"What happened when the Black Death came to Gloucestershire"
Walk directions
From the parking area, walk along the lane for 1.25 miles (2km) to a road junction. Avoid the left turn for Brockhampton and continue for about 20yds (18m), to turn right onto a footpath beside a pasture. Cross several fields as the path descends through undergrowth. Cross a field at the bottom to a stile, and enter a large field. Go forward, taking a rising path to a plantation and fence on the left. Follow the fence and, at the point where telegraph poles on the right converge with the path, reach a stile on the left.
Go over this onto a track. Follow it until you emerge in a large field with fine views ahead. Cross this field on the obvious track, descending steeply to a gate. Go through, follow the track to the bottom and bear right to a lane. Turn left, keep ahead at the first junction and at the next, almost opposite the Old School House, now residential, turn right (signposted ‘Cheltenham’) for 200yds (183m) to a gate on the left, opposite the entrance to Whittington Court.
Take the middle waymarked path, aiming just to the left of tall and broken trees, continuing on the same line over grassy bumps to a stile on the far side. Now keep ahead on a lengthy stretch of field path, initially across open fields, then beside the perimeter and ultimately across open farmland again. The path then descends into a thicket beside a lake. Keep right of this, then follow a clear path left of Syreford Mill to a track. Continue to a lane and cross over to a track (signposted ‘Brockhampton’).
Follow this as it passes houses and curves right (now a path) into woodland. Walk through the woods to emerge at the edge of a field. Go ahead for 440yds (402m), across fields and through a succession of gates. Approaching Sevenhampton, follow the good track beside houses, noting Sevenhampton House on the right just before the road junction.
Turn left for a few paces. Just before the ford at the River Coln turn right onto a grassy path (signposted ‘Brockhampton via St Andrew’s Church’). Follow this to a bridge and stile. The path then climbs up a bank to a gate. Cross a field to a road and then enter St Andrew’s churchyard. Walk to the right of the church and turn right into a newer burial area. Turn left to pass through two kissing gates into another field. Continue down beside a wall and then enter the next field.
Now go half right across the field to a gate and follow a grassy path up into Brockhampton. Turn right, then left at the telephone box. Where the road turns right, go straight ahead. Walk for 0.75 miles (1.2km) on an obvious path beside or between fields to a road.
Turn left, pass a turning to Charlton Abbots and go straight over at the next junction. Follow the ‘no through road’ to a bridleway on the left (Sabrina Way) and climb steadily through woodland. Keep ahead at the Wardens Wood sign, and fork left to return to the start.
One of the key architectural and historic landmarks on this walk is Whittington Court. The house is mainly Tudor, but there has been a manor house on this site since well before the Normans – a moated version is mentioned in the Domesday Book. Earlier stonework is still visible at the base of the... walls. In the fields opposite Whittington Court some grassy bumps serve as a permanent reminder of Old Whittington. Although the Black Death of the 14th century devastated more towns than rural areas, a good quarter of Gloucestershire’s population died. Many villages were abandoned and then resettled close by, and Whittington is an example of this. The Church of St Bartholomew stands next to the house and is well worth a visit. Inside, you’ll find the handsome brasses of Richard Coton – who built the present house – and his wife Margaret, as well as three Cotswoldstone effigies. It is said that the oak panelling in the chancel was made from the pews of neighbouring Sevenhampton Church. Look in the porch for a quote, reproduced in longhand, by historian Arthur Mee from his book Gloucestershire – the Glory of the Cotswolds, published in 1938. He fondly describes Whittington as ‘an old world village under a wooded hill.’ A military camp was set up near the manor in Whittington during World War II, and in the 1950s the buildings helped solve a housing shortage in this area. The Whittington Press, established in 1971, is an authentic surviving cottage industry, with its original letterpress machines in a former gardener’s cottage on the estate. The next village encountered on the walk is Sevenhampton. This settlement was originally called Sennington and was located on the opposite hill, until the coming of the plague. Although the building is small, the parish church’s flying buttresses and impressive vaulting aspire to something greater. Sevenhampton Manor dates from 1550, and was partially demolished in the 1950s.
Gloucestershire is home to a variety of landscapes, including the Cotswolds, a region of gentle hills, valleys and gem-like villages that roll through the county. To their west is the Severn Plain, watered by Britain’s longest river and characterised by orchards and farms marked out by hedgerows that blaze with mayflower in the spring; beyond the Severn are the Forest of Dean and the Wye Valley.
