themes: the history of the village, and the walking routes and nature watching in Harby and its surroundings. This lets you tailor your choice of activities to your interests rather than packing too many things into one stay.
Listed buildings and local history
The Church of St Mary the Virgin in Harby is a Grade II* listed building. The remains of Harby Windmill are also protected, with a Grade II listing. Together, they offer two distinct ways to explore the village’s architectural heritage: a church and the remains of a windmill.
Two facts about Harby’s history have different significance. Its founding is dated to around 850, as a Danish settlement. The village’s first recorded mention, however, is in the Domesday Book of 1086. The dates therefore mark, respectively, its presumed founding and its first written record. If you are interested in early local history, these two milestones provide a brief historical outline of Harby.
Walking routes and nature watching
A network of footpaths leads from Harby into the surrounding area, where you can explore and observe nature. A 2013 brochure published by Leicestershire County Council describes Harby Walk 2 as a route through the old village centre, past a tearoom near the canal and along a tree-lined path. Check local path conditions before setting out. The description names specific stops and sections of the route, but does not give a difficulty rating.
Harby churchyard also attracts numerous species of animals and plants. A small nature area is located at the corner of Stathern Lane and Pinfold Place. These two places complement the walking routes with opportunities for nature watching without requiring a longer route.
Near Harby, the towpath of the Grantham Canal is grass-covered as far as Redmile Mill Bridge. In several places, medieval ridge-and-furrow field patterns on the slopes on both sides of the canal attest to the landscape’s great age. The grassy areas beside the canal and traces of earlier farming give this nearby stretch of countryside a different character from the old village centre. When planning your visit, you can choose whether to focus more on walks through the village or on the surrounding landscape and historic field patterns.
Meals and live music
The Nags Head serves traditional meals made with locally sourced ingredients. The pub hosts live music on the first Friday of every month. If you are planning your visit around this, confirm the current programme before travelling; menus and services may also change.
If you are looking for accommodation in Harby, you can weigh up the history and heritage attractions against the walking routes and nature-watching opportunities when planning your stay. The church, windmill remains and early dates in the village’s history are the focus for history; footpaths, the churchyard and the nearby canal landscape offer nature and scenery. Live music takes place on a specific day each month, and local path conditions should be taken into account for Harby Walk 2. Which of these themes matters most to you can help you plan a stay that suits your interests.
Discover more destinations: Buckminster, Bottesford, Orton, Markfield, Market Harborough, Old Dalby, Castle Donington, Appleby Magna.
For the main travel overview: Leicestershire.
