Arden is home to a wide variety of shops and restaurants. It is also a great place for walking and cycling. It is bordered by the Cannock Chase and Cotswolds Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and features the Arden Way national trail. It is also famous for its distinctive reddish-brown sandstone, which has developed a unique color from the natural buildup of carbonate — mostly from shells and other marine life. The sandstone is used in many buildings in the village and the surrounding area, and it has become known as Arden Stone.
The village is surrounded by woods brimming with wildflowers, birds and animals. The woods are a peaceful retreat and the Arden Forest Committee and volunteers maintain their natural beauty through annual woods cleanup, ivy “pulls” and other events.
Among the most distinctive houses in the village is The Arden House, completed in 1909 for Edward Henry Harriman and designed by renowned architect Stanford White to be one of the country’s first and premier estates. Today the house is operated as a conference center.
Residents who are new to the village should check out the Village Handbook, especially the “Arden: Here’s How It Works” section. It is a brief guide to the village meeting form of government, committees, trustees and Board of Assessors, and contains essential information about town ordinances and how residents can participate in Village governance. The booklet is available in the library and from the Village office.