START:
From the St Peter's Church, Martley, 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 18th century
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 wide gap into the field (used
to be a field gate) where the track veers sharp right, then diagonally
across the field, following the waymarking signs (1,2). At the end of
the rough woodland on the right the path splits, but this route bears
diagonally left at the waymark (3), past a path junction leading to the
road, to a gated and substantial bridge (4) (replacing an old wooden one,
damaged in floods, June/July 2007) 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, aiming for a large, dying, oak tree, until you see stile
(5) and the next stile (6), in more or less a straight line. 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 B4204, again beside
the Laugherne Brook (7). Turn right up the road for some yards where a
signpost (8) indicates the path through scrubby woodland (often very overgrown,
and impossible to traverse) to Willow Road (9), avoiding the road junction
(if the path is overgrown, follow the road round). 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 (10). 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.
Continue straight ahead to the far corner of the field where a stile (11)
leads into a pasture. Veer somewhat to the left and cross the field diagonally
to the far corner where there is a small ditch and stile (12). In the
field there is a large pond. Move left around this (pool on right) and
aim up the field (i.e. NOT to the nearby gate on to the road) towards
farm buildings and a stile (13) in the roadside hedge. Turn right up the
lane until another stile (14) in the right hedge takes you into another
pasture. Keeping the wire fence on the right, cross a stile (15) into
an old (2008--very old, not many trees left) orchard. Keep alongside the
hedge to a stile (16). 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 (17) and look
out for the waymarking post at the hedge corner (18) and go down towards
the church and car park along the old hedge line. 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.
