Arleston Hill

Hill, Mountain in Shropshire

England

Arleston Hill

An old trackway behind Ketley Hall Old maps aren&#039;t clear as to the purpose (or even the existence) of this track, which drops down from south to north in the general direction of the road named Red Lees. Part way down it, there&#039;s some crumbling masonry on either side, which may be the disintegrating remains of a bridge carrying an 18th century mining tramway from east-west; the whole area was heavily mined for coal, limestone and some poor iron ore around that time. Most of the surface features, e.g. spoil heaps, which were mapped around 1900 in the area have now been re-landscaped or flattened during the 1960s/70s when the whole area was being built up as Telford New Town, so it&#039;s hard to find clear evidence of just what was what nowadays. — An old trackway behind Ketley Hall Credit: Richard Law

Arleston Hill is a prominent natural landmark located in the county of Shropshire, England. Situated near the village of Arleston, the hill stands at an elevation of approximately 200 meters, offering breathtaking panoramic views of the surrounding countryside.

Characterized by its gently sloping terrain, Arleston Hill is considered a moderately sized hill rather than a mountain. Its terrain is primarily composed of lush green grass, which serves as grazing land for local livestock. The hill is also adorned with scattered trees, providing shade and contributing to its picturesque appearance.

Arleston Hill holds historical significance, as it is believed to have been inhabited since ancient times. Archaeological evidence suggests that the area was once home to prehistoric settlements, with remnants of Iron Age hillforts found on its slopes. These remnants further enhance the hill's appeal to history enthusiasts and archaeology buffs.

The hill is easily accessible via a network of well-maintained footpaths and trails, making it a popular destination for walkers, hikers, and nature lovers. The summit offers unobstructed views of the surrounding countryside and distant hills, providing a serene and tranquil experience for visitors.

Arleston Hill also serves as a habitat for various wildlife species, including rabbits, foxes, and numerous bird species, making it an ideal location for birdwatching enthusiasts. The hill's natural beauty and diverse ecosystem make it a haven for nature enthusiasts and photographers alike.

Overall, Arleston Hill is a captivating natural landmark that offers a blend of natural beauty, historical significance, and recreational opportunities, making it a must-visit destination for both locals and visitors to Shropshire.

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Arleston Hill Images

Images are sourced within 2km of 52.682904/-2.4976586 or Grid Reference SJ6609. Thanks to Geograph Open Source API. All images are credited.

An old trackway behind Ketley Hall

Old maps aren't clear as to the purpose (or even the existence) of this track, which drops down from south to north in the general direction of the road named Red Lees. Part way down it, there's some crumbling masonry on either side, which may be the disintegrating remains of a bridge carrying an 18th century mining tramway from east-west; the whole area was heavily mined for coal, limestone and some poor iron ore around that time. Most of the surface features, e.g. spoil heaps, which were mapped around 1900 in the area have now been re-landscaped or flattened during the 1960s/70s when the whole area was being built up as Telford New Town, so it's hard to find clear evidence of just what was what nowadays.

Richard Law

The Incline (road) at Ketleyhill

Clearly not an incline in itself, as it's more or less level. But it appears to take its name from the nearby SJ6710 : The most probable site of the Ketley Inclined Plane which lies immediately to the NW (ie directly behind me in this photo). The houses here look like they were built in the 1960s or early 1970s, which would tie in with the most active period of development of Telford New Town, during which much of the former industrial archeology of the area was lost.

