Nanpantan - The Surprising History of a small village (new for 2026)

This guided walk by Leicestershire Victoria County History Trust will introduce the history of Nanpantan, a small village to the south of Loughborough, on the edge of Charnwood Forest. A wharf opened here in 1794 where coal was transferred from the Charnwood Forest canal to an early railway that would carry it to Loughborough.

From the 1820s Nanpantan became a favoured destination for early factory outings. Sunny weekends and bank holidays in the 1880s would see many hundreds of people congregate here, and a thriving hospitality business was born. Alongside this was a small community with a school and a church supporting its daily life.

If you wish to extend your visit, Leicestershire Victoria County History Trust has also produced a self-guided walk along the former canal to the point where it was severed by the building of the M1 motorway. Details will be provided.

Free but donations welcome.