Whittington combines architectural history spanning several centuries with the Coventry Canal and a range of leisure options. To help you decide whether the place suits your stay, it is worth looking at these different highlights: church and military architecture, nature and recreation by the canal, and parks and local amenities.
A church and halls with their own architectural history
The Church of St Giles is a Grade II listed building. Most of it dates from the 18th century, while the church also preserves older fabric that probably dates from the 14th century. The west tower also contains a 14th-century structure. Its crenellated parapet and recessed stone spire give it a different appearance from a simple church tower. Features include an oak pulpit dating from 1678 and fragments of 15th-century stained glass in the north and south chancel windows.
Whittington Old Hall adds another architectural highlight. The large house dates from the 17th century and may be an alteration of a late medieval house. In 1891, Matthew Holding of Northampton had the building extended and restored. The Hall therefore brings both its possible earlier history and a later, precisely dated intervention into focus.
Military architecture and canal heritage
The Keep at Whittington Barracks is also a Grade II listed building. It was completed in 1881 under the direction of Major HC Seddon and built in the style of a medieval keep. At the same time, it is one of the best-preserved keeps from the national barracks construction programme following the 1872 Cardwell Act on troop recruitment. Its combination of medieval-inspired design and barracks history sets it apart from the church and Old Hall.
Swan Bridge, dating from around 1785, crosses the Coventry Canal. The canal offers leisure opportunities in the Whittington area and is an important wildlife habitat there. So two different reasons for interest meet here: the history of the waterway and its importance to wildlife. Whether you choose Whittington more for its architectural history or for the canal, you will find different highlights on site rather than just one type of attraction.
A bridleway runs through Whittington Firing Range to Hopwas Bridge on the canal. Public access in the firing range area is restricted to rights of way and subject to firing restrictions. Take these conditions into account if you include the route in your plans.
Parks and local amenities
The parks also differ in their specific facilities: Jubilee Park has a BMX track and a fitness trail. Noddington Park has a children’s play area with swings and a basketball hoop. When planning, you can therefore distinguish more precisely between whether a BMX track, a fitness trail, or a play area matters most to you, rather than treating the parks as interchangeable green spaces.
The grounds of the Staffordshire Regiment Museum include a publicly accessible air raid experience. Check the museum’s latest information before your visit. The Local Food & Craft Market is another feature of Whittington. Together with the architecture and leisure opportunities by the canal, it adds another local highlight to the selection, without implying a particular market schedule.
The sights and amenities described here offer different points to consider; the choice depends on which of them matter most for your stay.
Discover more destinations: Hamstall Ridware, Meerbrook, Trentham, Rugeley, Pattingham, Longnor, Hollington, Loggerheads.
For the regional travel overview: Staffordshire.
