Tucked into the northern reaches of Nottinghamshire, within the district of Bassetlaw, the villages of North and South Wheatley, together with the tiny hamlet of Littleborough, occupy one of the most historically layered corners of the East Midlands.
The landscape here is distinctly flat: a broad, open plain of arable farmland and pasture sloping gently eastward toward the floodplain of the River Trent. To the west, the ground rises slightly, giving North Wheatley long views across a patchwork of fields, hedgerows, and distant church towers, punctuated by the landmarks of West Burton and the former Cottam power stations. Heavy, fertile clay soils dominate, often waterlogged in winter, and the wide skies lend the area a quiet, fen‑like character. Streams and drainage ditches, notably Wheatley Beck and Oswald Beck, thread through the parish, whilst the River Trent forms its eastern boundary, with Littleborough sitting close to its western bank. Hedgerows shape the fields, and willows and scrub fringe the watercourses. The whole landscape feels ancient and unhurried, its lanes still following routes first trodden by Roman soldiers nearly two thousand years ago.
Wheatley derives from the Old English “Leah,” meaning meadow or open land, combined with either “wheat” or “water.” Given the clay soils and long history of Trent flooding, both interpretations are plausible. In the Domesday Book of 1086, the settlement appears as Wateleia, suggesting the watery meaning may be even older.
Littleborough comes from the Old English Lytle burh, “the little fort,” a direct echo of the Roman fortified town that once dominated this stretch of riverbank. The Roman name Segelocum combines the Celtic sego (strength) with the Latin locum (place): “the strong place.”
Human presence long predates the Romans, but it was their occupation that left the most dramatic mark. The Roman Road linking Lincoln (Lindum) to Doncaster (Danum) passes directly through North Wheatley and Sturton‑le‑Steeple before reaching Littleborough. On the Lincolnshire side, it survives as Till Bridge Lane, one of the great military highways of Roman Britain.
At Littleborough, the Romans built a substantial settlement: Segelocum, possibly the most important Roman site in Nottinghamshire outside the Fosse Way. It served as a major staging post and administrative centre. Its greatest engineering feat was the Trent crossing, a wide causeway supported by oak piles and surfaced with large stone slabs. In Roman times, the river here was broader, shallower, and divided into multiple channels. Finds from the site include altars, pottery, coins, urns, and building remains. A Roman milestone discovered in Lincoln reads: “From Lindum to Segelocum fourteen miles,” a testament to its significance.
After the Roman withdrawal around AD 410, the road and its settlements endured, though the political landscape shifted. The Angles moved through the Trent Valley, and by the early seventh century, the area formed part of the emerging kingdom of Mercia. A pivotal event took place nearby around AD 620: the Battle of the River Idle. Fought close to the Roman crossing at Littleborough, possibly near Bawtry or Retford, it saw Edwin, triumph over King Ethelfrith, seizing the Northumbrian throne. Local legend claims the River Idle ran red with blood.
North Wheatley was a substantial settlement. The manor was jointly owned with the Archbishop of York, reflecting its importance. Throughout the medieval period, Wheatley remained a prosperous parish, its fertile land and position on a major route supporting steady growth.
The parish church of St Peter and St Paul stands in a picturesque setting among mature trees. The tower dates from the fifteenth century, but the church’s origins are far older: a Norman font survives from its earliest phase. The nave retains medieval tie‑beams and a piscina, while the chancel was rebuilt in 1824–25 and the church restored again in 1896. Restoration work on the tower in 1928 uncovered the upper portion of a carved memorial to a Roman centurion, which was originally more than 2 metres tall. Part of this tombstone is displayed inside the church. Roman coins, Samian ware, and a brooch have been found in the surrounding area, with many items now held at Bassetlaw Museum.
South Wheatley once had its own church, St Helen’s, now a quiet ruin consisting of a Norman chancel arch and a fifteenth‑century tower. It was declared redundant when the parish merged with North Wheatley and was mostly demolished around 1884. Standing just off this route, it is well worth a visit.
Littleborough itself declined after the Roman period but never vanished. The Normans recognised the strategic value of the Trent crossing and established a church here, with tradition suggesting that William the Conqueror himself may have founded it. St Nicholas Church is a Grade I listed Norman gem, one of the smallest parish churches in England. Roman tiles and Saxon stonework are built into its walls, and the church displays abundant herringbone masonry, a fine Norman doorway, and a beautifully carved chancel arch. One of its bells, “Sancta Maria” (1180–1200), is reputedly the oldest in Nottinghamshire, while the “Ave Maria” bell was cast around 1350.
For centuries, the Littleborough Ferry was one of the oldest and most important Trent crossings, used by kings, armies, and pilgrims. Harold’s army is said to have crossed here in 1066 after Stamford Bridge. The ferry remained in service until the nineteenth century, when new bridges at Gainsborough and Dunham rendered it obsolete.
As you step away from Littleborough’s layers of Roman roads and Norman stone, the walk rises into the pastoral views of North and South Wheatley, where the villages unfold into wide vistas and the classic red‑brick buildings of the area.
North Wheatley’s most distinguished secular building is The Old Hall on Low Street, dated 1673 and built for the Cartwright family. Now a farmhouse, it is a handsome example of late‑seventeenth‑century brickwork and is listed Grade II. The village retains several other fine seventeenth‑century houses, giving it a distinctive architectural character. Many local farms feature dovecotes, reminders of the importance of pigeons as a food source.