Richard Law

Ketley Hall

A remarkable survivor in the middle of the Telford New Town. Ketley Hall dates from the mid-late 18th century, and was at one time occupied by the Reynolds family; they were early ironmasters and ran a foundry nearby, along with a canal and inclined plane for the tub-boats which supplied coal & ironstone into said foundry. The house was Grade II listed Link

& Link

in 1971. (The rather flash cars were visiting for a function at the hall, but I didn't feel I could ask them to move for the photo)

Richard Law

The most probable site of the Ketley Inclined Plane

Possibly the first successfully-operated and commercially viable Inclined Plane in the UK, built around 1788 as a means of lowering tub boats from the Ketley Canal SJ6810 : The last remaining stretch of the Ketley Canal to a long-vanished foundry just to the NW of this point. The boats carried coal and ironstone to the foundry, and were lowered on L-shaped rails with a braking system managed via a windlass at the top of the plane. There seems to be very little (reliable) documented evidence of the exact route of the incline, and if any trace remained 'on the ground' into the 20th century it has been removed by a combination of garden landscaping in the grounds of Hillside Farm on the left here, plus the efforts of Telford Development Corporation from the 1960s onwards. However, a combination of detective work using the best available old maps that we can find, plus some local knowledge from the long-term residents of the farm, suggest that the centre of this photo (ie through the car and the brick outbuilding behind it) tracks the most probable line of the incline. At the top of the garden there is a fence, immediately behind which lies the road bearing the name SJ6710 : The Incline (road) at Ketleyhill.

Richard Law

Uphill on the (probable) route of the Ketley Incline

The cars & nearest houses here are on Woodside Close, whilst the white house beyond is Hillside Farm, and dates from around 1800. The centre-line of the photo follows, as closely as I can ascertain, the line of the Ketley Incline. This was the country's first commercially-operated Inclined Plane, built around 1788 as a means of lowering tub boats from the Ketley Canal to a long-vanished foundry just to the NW of this point. The boats carried coal and ironstone to the foundry, and were lowered on L-shaped rails with a braking system managed via a windlass at the top of the plane. Nothing remains visible at ground level of the incline, all surface signs having been removed by subsequent building works over the years, although there may be some underground traces which could be found by careful archaeology. The trustees of the Blists Hill Museum have apparently shown interest in some tunnels SJ6710 : Mysterious tunnel entrance that lie beneath the garden of Hillside Farm, although whether these are associated with the incline is unknown.

Richard Law

Mysterious tunnel entrance

Right outside the rear of Hillside Farm lies this tunnel entrance - roughly 2'6" wide and 3' high. It heads off in an easterly direction for maybe 20 yards, then opens up into a high chamber SJ6710 : Brick-lined chamber in the tunnel, from which it then takes a more northerly direction towards Ketley Hall, although local knowledge suggests that the far end of it has long since been closed off. Purpose and original use are unknown, but it is neatly brick-lined throughout (albeit a bit dirty on the floor) and 'feels old' in the sense that it's probably 18th century or thereabouts. Given that the whole area was heavily mined for coal, ironstone and various other minerals in the 18th & 19th centuries, it's quite likely to have been some sort of drain for a nearby mine. It also lies very close to the site of the former Ketley Canal Incline, all surface trace of which has now vanished. The Blists Hill Museum staff have investigated it in the past, but I have not tracked down their conclusions yet.

Richard Law

Brick-lined chamber in the tunnel

Roughly 20 yards inside SJ6710 : Mysterious tunnel entrance lies this well-built chamber, which is about 15 or 18 feet high. It's immediately under the back garden of Hillside Farm. To the left of the point I took this picture (which is looking more or less directly upwards) there's another arm of the tunnel which apparently leads to a further identical chamber a little further on, before heading onwards in the direction of Ketley Hall. All very mysterious at the moment.

Richard Law

Pool at the back of houses on Morgan Way

A shallow pool at the rear of houses on Morgan Way, Ketley. There is a possibility (it's speculation on my part) that this may be the lower receiving pool for tub-boats at the bottom of the long-vanished Ketley Incline, whose location was just uphill of this point. It was used to bring tub-boats laden with coal and ore from the upper part of the Ketley Canal to a lower level, from where they moved to feed a foundry in Ketley Dingle. If this is so, then one likely contender for the route of the incline is the wooded bank shown in SJ6710 : Another possible location for the vanished Ketley Inclined Plane. On the other hand, it could just be a random pond.

