Higham on the Hill combines a linear village layout with a layered building history. It also has the churchyard of St Peter as a green space and a towpath along the Ashby-de-la-Zouch Canal. Visitors who want to explore settlement patterns, architecture and the local landscape in one trip will find several distinct points of interest here.
Village layout on the ridge
Higham on the Hill is a linear village on a ridge. Main Street has several slight bends and gentle curves. Prominent buildings and the new road layout emphasise these lines and create a sequence of connected spaces. The village’s character is shaped not only by each individual building, but also by the way the street and buildings divide these spaces. Higham-on-the-Hill Conservation Area was designated in April 1995. The shape of the street and the conservation area designation offer two different perspectives on the village: its spatial structure and a dated historical and cultural reference.
St Peter and its building history
The Church of St Peter is a Grade II* listed building. The west tower dates from the 12th century, the nave was built in 1790, the south aisle was added in 1854 and the chancel was built in 1870. This sequence brings the different building phases into focus: the tower is the oldest of the named parts of the building; the nave, aisle and chancel were added later. Visitors interested in architectural history can distinguish several precisely dated periods at St Peter, rather than assigning the whole building to a single period.
The churchyard of St Peter is a green space and contributes to the character of the conservation area. St Peter’s visitor arrangements provide for daily opening during the summer months and visits at other times by arrangement. Please check before travelling whether these arrangements are still current.
Further historical perspectives
The Methodist Church offers a different architectural perspective. The building dates from the mid-19th century and is made of red brick; its plinth is purple brick and its roof is made of plain tiles. While several building phases are evident at St Peter, the Methodist Church can be understood through its period of construction and the materials described. The contrast between the brick tones is a specific architectural detail.
Another historical connection is Geoffrey Fisher: Higham on the Hill was his birthplace in 1887. Fisher became the 99th Archbishop of Canterbury and held the office from 1945 to 1961. His biography adds a personal historical perspective to the village’s architectural history.
Higham on the Hill is also included in the Hinckley & Bosworth rural heritage trail, where it is described as a settlement dating back to Roman times. This places its history further back than the specifically dated building phases at St Peter. Taken together, the long history of settlement and the individual, later building phases are distinct aspects of the village’s past.
Walks and leisure
The Ashby-de-la-Zouch Canal runs through the parish of Higham on the Hill, and its towpath is used for walking. This offers a specific walking option alongside the village’s local and architectural history. Visitors can choose to focus on historical discoveries or a walk as separate parts of their visit.
A 2016 Borough Council leisure survey describes King George V Playing Field as a formal park with facilities for children, outdoor sports and young people. As the information dates from 2016 and may have changed, please check which facilities are currently available before visiting.
Discover more destinations: Great Glen, Markfield, Great Easton, Loughborough, Old Dalby, Rothley, Woodhouse Eaves, Lutterworth.
For the wider travel overview: Leicestershire.
