A specific walking stage and clearly dated building phases offer different ways to discover Loggerheads. The Newcastle Way includes a 6.5 km stage from Loggerheads to Market Drayton. There is also the Turner Hodgkiss Community Nature Reserve, designated in Loggerheads as an accessible natural green space. The Church of St John the Baptist and Hales Hall add historical interest. You can choose your destination based on whether you are particularly interested in a walking route, nature or architectural history.
A Stage of the Newcastle Way
The Newcastle Way is a long-distance walking route that follows public rights of way through the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme. The 6.5 km refers to the section from Loggerheads to Market Drayton. This distinction is important when planning a walk: it gives you a specific stage length without confusing it with the length of the entire long-distance route.
On this section, the route passes through part of Burnt Wood, across the open spaces of Blore Heath and along shaded paths to the Shropshire Union Canal. The landscape changes from a wooded stretch to open spaces and shaded paths, giving the distance a clear landscape context. As path conditions can change, check the latest conditions before your walk.
A Designated Natural Space
The Turner Hodgkiss Community Nature Reserve is designated in Loggerheads as an accessible natural green space. This offers a different way to experience nature alongside the linear perspective of the Newcastle Way: here, the green space itself is the focal point, while the route is defined by its course and its 6.5 km stage. If nature is a particular priority when choosing a destination, you can distinguish between these different attractions.
Building Phases of the Church of St John the Baptist
The Church of St John the Baptist has medieval origins. Between 1860 and 1862, it was rebuilt in the Decorated Style, with the exception of the tower. The tower dates from around 1350 and was altered in the early 17th century. The term Decorated Style therefore applies to the rebuilding of the rest of the church, not to the dating of the tower. The different dates help place the building’s history into several phases.
Inside is a Gerard memorial to Sir Gilbert and his wife. This adds a specific memorial to the history of the building, focusing on two people identified by name.
Hales Hall and Its Historical Context
Hales Hall is a Grade II listed country house in the parish of Loggerheads. It was built in 1790 for the Buchanan family. This date provides a different point of reference from the medieval origins of the Church of St John the Baptist and its rebuilding in the 19th century. The historical overview therefore contrasts a country house with a clear construction date and a church with several building phases. This distinction is helpful when choosing what to see based on your interests: you can focus on a single construction date or the longer development of a church building.
Discover more destinations: Eccleshall, Hatherton, Great Haywood, Trentham, Uttoxeter, Ashley, Leek, Pattingham
For the broader travel guide: Staffordshire.
