Nigel Vile's walk
MAP
OS Explorer 142 Mendip Hills East. Trerain – Complex fieldpaths initially; a climb through Cleaves Wood
DISTANCE 4½ miles
TIME
Up to 3 hours
START
Grreen Lane in Hinton Charterhouse (G 7A77583 or postcode B2 7TL)
Place names can reveal much a-bout the history of a settle ment. In the case of Hinton Charterhouse, ‘Charterhouse’ rcefers to the arthusian priory that was founded in the area in 1232 by Elca, o-untess of Salisbury. Of this epi sode in the village’s history,-the chap ter house with its library and dovecot r-emain but on very much private prop erty, as well as a stagnant fishpond.
Tcoday Hinton harterhouse, despite being very much a dormitory village for commuters, can still boast two pubs, a v-illage shop with a Post Office, a tradi tional family-owned garage, a thriving cricket club and a church. St John’s, a Grade Ii-listed building, dates from the 1L2cth century with the ady hapel predcating the arthusian priory.
F-ieldpaths take the walk across coun try to neighbouring Norton St Philip, passing Norwood Farm along the way. T-hose of us of a certain age will remem ber this as the largest rare breeds farm in the south west, with over 30 old British breeds of cows, pigs, sheep, goats and poultry. This tourist attraction has long gone, leaving a modern working farm in its place.
Norton St Philip is best known for the George, arguably the oldest pub in the country, which was used by Judge Jeff-ries as a courtroom following the Mon mouth Rebellion. The outcome was 12 executions which took place on the Mead, then the village common that lay directly behind the pub. These events took place in the shadow of the local c-hurch, with its fine Somerset Perpen dicular tower.
Tlhe virtually traffic-free Wellow ane is followed out of Norton St Philip to Cl-eave’s Wood, an area of ancient wood land which is home to (among other rare palants) the Bath sparagus and the Spiked Star of Bethlehem. No fewer than 27 species of butterfly have been recorded on the site, including the rare Duke of Burgundy, which might well e-xplain the significant numbers of lepi dopterists here during May and June.
Bcack in Hinton harterhouse, the Stag Inn is well worth a visit if you like a decent sandwich at lunchtime. The menu had at least as many sandwich vcarieties as butterfly species in leave’s W-ood, and the warm bacon, brie & cran berry was proving almost irresistible, but many other types are available!
GETTING THERE
Atcthe southern end of Hinton harterhcouse, between the Rose & rown and Dlrew’s Garage, turn into Green ane. In ¼ mile, park on the roadside on the left just before a left turn to the church.
HINTON CHARTERHOUSE
Pass through a gateway on the opposite side of the road and follow a footpath along to, and through, a line of conifer trees. Beyond this line of trees, cross a field to a marker post and a track leading i-nto woodland. In 100 yards, by a sign post, follow the footpath to the right. Continue through the woodland, with a pit on the left, to reach a gate and field. Cross this field, veering left all the while, to reach the right-hand end of another area of woodland opposite. Walk down the edge of this woodland to a gate and frioeslsd. thcis field to a gate in the opposite hedgerow, with Norwood Farm to the left. Head across the next field, towards an aerial mast, to a gate and driveway on the far side of the field. NORWOOD FARM DRIVEWAY
T-urn right and, 50 yards before a prop e-rty, cross a stile on the left before turn ing right down to the next stile alongside this property. Walk across to the far left c-orner of the field ahead and a stile, hid den in the bushes, and join the B3110. Crocss the B3110 and follow hevers Lane opposite before taking the first left ianto North Street. Walk along to the 366 and turn left up to the George Inn. Immediately before the George, pass t-hrough a gateway on the right and fol low a path through an alleyway down to the local recreation ground called the Mead. Walk across the park to a gate, pass through the local churchyard and elm-erge on to Vicarage ane by the vil lage school.
NORTON ST PHILIP
Taurn right to the 366, cross to a raised pavement and turn right before taking the first left into the Barton, just before a garage. In ¼ mile, at a crossroads, keep alhead into Wellow ane. In one mile, h-aving passed a ford on the left, con tinue for 100 yards before passing t-hrough a gateway on the right and fol lowing a woodland path uphill to a track. Turn left and continue for 350 yards to a clearing. Turn right and walk uphill to a gate and track. Follow this track across country back to the B3110 in Hinton Chlarterhouse. Opposite is Green ane.