Uncovering hidden pathways to Wellington's local heritage
A project highlighting Wellington's local heritage has recently been brought to fruition with the backing of the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF). A £50 000 grant will enable the Wellington Local Agenda 21 Group to develop three heritage trails, allowing cyclists and pedestrians to unlock the secrets of the town and surrounding area, from the Bronze age to the present day. The 'Discovering Wellington' project is a three year scheme that is intended to help promote an awareness and appreciation of Wellington's history, both for local people and tourists visiting the town via Britain's National Cycle Network.
Wellington is a market town with a long and illustrious past dating back to Anglo-Saxon times, when a pre-Christian religious temple stood on the site of what is now All Saints Church. It received its first Royal Charter in 1244, was garrisoned during the Civil War and became a prosperous centre for Industry and Agriculture during the Victorian era. The town also has long and well established links with The Wrekin, a scheduled ancient monument and area of outstanding natural beauty, whose rocks, at 566 million years old, are older than Everest, the Alps and the Andes. The 'Discovering Wellington' project will enable visitors to uncover the area via a series of signposted routes that will be accompanied by specially designed booklets highlighting the wealth of heritage the town has to offer.
As well as increasing the opportunities for the local community to discover more about Wellington's heritage, the project also hopes to take advantage of the town's enviable location for sustainable tourism. Wellington is located on Route 81 of the National Cycle Network, a long distance track linking the Mid-Wales coast with the West Midlands, and the project aims to encourage greater numbers of visitors to stay and enjoy the many diverse attractions of the area. It is hoped that the first 'Discovering Wellington' heritage trail will be operational by the late Summer, when a series of cycle rides and walks will be organised to promote the scheme.
The Wellington Local Agenda 21 Group has undertaken several projects in the Town over the past three years, including the establishment of a Farmers' Market, in association with the Wellington Town Partnership. The 'Discovering Wellington' scheme has also received substantial local support, both from the Borough of Telford and Wrekin and New College. Speaking on behalf of the group, Marc Petty, Heritage Trails Officer, commented "We are very grateful to all our partners for their invaluable assistance in helping us to realise this project. Wellington has a long and fascinating history and a wealth of heritage attractions that have perhaps been overlooked, when compared with other places in the region. This grant will help us to go some way to changing that perception of the town".
