Once upon a time this vast area was the 'Happy Hunting' ground of Kings and Queens of England who came here to enjoy a good day's sport with local Lords and Ladies.
These day's the 26 square miles of Cannock Chase form an internationally acclaimed area of outstanding natural beauty, and the heathland, woodland and valley wetlands are decreed a site of special scientific interest. The rolling heathlands, some flat, others on higher ground, are the largest surviving heathland areas in the Midlands, as such, they provide valuable habitats for invertibrates, along with the rare Nightjar, Lizards and Adders and, important and unusual wildlife include the Cannock Chase berry, a magnificent herd of Fallow Deer and the Woodlark.
There is so much round here that is rare and green, the majestic woodlands, valley's and heathlands, provide an oasis right in the heartland of a great industrial town. A far cry from when the Chase was a private hunting ground for Kings, it is now a paradise for locals and visitors alike. Every corner you turn leads to some fresh delight, there are Bridleways, Forrestry Commission Trails and the Staffordshire Way runs right through.
During it's long history the Chase has been used for mining, charcoal and glass making also feature in it's history. The areas use as a Military Training Ground goes back to the 1870's. It is also known to have been used for training our troops prior to World War one and two.
A short distance away from Cannock Chase is Shugborough Hall, this exquisite mansion is home to the earls of Lichfield. This mansion home stands in beautiful grounds and contains a fine collection of furniture and other period treasures. The grounds are studded with classical follies such as the Arch of Hadrian, the Doric Temple and the Tower of the Winds.
Cosford Aerospace Museum is but a few miles along the M54 and from this point you can also reach two other great houses, Weston Park and Boscobel Hou
a Historic Market Town in the county of Staffordshire
(4.8 miles, 7.7 km, direction NW)Set in a landscape of contrasts with constantly changing scenery from the Royal hunting forests of Cannock Chase to the breweries of Burton, it is pleasurable to come across the.....
in the county of West Midlands
(12.9 miles, 20.7 km, direction S)..
in the county of Staffordshire
(15.5 miles, 25.0 km, direction NE)Denstone is a peaceful village set in the midst of rural Staffordshire countryside, where farm meadows are watered from a myriad of sparkling rivers flowing down from the Peak District National Park...
in the county of Staffordshire
(15.7 miles, 25.3 km, direction NE)This picturesque little town in the Dove Valley is dominated by the ruins of the medieval castle...
in the county of Staffordshire
(15.9 miles, 25.5 km, direction N)The village has many elegant stone buildings, and there is a circular lock-up and the romantic ruins of a 12th-century castle...
All towns in Staffordshire
Shugborough Hall with its vast surrounding estate has been the seat of the Earls of Lichfield, the Anson family, ever since it.....
Stafford's handsome Shire Hall Gallery with its impressive porticoed frontage, served for a time as the local Crown Court. .....
Dominating Stafford's Greengate Street, is an impressive Elizabethan building that has stood at the centre of the town for over.....
Most recently Lichfield Cathedral has been the scene of an important archaeological find which has astounded the world of.....
..
Follow PicturesOfEngland.com on social media and help share the beauty of England....
