Historic Hinton
The village of hinton Charterhouse takes its name from an ancient priory established in the area back in 1232 by the Carthusian order of monks. This was only their second base in Britain and, as was the norm, the name of Charterhouse was given to each of their monastic settlements. The remains of the priory consist of a chapter house and refectory, as well as the outlines of the cloisters, although you will have to take my word for this as the remains lie off of the walk, with the complex being very much a private property.
St John the Baptist Church is another of the ancient religious establishments in the village, with origins that predate even those of the priory. A Norman church, the fine doorway and font, as well as the lower part of the tower, date from this era. The local guidebooks point out a wooden seat in the churchyard, replete with a plaque bearing the legend: “This seat contains teak from hm Ship ‘Valiant’ Jutland 1916. Cape Matapan 1941.” As is the case in so many english villages, the grand house, in this case hinton house, borders on to the church grounds, thus ensuring the Lord and his Lady had easy access to their dedicated pew each Sabbath.
Quiet lanes, other than a crossing of the busy A36, bring the walk to Friary, a secluded hamlet that was once the home of the lay brothers at hinton Priory. A hillside path heads across to Freshford where, if you are of a certain age, you will experience a sense of déjà vu. The village featured in the 1953 comedy The Titfield Thunderbolt, the story of how the local railway company fought off attempts to close its service to the nearby town of Mallingford. There is more to the story, with a feud developing with a local bus company, so the film is well worth finding if you enjoy classic British comedy with local settings.
We follow a path high above the Avon Valley and a steep stepped path to reach Limpley Stoke Church. Alongside the church is an information board from which I extracted a few key facts about the place. Weaving and quarrying were the basis of the local economy in centuries past. The local Best Western hotel was, in a former life, a Victorian hydro hotel, tapping into water from local springs. Lord Nelson’s mistress, Lady helen hamilton, came this way following his death to scratch her initials on a window of a house belonging to Nelson’s good friend Captain Penruddocke. And buried in the churchyard is Miles Kington, humorist, broadcaster and musician, who believed that “happiness is in your head”.
The final leg of the walk crosses a field with glimpses of hinton Priory through the trees to the left. And behind the trees on the right at this point is a murky swamp that was once the monks’ fishpond. There is finally a glimpse of hinton house, home to Jake Dyson, son of the better known James. his plans to install a helipad on the site did not meet with universal local approval but, in an attempt to appease local residents, there was a promise not to use the helicopter at the same time as services in the local church. Security is tight hereabouts, with my every movement being closely observed by what appeared to be a security guard in a bright orange fluorescent jacket. That was a first!
GETTING There
■ Coming from Bath on the B3110, turn left at the southern end of Hinton Charterhouse into Green Lane, immediately past the Rose & Crown pub. Park on the roadside on the left in 400 yards, just before a turning up to St John’s Church. ■ 1. Follow Green Lane away from Hinton Charterhouse for just over ½ mile to reach the A36, ignoring a right turn to Trowbridge and an unmarked right turn along the way. Cross the A36 and follow the cul-desac, Friary Wood Lane, for ½ mile down to the hamlet of Friary. Ignoring a bridleway on the left, keep ahead for 25 yards before turning left by a conifer hedge to walk uphill to a gate. Beyond this gate, follow a path across the hillside to reach Middle House in ¼ mile.
Follow an access road around to the right to a road junction and turn right. Having crossed the River Frome, follow the lane around a right-hand bend before passing through a gateway on the left in 40 yards. ■ 2. Cross the field ahead to a gate and lane on the far side of the field in 400 yards. Turn left and follow this road to the left past the Inn at Freshford and on uphill on a road called The Hill. At the top of The Hill, where the main road bears left, keep ahead on a minor road and drop downhill to a junction by some three-storey houses adjoining an old brewery, now a residential property. Turn right and, where the road ends, keep ahead on a footpath that bears left before climbing gently uphill to reach Avenue Lodge. Join a road called Crowe Hill, turn right and continue for 500 yards to a footpath on the left, just before a white property on the right. ■ 3. Follow this uphill, cross a road and continue uphill on a stepped path to a stile and road by Limpley Stoke Church. Cross a stile to the right of the church, walk ahead to a gate and drop downhill in the field ahead to a gate and recreation ground in Freshford. Walk down the left edge of the recreation ground to a gate before keeping ahead past the community shop to a road. Cross over and follow a footpath to the left that climbs gently to the left to pass a cemetery before reaching a road. Follow this road to the right, ignoring a cul-de-sac called the Glebe, to reach a junction on a steep hill in Sharpstone in ¼ mile. Turn right and walk uphill for 150 yards to the next junction. Turn left and follow Abbey Lane for ¼ mile up to the A36.
■ 4. Turn right for 25 yards, cross the A36 to a gate and field. Walk ahead for 250 yards before turning left to a gate by some trees. Continue past these trees to the next gate before walking the length of the following field to another gate. Behind the trees on the left are the remains of Hinton Priory. Cross the next field, bearing slightly right all the while, to a semi-hidden gate in the opposite field boundary, 50 yards down from the far right corner. Cross a road called Branch Road to a gate opposite, cross a builders’ storage compound to another gate and walk ahead across the parkland of Hinton House towards Hinton Charterhouse Church. Cross a drive leading to Hinton House just before the church and walk ahead to a gate and enter the churchyard. Walk through the churchyard to the church, keep ahead to a gate and follow a lane ahead back to Green Lane.