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Cockfield is a scattered village consisting of nine greens and hamlets, spread around the undulating countryside north of Lavenham. There is much to see on this walk, including a section along the trackbed of a dismantled railway line and the disused taxiway of a former World War II airfield. The walk starts from what must have been regarded as the original centre of the community, a cluster of old buildings around St. Peter's Church that now includes a new village hall and the local primary school. From the village hall return back down Church Lane to the war memorial, commemorating the local servicemen of two world wars. Turn right for a few metres before turning left on Perrydown Lane, marked to Buttons Green. Where the road bends up to the left, turn off right on a field edge path to reach the bed of the former Bury St. Edmunds to Long Melford railway line. There are two points along the track bed where stiles on the right provide short cuts to reach the main road if required. Turn left along the trackbed, the undergrowth is beginning to encroach a little in parts, but there is a well defined path along the old route of the railway. Walk straight along the path, in parts it is open and on an embankment clear of trees, close to Earl's Hall Farm pass through a pair of gates and under a red brick road bridge. Continue along the straight and level path, eventually passing the Cockfield River Gauging Station on the left, where the trackbed becomes an access track. The Cockfield River is a tributary of the River Brett. After crossing a wooden cart bridge the trackbed ahead has been ploughed up and the access track turns sharply right to reach the A1141 road. Turn right along the roadside verge for about 150 metres and left up Gallow Lane, marked to Smallwood Green. At the top of the hill there is a fine view over the valley and surrounding countryside, Cockfield Church can be seen off to the left through the trees. On reaching a tee junction beyond Smithwood House, turn left on the concrete track out onto the former airfield, marked as a Public Footpath. At the next tee junction turn right, ignoring the private drive to Express House. After passing buildings on the right, the concrete track widens out to reveal the the full width of the old airfield taxiway. The former control tower and a hanger can be seen across the fields to the left and a section of the main runway is extant at the end of the taxiway. Lavenham airfield was built in 1943 and from April 1944 was home to the the 487th Bomb Group of the USAF. They flew B24 Liberator bombers and later B17 Flying Fortresses and took part in the 2,000 heavy bomber raids in World War II. The 487th left Lavenham airfield in October 1945 after a total of 185 missions and 48 planes lost, the site then eventually reverted to farm land. 50 metres before the end of the long straight taxiway, turn off right on the concrete track, marked as a Public Footpath, walking down to a crossing path by the bridge, marked with a four arm signpost. Turn off right on the field edge path to the right of the ditch, passing over a small footbridge into the next field and on to a stile leading into a meadow. Follow the right hedge in the meadow initially but bear left to cross the central stream via an earth culvert, marked with a wooden post. On the other side of the stream continue along the left hedge to a stile on the left, leading into the adjacent arable field, just before the end of the meadow. Follow the field edge path out to the A1141 road. Turn left on the roadside footway, past a pair of ornate brick 19th century cottages, to reach a telephone box. Crowbrook Place, the turning on the right, is one of the short cuts mentioned above and can be used to return along the former railway if required. Otherwise continue along the roadside footway, past the tower of the local windmill. There has been a mill on this site since the 16th century although this tower was built in 1891 and milling ended in the 1920s. Turn right at the the next junction, marked to Stowmarket and Cockfield, taking great care as there is no footway along the first section. Walk past the first entrance to Cockfield Hall along a new section of footway and, after passing the second entrance, note the now disused Cockfield Station and platforms across the old station yard. There were also stations at Lavenham and Welnetham on the 16 miles of railway from Bury St. Edmunds to Long Melford that opened in August 1865 and finally closed in April 1965. Follow the road up over the bridge that crossed the former railway and note the Victorian Post Box set in the bridge brickwork. Continue on down to the War Memorial and turn left up Church Lane to return to the start at the village hall car park. To complete your visit, walk into the churchyard to view a superb 15th century brick and timber cottage and the well proportioned 14th century church of St. Peter. Inside is an Easter Sepulchre and the 14th century canopied tomb of a knight. Fact FileLocation: Cockfield is 18 miles north west of Ipswich and 7 miles south east of Bury St. EdmundsStart: Cockfield village hall, Ordnance Survey map reference TL 905548 Length: 5 miles (short cuts available) Conditions: Well defined paths and tracks, field edge and roadside footway, 2 stiles How to get there: - Public transport: Check details with Suffolk County Council's Public Transport Information TraveLine - telephone 08459 583358 Road Route: From Ipswich west on A1071 to Hadleigh bypass then on A1141 through Lavenham to Cockfield, turn left at war memorial. From Bury St. Edmunds south on A134 and A1141 Lavenham Road Parking: Free car park at village hall Refreshments: Three Horseshoes PH (no food Tuesdays) and Cockfield PO and Village Stores Public Toilets: None (nearest in Lavenham) Map: Ordnance Survey Explorer sheet 211 Bury St. Edmunds and Stowmarket Walking on the web: http://www.anderton.btinternet.co.uk
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