Evening Star Walks|
Cockfield is a scattered village consisting of a number of greens,
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 walks starts from what must have been regarded
as the original centre of the community, a cluster of old buildings
around the church that now includes a new village hall and the local
primary school. From the village hall return back down the lane to the war memorial and 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 old railway line. There are two points along the track bed where stiles on the right provide short cuts to reach the road. Turn left along the trackbed, the undergrowth is beginning to encroach a little in parts, but there is a well defined path along the route of the old 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 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. After crossing a wooden 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. 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 and 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 eeventually 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 passing a pair of ornate 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. Turn right at the the next junction, marked to Stowmarket and Cockfield, taking great care as there is no footway along this section. Walk past the first entrance to Cockfield Hall and, after passing the second entrance, note the now disused 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 crosses 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 the lane to return to the start at the village hall car park. Fact FileLocation: Cockfield is 18 miles north west of IpswichStart: 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: For details telephone Suffolk County Council's Public Transport Information TraveLine - 08459 583358 By Road: From Ipswich west on A1071 to Hadleigh bypass then on A1141 through Lavenham to Cockfield, turn left at war memorial Car Parking: Free car park at village hall Refreshments: Three Horseshoes PH and Cockfield PO and Village Stores Public Toilets: None (nearest in Lavenham) Map: Ordnance Survey Explorer sheet 211 Bury St. Edmunds and Stowmarket
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