Charting the history of this pleasant pastoral landscape
The village of Hinton Charterhouse has interesting origins. When the Carthusian order of monks established a monastic settlement, it was always given the name ‘Charterhouse’ and the one in this locality was only the second such foundation in England. The site of their priory here is a mile or so outside of the village and is very much a private property, although the remaining chapter house, with a library and dovecot, can be glimpsed through the trees from nearby Branch Road leading to the A36. A pleasant pastoral landscape of hay meadows and hillsides, woodland and the Wellow Brook lies between Hinton Charterhouse and the hilltop hamlet of Twinhoe, before the walk descends steeply into Wellow. The view of the village is very much dominated by the vast perpendicular tower of St Julian’s Church, although there is much else to catch the eye including an ancient packhorse bridge that crosses Wellow Brook and a renovated signal box on the long defunct Somerset & Dorset Railway that ran through the village. There is also the Fox & Badger Inn, conveniently located halfway around the walk. A quiet section of road walking along Norton Lane leads to what appears to be just an ordinary area of woodland known as Cleaves Wood. To the lepidopterist, however, the woodland is an absolute paradise with no fewer than 27 of Britain’s 59 spe- cies of butterfly having been recorded at the site, including the much revered Duke of Burgundy. The woodland can also boast a large population of the nationally scarce plant spiked star-of Bethlehem, also known as Bath asparagus. Back in Hinton Charterhouse, a detour along Green Lane opposite the Post Office is needed to find the 12th-century St John’s Church. Much easier to spot at journey’s end is the welcoming sight of the Rose & Crown Inn. The inn describes itself as ‘quintessentially old English but with modern easy comforts’ and is a classic stone built pub with wood panelled bars. Expect to find traditional English fayre on the menu, with ingredients from local Somerset producers wherever this is possible.