"What happened when the Black Death came to Gloucestershire"
Walk details
3hrs 30min
Difficulty:
Medium
Gradient:
Gentle
Distance:
7.75 miles (12.5kms)
Ascent:
280ft (85m)
Walk directions
From the parking area, walk along the lane for 1.25 miles (2km) to a road junction. Avoid the left turn for Brockhampton and continue for about 20yds (18m), to turn right onto a footpath beside a pasture. Cross several fields as the path descends through undergrowth. Cross a field at the bottom to a stile, and enter a large field. Go forward, taking a rising path to a plantation and fence on the left. Follow the fence and, at the point where telegraph poles on the right converge with the path, reach a stile on the left.
1 of 7
Go over this onto a track. Follow it until you emerge in a large field with fine views ahead. Cross this field on the obvious track, descending steeply to a gate. Go through, follow the track to the bottom and bear right to a lane. Turn left, keep ahead at the first junction and at the next, almost opposite the Old School House, now residential, turn right (signposted ‘Cheltenham’) for 200yds (183m) to a gate on the left, opposite the entrance to Whittington Court.
2 of 7
Take the middle waymarked path, aiming just to the left of tall and broken trees, continuing on the same line over grassy bumps to a stile on the far side. Now keep ahead on a lengthy stretch of field path, initially across open fields, then beside the perimeter and ultimately across open farmland again. The path then descends into a thicket beside a lake. Keep right of this, then follow a clear path left of Syreford Mill to a track. Continue to a lane and cross over to a track (signposted ‘Brockhampton’).
3 of 7
Follow this as it passes houses and curves right (now a path) into woodland. Walk through the woods to emerge at the edge of a field. Go ahead for 440yds (402m), across fields and through a succession of gates. Approaching Sevenhampton, follow the good track beside houses, noting Sevenhampton House on the right just before the road junction.
4 of 7
Turn left for a few paces. Just before the ford at the River Coln turn right onto a grassy path (signposted ‘Brockhampton via St Andrew’s Church’). Follow this to a bridge and stile. The path then climbs up a bank to a gate. Cross a field to a road and then enter St Andrew’s churchyard. Walk to the right of the church and turn right into a newer burial area. Turn left to pass through two kissing gates into another field. Continue down beside a wall and then enter the next field.
5 of 7
Now go half right across the field to a gate and follow a grassy path up into Brockhampton. Turn right, then left at the telephone box. Where the road turns right, go straight ahead. Walk for 0.75 miles (1.2km) on an obvious path beside or between fields to a road.
6 of 7
Turn left, pass a turning to Charlton Abbots and go straight over at the next junction. Follow the ‘no through road’ to a bridleway on the left (Sabrina Way) and climb steadily through woodland. Keep ahead at the Wardens Wood sign, and fork left to return to the start.
One of the key architectural and historic landmarks on this walk is Whittington Court. The house is mainly Tudor, but there has been a manor house on this site since well before the Normans – a moated version is mentioned in the Domesday Book. Earlier stonework is still visible at the base of the... walls. In the fields opposite Whittington Court some grassy bumps serve as a permanent reminder of Old Whittington. Although the Black Death of the 14th century devastated more towns than rural areas, a good quarter of Gloucestershire’s population died. Many villages were abandoned and then resettled close by, and Whittington is an example of this. The Church of St Bartholomew stands next to the house and is well worth a visit. Inside, you’ll find the handsome brasses of Richard Coton – who built the present house – and his wife Margaret, as well as three Cotswoldstone effigies. It is said that the oak panelling in the chancel was made from the pews of neighbouring Sevenhampton Church. Look in the porch for a quote, reproduced in longhand, by historian Arthur Mee from his book Gloucestershire – the Glory of the Cotswolds, published in 1938. He fondly describes Whittington as ‘an old world village under a wooded hill.’ A military camp was set up near the manor in Whittington during World War II, and in the 1950s the buildings helped solve a housing shortage in this area. The Whittington Press, established in 1971, is an authentic surviving cottage industry, with its original letterpress machines in a former gardener’s cottage on the estate. The next village encountered on the walk is Sevenhampton. This settlement was originally called Sennington and was located on the opposite hill, until the coming of the plague. Although the building is small, the parish church’s flying buttresses and impressive vaulting aspire to something greater. Sevenhampton Manor dates from 1550, and was partially demolished in the 1950s.
Gloucestershire is home to a variety of landscapes, including the Cotswolds, a region of gentle hills, valleys and gem-like villages that roll through the county. To their west is the Severn Plain, watered by Britain’s longest river and characterised by orchards and farms marked out by hedgerows that blaze with mayflower in the spring; beyond the Severn are the Forest of Dean and the Wye Valley.
