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The walk this month visits the secluded settlement of Little Wenham, one of those few places in Suffolk that is difficult to explore unless you arrive on foot. Set in the natural countryside, the land, paths and tracks, buildings and people that once lived and worked in this tiny community are now part of history whilst the rest of us face the modern world of today. If you really want to get away from it all, take a stroll round this circular walk by starting from the car park at the Capel St. Mary shopping precinct, taking the path on the left between the shops and the village hall. This is Vine Walk and leads out to Thorney Road, cross the road to the path on the other side marked with a metal footpath sign and waymark post, first between fences, then hedges and out into the open fields. Cross the field ahead on the crop break strip, to the corner by a clump of trees, then turn left for about 100 metres. Turn right on the well worn path along the edge of the next field, following a line of oak trees on the right. At the corner turn right along the next field edge, following the yellow waymark arrows, to reach a small bridge across the ditch on the left. Cross this and continue straight on, ignoring the footbridge with a handrail to the right, and walk along the wide grass strip and ditch to another footbridge at the corner. This leads out to a track and the site of a former railway crossing. This was known as Barford Crossing, there was once a cottage here housing the crossing keeper and was one of several manned crossings on the old Bentley to Hadleigh branch line. The line was opened in 1847, passenger services operated until 1933 and the line finally closed in 1965. Cross the bed of the track and turn sharp left over a slippery footbridge following the field edge path towards Parkhouse. At the end of the coppice wood turn left over two stiles and on between fences to a third stile. Walk along the right edge of a meadow to a fourth stile and down a field edge path to a cross a sleeper bridge. Walk uphill on a grass track to the former railway once again. This was the Little Wenham crossing where there was another cottage. The house has long been demolished and the only trace is the odd piece of brick and tile in the corner of the field, a lilac tree and garden flowers in the hedge. Continue down the farm track towards Little Wenham Church that can be seen ahead, and the Tithe Barn of Castle Farm to the right. The church is now cared for as a redundant church and can be visited by walking up the steps and through the iron gate at the top. After passing through the farm turn left through a steel gate, following the path alongside the moat with glimpses of the old farmhouse of Castle Farm and the castle across the water. The castle is a castellated manor house built in the 13th century by Sir John de Villabus and restored in the 20th century by the Crisp family. To the right of the castle the current Little Wenham Hall can be seen, built in the mock Tudor style early in the 20th century. At the end of the moat the path eventually joins the private drive to the hall, turn right and follow this down to the road. Turn left over the stream and up past Brook Farm to a footpath on the right, marked by a set of steps in the embankment. This path leads across the fields towards Capel Church and will bring you to the rear gardens of the houses in Capel. Turn left on the path for 30 metres and then right between garden fences to emerge out on Days Green. Cross the road and walk to the other end of the open grass area opposite. At the churchyard hedge turn left across the grass and on for a few metres before turning right down the left side of the churchyard to The Street. Turn left along the roadside footway up through the village to return to the start at the shopping precinct. On the way there are few buildings of note. Opposite the church, the pink Jubilee Cottage was once the greengrocers and, just before Cedars Lane, the red brick cottage on the right was where the doctor held his once a week surgery. To the left of the primary school entrance note The Old School House, all that remains of the former flint and brick village primary school. Around the bend the cream cottage, Hafen, close to the road on the right was the village cobbler's shop and next door a former chapel, now a child care centre. Finally next to the village hall is the splendid Methodist Church and across the road the village sign. FACT FILELocation: Capel St Mary is 6 miles south west of IpswichStart: Capel shopping precinct Ordnance Survey map reference TM 094383 Length: 4 miles(can be shortened), 4 stiles Conditions: Good field edges, tracks and roadside footway, muddy after rain, boots recommended How to get there: - Public Transport: For details telephone Suffolk County Council's Public Transport Information TraveLine on 08459 583358 By Road: From Ipswich A12 south or Colchester A12 north to Capel St. Mary turn off, then along main street Car Parking: Free Refreshments: Local pubs, shops and A12 service areas Public Toilets: None (only at local A12 services) Map: Ordnance Survey Explorer sheet 196 Sudbury, Hadleigh & Dedham Vale Walking on the Web: http://www.anderton.btinternet.co.uk
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