A History Tour
Hazel and Paul’s Midweek Ramble – 9 April
We met in the busy carpark of the Worcester Woods Country Park on a lovely sunny morning.
The morning route took through Whittington towards Spetchley Park owned by the Berkeley family. The original Tudor house here was burned down on the eve of the battle 1651, to prevent Cromwell from using the house for his headquarters. We had good views of the Mansion and then returned for a picnic lunch at the Orchard Outdoors, at the Countryside Centre.
In the afternoon, we set off again in the opposite direction, downhill towards Battenhall, through Redhill which has been historically used to attack the city especially in the Battle of Worcester and as a place of Execution. We climbed back up to the cars, via Middle Battenhall Farm.
Hazel and Paul
7 miles am, 5 miles pm
An April Stroll in the Cotswolds
Matthew’s Short Ramble – 16 April
On a cold morning with a strong blustery wind the group assembled in the car park of the Plough Inn at Ford. Rain was forecast for the morning but we saw no sign of it and the sun eventually broke through and warmed us up.
We walked a short way along the busy B4077 before turning off to the right on the Winchcombe Way down a narrow path through trees. We soon came to a wide grass path across a couple of fields and into the little village of Temple Guiting whose manor is said to be associated with the Knights Templar.
After crossing the river Windrush and passing St Mary’s church we crossed the road and ascended a steep narrow old road still following the Winchcombe Way (and Diamond Way). At the top of the hill we admired the stone models of a grasshopper and the fabled hare and tortoise as we pause to catch our breaths. We turned right here and follow the path through some trees and then along the side of fields with lovely views of Guiting Wood to our left.
As the path dipped down we took advantage of a bit of shelter from the wind to have a coffee break, listening to the merry song of skylarks as we did so. Soon after we set off again we passed by Pinnock Farm and the site of the medieval village of Pinnock. It was listed in the Domesday Book with a population of about 25 but by 1563 there were only three households there. Today the remains of the village are visible as earthworks north of the farm.
As we crossed the next field we are treated to a delightful display from about 10 lambs who keep running across our path as though playing chicken. This they did 3 or 4 times before being called to order by one of the ewes. After following a path through some trees we came onto a narrow road which is part of the Gloucestershire Way.
We walked along the road before turning right on the Gloucestershire Way up a narrow track between fences getting a good view of a busy working Cotswold stone quarry on our left. At the top of the hill we gently descend a field back into the village of Ford.
15 of the group enjoyed a lovely lunch at the Plough Inn.
Matthew
4.75 miles
Evening Rambles are back – lettuce celebrate!
Alan & Pauline’s Evening Ramble – 25 April
For the first Evening Ramble of the year we were blessed with calm, warm weather and after parking our cars along almost the whole length of Boat Lane, Offenham, we set off from the entrance to the brewery. The village and those adjoining it were once the centre of market gardening in the Vale but this has now been replaced by intensive horticulture within the many greenhouses, polytunnels and open fields that we encountered.
After walking alongside a field where planting was in progress we soon reached the edge of Bennetts Hill with its acres of multi-coloured lettuce. We stopped by a large greenhouse that had been converted for a short while last year into a Michelin 2* restaurant before, in complete contrast, passing between abandoned derelict greenhouses that had seen better days.
We soon reached Badsey and had a brief refreshment break before setting off again to follow Broadway Brook along a series of attractive field paths all the way back to Offenham.
It was noted that as we reached the final greenhouses two of the group suddenly raced to the front and disappeared down the lane as we made our way back to Boat Lane Brewery, where the majority enjoyed a social evening of drinks and food.
Alan & Pauline
5.5 miles
We wished we had worn shorts
Janet and Lesley’s Sunday Ramble- 27 April
Eleven of us set off on a glorious sunny Sunday morning from the car park at Lower Brailes village hall and it wasn’t long before many of us wished we’d worn shorts.
