Guided walk exploring the history of quarrying in Markfield

Tuesday 28th July 2026, 2pm and 7pm

Please book your place beforehand - there are 20 places on each walk, which is part of the Festival of Archaeology.

The walk will last around an hour to an hour and a half. There will be steps, a hill and uneven surfaces. There is no charge, although any donations will be gratefully received.

The Charnwood Forest is one of the few places where very hard Precambrian granite, which is 550 million years old, can be quarried. Markfield granite is particularly hard, with the term 'Markfieldite' first appearing in 1909.

Stone was quarried in Markfield on a small scale from Roman times and was used as rubble stone in the Jewry Wall in Leicester. It is evident locally in older local buildings that pre-date brick construction.

The two main quarries locally were Markfield Hill (now Hill Hole) and Cliffe Hill. Commercial quarrying took place at Markfield Hill from 1857 until the early 1900s. Cliffe Hill opened fully in 1891 and still operates as a major quarry.

The stone was used as aggregate for road and railway building from mid-1800s. As roads and railways developed, the stone could be transported further afield, including into Southern England where there was no suitable local stone. In the 1960s, stone from the Cliffe Hill quarry was used in Leicester's Lee Circle multi-storey car park and for constructing the new M1.

The quarry at Markfield Hill was operated by the local partnership Ellis and Everard. It became closely linked to their slightly later and much larger quarry at Bardon Hill. In 1869, their innovative wire ropeway briefly put Markfield on the world map.

The quarries became a significant source of employment locally, with many Markfield men and boys working in the quarries or supporting trades. The hours were long and the work was skilled, hard and dangerous.

On the walk, we will pass the former Quarryman's Arms pub, see a row of quarry workers' cottages, explore the old Markfield Hill quarry (Hill Hole) with its impressive water-filled granite workings and look across to the surrounding quarries from our vantage point atop the hill.

We will learn about the significance and impact of quarrying for Markfield residents, the Ellis and Everard partnership, the wire ropeway, the granite, the history of the Markfield Hill and Cliffe Hill quarries, the links to Bardon Hill quarry, and much more!

To book a place

Pre-booking is required, as places are limited. Please send a message via the Contact Us page. Please include how many places you would like, the names of the people, whether the 2pm or 7pm walk, or if you would be happy with either time.

Please note there will be steps and a hill, together with uneven and possibly slippery surfaces.

If the weather on the day is particularly wet, the walk may have to be cancelled, so please check this webpage and your emails for any updates.

Please note the walk is not suitable for children under 12. Any older children must be accompanied by a responsible adult.

Meeting point and travel

Meet at the Upper Green, by St Michael's Parish Church, ready for a prompt start. The postcode is LE67 9UP.

Car parking is available on-street around The Green, please be considerate to residents.

The Arriva 29A bus service Leicester/Coalville/Swadlincote and the LC15 service both stop at The Lower Green on Main Street. The 29 service stops on Ashby Road/Leicester Road near the top of Main Street, a 5-10 minute walk.