Richard Law

Another possible location for the vanished Ketley Inclined Plane

If SJ6710 : Uphill on the (probable) route of the Ketley Incline isn't the exact route of the one-time Ketley Incline, then this wooded slope is another possibility (it's just offshot to the left of that picture, in the trees behind the white farmhouse). This fairly steep slope lies immediately uphill of SJ6710 : Pool at the back of houses on Morgan Way, but local information suggests that the pool is not what I have speculated.

Richard Law

Haybridge Road Railway Bridge Benchmark

The Ordnance Survey Rivet Benchmark set into the railway bridge on Haybridge Road, Wellington, Telford. The Benchmark was first levelled in 1874. It was last levelled in 1958 with a Second Order of accuracy. The Benchmark was last verified by the OS in 1984

Anthony Rowley

Cancelled benchmark on N side of the former A5

The 1882 map, published shortly after the 1st Primary Levelling of the country in the period between 1840-1860, shows several benchmarks along this stretch of Watling Street, variously at about 371ft, 373ft, 384ft and 380ft above Liverpool datum. This mark looks like it was one of those; from its location it's probably the 373ft or 384ft mark. However, it appears that the low wall bounding the north side of the road has been rebuilt at some stage, the stone's been moved and reset into the wall in a non-original location, and the mark's been cancelled as a result.

Richard Law

Leaf litter at car park

This is at Ercall Wood on the north side of a hill, The Ercall, part of The Wrekin group of hills. It's also immediately on the south side of the M54.

Trevor Littlewood

Part of the gardens of Sunnycroft, Wellington

These are in fact allotments utilised by local residents to grow their veg, soft fruit etc, which they tend and harvest accordingly. We spoke to a couple. I had thought that the National Trust must tend the gardens, but it is local people power that makes the gardens looks this good. The house, Sunnycroft, was in fact self-sufficient in terms of garden produce, fruit, veg and also pork, beef etc. This is maybe something like how the gardens might have appeared in the heyday of Sunnycroft.

Jeremy Bolwell

Part of the gardens at Sunnycroft, Wellington

Allotments in fact. Local residents tend their own patches. Most common veg and soft fruit can be seen here. A lovely space. Great to explore as you familiarise yourself with Sunnycroft.

Jeremy Bolwell

Part of the Sunnycroft estate at Wellington

This building was a coach house and stables and accommodation for the coachman, and later a car garage. It incorporates two pigsties, and there are other pigsties nearby attached to the main house. Sunnycroft was established in 6-9 acres of land if I recall correctly, with fields for grazing horses, cattle and sheep. Plus several pigsty facilities for rearing different aged piggies.

Jeremy Bolwell

First glimpse of Sunnycroft mansion in Wellington

A 'time capsule' and 'frozen in time' - I am anticipating getting inside and enjoying the tour. It doesn't look much from here if I am honest...but as ever a thorough exploration will reveal so much more.

Jeremy Bolwell

The main entrance to Sunnycroft in Wellington

Managed by the National Trust and open for tours on one day a month for the summer, I believe. Booking essential. I have been meaning to come here since 2020 so I am looking forward to the full experience. A guided tour, close inspection of the house's artifacts, rooms and an understanding of its history, arc and management today. Not to mention the people who lived here and made it what it was.

Jeremy Bolwell

Sunnycroft in Wellington

The building is basically a large house, a wealthy person's home, but also a self-sufficient farm set in originally 9 acres and it evolved over time to meet the varying needs of its residents, of which I think there were five or so. The first was a brewer or brewery manager, the second a solicitor a younger son of the landed gentry and then a few members of the Landers family, who lived in it until the late 1990s. It is a rare survivor, retaining most original features and facilities. It could have so easily been lost and become a school, old people's home, special school, flats or sold for housing etc.

Jeremy Bolwell

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Arleston Hill is located at Grid Ref: SJ6609 (Lat: 52.682904, Lng: -2.4976586)

Unitary Authority: Telford and Wrekin

Police Authority: West Mercia