On the drive from Shipston to Lower Brailes we had encountered several older tractors heading in the same direction. Our curiosity was soon satisfied when we reached Lower Brailes and were told that about 100 were taking part in a rally to raise money for a cancer charity in support of a local young farmer with terminal cancer.
We walked up out of up out of the village heading south through fields and could just make out the sound of the bells from St George’s church (an impressive parish church also known as the ‘Cathedral of the Feldon’) above the bird song.
We were heading for the road in order to go to Traitors Ford for a coffee stop and photo opportunity, but as we approached the road we were greeted by a cacophony of engine noise and the tooting and honking of horns. It was an amazing sight tractors of all ages, sizes and colours were trundling by. We joined the other waving onlookers. The tractors continued to come so we sat on the verge for our coffee break to watch the ongoing procession, which concluded with a vintage fire engine and a quad bike. The sharp eyed amongst us spotted Kaleb from Diddley Squat farm. Eventually we made it to Traitors Ford but not before Banbury Motorcycle Club had also been past. Here we had the opportunity to hear about the origins of Traitors (Traders) Ford.
A long stretch of the walk from Traitors Ford followed part of an ancient trackway which had gone went from Southam to the ford and on then to the Rollrights before reaching Chipping Norton. The track was likely used before the Rollrights were erected and certainly before the Romans. It could also have been a drovers route for livestock going to market in Chipping Norton or Southam. The ford would have been a busy watering place for man and animals. Edgehill is nearby and disillusioned soldiers would have fled along this way, after the battle, looting and pillaging perhaps then it became known as Traitors Lane and Traitors Ford. From the remaining wide green stretch of the way it is easy to imagine what a busy thoroughfare it must have been when the countryside was densely populated. Some found this part of the walk quite long and tedious, despite the views, bird song and wildflowers, so it is easy to imagine what it would have been like for people who had to do it on a regular basis – perhaps like driving on the motorway, the shortest route to a destination. On arrival at the top of Gallows Hill we were asked to imagine the sight of people gathering in great excitement to view a public hanging in the valley below. It was a good reason to have fun, sell produce get drunk and meet neighbours.
At last the village of Epwell for lunch sitting on a bench in the sunshine either in the churchyard or on the little Green outside the village hall. An elderly gentleman taking his daily constitutional sat on the bench next to Lesley. It transpired that her companion, Charles, was the husband of the woman who was hosting the coffee morning that she and Trevor were invited to when they were doing a recce for this walk. It was her final coffee morning after 13 years and by all accounts it was an excellent turnout with delicious homemade cakes, it’s just a pity it wasn’t on Sunday afternoon.
After lunch we headed for Winderton passing an area called The Warren, which Lesley explained was a huge man-made pillow mound. It was probably surrounded by a moat where rabbits were kept and bred for food and fur, looked after by the Warrener. This practice began in the 11th century when the Normans introduced rabbits, or coneys as they were called. Rabbit was a highly prized commodity and not for ordinary people, so the Warrener’s job was extremely prodigious. This type of animal husbandry was widespread throughout the country as shown in many place names, such as Dawlish Warren and Coney Hill.
At Winderton we passed Alice Hyde’s cottage, the only trace of her is her cottage and a photograph of her with a bouquet of flowers outside the now derelict but imposing Victorian church, which is a local landmark.
We made our way back to Lower Brailes through rape and wheat fields, the ground which was so muddy earlier in the year, on our reccis, now so hard and dry. Not only had the farmer sprayed paths through the fields, which was helpful, he had also sprayed some of the hedgerows. We were walking through the countryside, but it seemed devoid of life and in stark contrast to the flowers and birds we had encountered at the start of the walk.
Back at Lower Brailes, with the Cathedral of the Findons in our sights. On our arrival back most of us headed to The George, an old coaching inn, to sit in its lovely garden for much needed refreshments, before making our way home.
The Carl congratulated Janet and Lesley on a wonderful walk in beautiful weather and was looking forward to enjoying the next offering.
Janet and Lesley
7.5 miles in the morning and 4.5 miles in the afternoon