START:
From the church car park, follow the track beside the churchyard wall,
passing the Old Hall, the former Rectory, just below/East of St. Peter's.
This substantial building conceals within its C18 exterior the nucleus
of a mediaeval hall house with original timbers up to the roof beams,
the hall being divided horizontally in Elizabethan times. Nicholas Pevsner
describes it in his "Buildings of England" series. Continue
along the track to the field gate and diagonally across the field, following
the waymarking signs (1,2). At the end of the rough woodland on the right
the path bears diagonally left (3) to a stile and wooden bridge across
the Laugherne Brook. Nearby Laugherne House was enlarged from the original
timber farmhouse by a scion of the Nash family in the C18. The Nashs'
of "The Noak" were wealthy glove makers who removed from Worcester,
first to Pudford Grange and then to the "Noak", and were the
local influential family for more than a century. The house was a school
for dyslexic children for some years prior to its development for housing.
Go straight ahead from the bridge to the stile (5) and the next stile
(6) and the further one, in more or less a straight line (7). Crossing
this, a branch to the left proceeds towards a telephone exchange and the
recently (2006) restored pub, "The Mason's" (formerly The Mason's
Arms). Otherwise head towards the right hand telegraph pole (and distant
white house) and the stile which leads out on to the road B4204, again
beside the Laugherne Brook (8). Turn right up the road for some yards
where a signpost indicates the path through scrubby woodland to Willow
Road, avoiding the road junction (follow the road if the path is overgrown).
The boundary of Wichenford parish runs along this short section. Turn
right along Willow Road, noting the extensive views of Woodbury Hill and
the Abberley Hills across to the right and the Malverns to the left. Continue
along Willow Road and turn right down Hopehouse Lane. Soon a stile and
signpost is seen on the left (9). Climb this and walk ahead through rather
marshy ground, keeping the line of old willows and a pool, built in the
late 90's, on your right, to the stile (10). Continue straight ahead over
the stile to the far corner of the field where a ditch crossing and stile
(11) lead into pasture with a large pond frequented by several varieties
of duck. Bear left in front of the pool, to either of two stiles leading
onto the lane (12). Turn right up the lane until a third stile (13) in
the right hedge takes you into another pasture. Keeping the wire fence
on the right, cross a stile into an old orchard. Keep alongside the hedge
to a stile (14). Here there is a choice of routes. Bearing left for a
short way, a stile leads down the bank to Hollins Lane which may be followed
down to within sight of the church and car park. Otherwise, cross the
stile in the hedge and go straight ahead, again following a hedge to a
seat erected by the Path-or-Nones to commemmorate VE day, 50 years on.
Next cross a stile and short bridge (15) and look out for the waymarking
post at the hedge corner (16) and go down towards the church and car park.
Look to the left for a fine view of Berrow Hill, upon which stands our
local authentic beacon, fired to commemorate special occasions, as at
the quatercentenary of the Spanish Armada, the advent of the Single European
Market, 50th Anniversary of VE day and of course the New Millennium.