Agriculture has shaped Wheatley for centuries. Although farming has modernised, the parish remains strongly agricultural today. A distinctive local tradition is strawberry growing. The fertile clay soils proved ideal for soft fruit, and strawberries became so closely associated with the village that they appear on the village sign.
The surrounding landscape supports a wide variety of wild plants and animals. Hedgerows form vital wildlife corridors, with hawthorn, blackthorn, elder, field maple, and hazel. Verges and drainage margins host meadow cranesbill, oxeye daisy, red clover, and yellow rattle. Wet areas support marsh marigold, meadowsweet, purple loosestrife, and willowherb, while along the Trent, reed, bulrush, yellow flag iris, and crack willow thrive.
The area lies within the Severn Trent migratory flyway, attracting wildfowl, waders, and raptors. Skylarks, yellowhammers, linnets, barn owls, kestrels, and increasingly red kites are characteristic, I spotted a pair whilst out on this walk. Water voles inhabit suitable watercourses, and otters have returned to the Trent. Hedgehogs, hares, rabbits, weasels, stoats, and several bat species are also common.
North Wheatley and Littleborough are quietly extraordinary places. Their history is written into the landscape: in the line of a Roman road, the tiles in a Norman church wall, the ancient ferry site on the Trent, and the dovecotes and red‑brick halls of a village that has farmed the same clay for centuries. To walk here is to walk through time, from Roman legions to medieval farmers, from Domesday to the strawberry fields of the twenty‑first century, and from yellowhammers in the hedgerows to beavers returning to the wetlands.
As the walk draws to a close, it’s worth pausing to take in the character of this quiet corner of North Nottinghamshire, where deep history lies beneath every footstep. To round off your journey, The Leys Bakery tempts with freshly baked treats, perfect for a well‑earned bite after the miles. And for those who prefer something more refreshing, the Reindeer Inn offers a welcoming pint and a relaxed spot to rest tired legs. Together, they make a fitting end to a walk rich in views, heritage, and simple rural charm.
I hope you enjoy exploring on this wonderful walk.
Happy hiking!
Sally
All imagery courtesy of Sally Outram.
The basics
Distance: 6.5 miles / 10.4 km (13 miles/20.9 km – round)
Severity: Moderate, there are some ascents and descents.
Gradient: Mostly flat with slight inclines.
Approx time: 3 hours.
Terrain: Surfaced roads, tracks, field edge tracks, field, grassy tracks. Suitable footwear recommended.
Stiles/Gates: None.
Maps: OS Explorer 271.
Parking: Roadside, but be mindful of residents, park responsibly.
Start Point: St Nicholas Church, Littleborough DN22 0HD
Dog friendly: Yes, on lead if encounter livestock, and through villages.
Refreshments: The Leys Bakery & Café, South Wheatley, The Reindeer Inn, Sturton-le-Steeple
The Nottsbus on Demand service operates in the area, so if you don’t want to walk back to Littleborough, you can book a return to your car via the Nottsbus on Demand App, or by phoning 0115 804 0404
Directions
- With your back to the church turn right and walk along Littleborough Road, heading out towards Sturton-le-Steeple. After about half a mile you will see a small stone bridge which crosses over a drainage ditch (notice the iron workings on the left) cross over and continue along the quiet lane. You will eventually arrive at a road junction. To your right you will see one of the last remaining hexagonal Turnpike houses in the in the county.
- At the junction, turn left and follow a narrow lane heading towards Cottam. After a short distance you will see a green signposted footpath to your right. Follow this field edge path, you will see a shallow ditch on your left. Continue to walk parallel to this and proceed through a gate in the corner of the field.
- You will see a farm track ahead, proceed along through the open countryside and cross over the culvert which crosses over a drainage ditch. Continue along and you will reach the small hamlet of Fenton and Fenton Lane. Follow the surfaced road passing farm buildings and residential properties, following the road as it bears to the left.
- As the road bends, you will see a signposted footpath and metal kissing gate on the right. Proceed through the gate and follow the well-trodden path towards the church of St. Peter and St. Paul in Sturton-le-Steeple. You can see West Burton Power Station ahead. Follow the track across the fields until you reach two small metal gates. Go through the gates and on to the road.
- Turn left onto the road and walk through the village, passing the church on your left, and the Reindeer pub on your right. (This is a great little spot for a rest at this point).
- From the pub, straight ahead you will see crossroads. Go over the road and on to Springs Lane. Proceed along the lane passing through a residential area, which then becomes an unsurfaced track. Follow the track for about 2 miles and passing the railway below and far-reaching views over North Leverton. On a bright day you can see the windmill in the distance.
- Follow the track as it veers to the left to an intersection of paths. Go straight ahead, passing a footpath on your right, you will see a gap in the hedgerow on the right. Go through the gap and over a small wooden footbridge. Proceed along crossing two fields following a field edge path to the right. You will see another gap which leads on to a lane.
- At the lane turn right and continue to walk downhill. At the bottom of the hill turn right onto a signposted bridleway. Proceed uphill slightly along the left side of a field edge track and passing through a further field which leads on to a wide track, known as Muspitt Lane. Look out to your right, you can see the ruins of South Wheatley Church, which is worth a detour. Continue along this lane until you reach a road junction on the corner at South Wheatley village. There is a super little bakery and café on the corner, a perfect pit stop before exploring both South and North Wheatley, or if you are feeling fit, retracing your steps back to Littleborough, which makes it around 13 miles round trip.
