Measham offers several specific points of interest for a trip combining local history and outdoor activity. The Measham War Memorial Cross commemorates the local community; the Church of St Lawrence brings together dated architectural features and a connection to mining, while the Ashby Canal Trail provides a walking route with a stated length. If you are weighing up a stay focused on cultural history against adding a walk, Measham offers specific points to help you decide.
Remembrance and Church History
The Measham War Memorial Cross commemorates 44 members of the local community who died in the First World War. The names of 11 parishioners who died in the Second World War, along with one soldier killed in the Iraq War of 2003–2011, were added later. The chronology distinguishes the original names from the later additions and keeps the respective conflicts separate. The cross is listed as a Grade II monument. Those interested in public remembrance will find a clearly defined historical reference here, with a commemorative history spanning several conflicts.
Other historical themes come together at the Church of St Lawrence. Its west tower was built shortly after 1733; the numbered pews with side panels throughout the nave date from 1842. The two dates refer to different features, not to a single building phase. The church also displays artefacts from the now-closed Measham Coal Mine. This makes it possible to distinguish architectural history, furnishings and mining history as different ways of exploring local history.
Local History and Measham Ware
Measham Museum is a small village museum and local history centre in the renovated Measham railway station. Its focus complements the specific themes of remembrance and church history with a broader look at the area’s past. For choosing what interests you on your trip, it is a distinct topic alongside the war memorial and the church’s historical details.
Measham ware, also known as Barge ware, is another local cultural theme. This pottery was made in Measham, on the Ashby Canal in Leicestershire, in the late 19th century. The two names refer to the same type of pottery, not to two different pottery themes. This helps place a particular term in the context of local history and recognise its connection to Measham and the Ashby Canal.
Walking along the Ashby Canal
The Ashby Canal Trail provides a safe walking route between Measham and the canal at Snarestone. It is approximately 2.5 miles each way and is described as a flat, easy route for walkers. The stated length helps you estimate the one-way distance; if you plan to walk back the same way, allow for the return journey as well. The distance is approximate and does not specify a walking time. This lets you plan the walk as a separate part of your stay without assuming a particular duration.
The Ashby Woulds Heritage Trail has a different route designation: it forms part of the National Cycle Network. When planning, pay attention to the names so that the details are not mixed up. The route between Measham and Snarestone, its approximate length and its flat profile refer to the Ashby Canal Trail; its inclusion in the National Cycle Network applies to the Ashby Woulds Heritage Trail.
Measham offers topics suited to both interests. Search for hotels in Measham based on the interests that matter most for your stay.
Discover more destinations
Discover more destinations: Higham on the Hill, Goadby Marwood, Orton, Stathern, Melton Mowbray, Broughton Astley, Great Glen, Redmile
For the broader travel overview: Leicestershire.
