A 5-Mile History Walk to Weston-sub-Edge
Sturdy shoes or boots are recommended.
This route is clearly signed (signposts and waymarkers)
Pets should be kept on leads at all times.
Drinks and snacks are recommended.
Start at the Village Hall and head west to the High Street. Turn left and walk up to The Thatched Tavern where you will turn left into China Corner and walk straight on until you pass through the narrow gap between the houses. This leads up to the Fair Acres estate.
Turn right and follow the hedge until you come to a steel gate (adjacent to the site of the Honeybourne murder in 1809). The path to the old chicken sheds at Weston Road may be obstructed. If so, continue on to the bridge and then turn left along the headland to the Weston Road.
TAKE GREAT CARE when crossing the road. This is a very fast road, and visibility is not very good. Follow the grass verge to your right where, after 100 metres, you will join a footpath towards Weston Fields Farm. After 20 metres fork right to the stile opposite the farmhouse. Follow the path with the brook on your right, crossing two more stiles before coming to a gate that leads into the garden of Long Stretch Farm. Through this beautiful woodland garden before crossing over the brook bridge and through the step-through field gate to follow the path with the brook now on your left side. Over another stile *, continuing to follow the brook until you meet a stile leading onto the dismantled railway (to the right of the brick culvert). Cross over the railway bed and through the gate into Gloucestershire.
Follow the path, moving towards the electric fence on your right. Do not attempt to cross this fence. With the fence on your right and the woodland on your left, walk straight ahead until you reach a pedestrian gate. Through the gate and then over a stile just past the dilapidated (extremely dangerous) wartime airfield buildings; follow the field edge with the stream on your left. Over another stile * and ahead again until you reach the bridge on your left. The industrial estate you see to your right was part of RAF Honeybourne. It has been said that these buildings were used in the filming of some scenes from the BBC TV series “Tenko”. Cross over the stream and then straight-across the woodland until you reach the next stile **. With your back to the stile take a 2.30 o’clock direction to the next stile. Over the stile and follow the track to your right until you meet the main road in Weston-sub-edge.
TAKE GREAT CARE to cross this road and continue ahead along Church Street until you reach Parsons Lane on your right, taking time as you pass under the large cedar tree to turn back to look at the barn with two white doors, noticing the fire-plate at the apex of the roof (erected by an insurance company – “Which Mark is to be number’d with the Number of the Subscribers Policy, and there to remain so long as the Subscribers continue to pay their Quarteridges”) above a stone dated 1857.
Walk down Parsons Lane past the old almshouses (Meon Cottage) until you reach the green footpath sign on your left. Along this footpath passing the 19th century water point. Turn left to follow the footpath between the gardens and out into the field. Continue to follow this path until you reach the bridge over the stream. Pass through the kissing gate onto the site of the moated manor. This manor was already owned by the Giffard family in 1279, when Walter Gifford (Archbishop of York) died, and it passed to his brother, Godfrey, Bishop of Worcester. Follow the path straight-ahead with the first telegraph pole and the moat on your left.
Walk towards the far right-hand corner of this field until you reach the last telegraph pole. Turn left along the edge of the header pond. The medieval ponds are now clearly visible. Continue walking around the pond edge in the direction of the church. If you take a short detour on your left to the high ground you will have an excellent over-view of the site. It is interesting to note that when we experience flood conditions, this moat and the ponds are completely full of water.
When you reach the cemetery, pass through the kissing gate and on to the church door. Follow the path to the right until you reach the main gated entrance. Turn left into Church Street and, passing another 19th century water point, walk down to Parsons Lane. Now you can retrace your steps back to Honeybourne, perhaps stopping at the Seagrave Arms for refreshment.
We hope you have enjoyed your walk today, and that we have whetted your appetite for a variety of future walks during 2022/3 using the Public Rights of Way (PROWs) in the Parish of Honeybourne.
Email [email protected] for copies of any walks, to express concerns, or seek advice on how to best enjoy Honeybourne’s Rights of Way.
- * expect sheep
- ** expect cattle
A great way to gently improve your fitness and wellbeing, whilst appreciating the beautiful countryside in which we live.
November 2022