I know what you are all thinking “Since when has Old Sarum been considered as a hidden area of Wiltshire?” Well you are right the hillfort isn’t really hidden Wiltshire and I hope that the “not” in the title gives you a clue to the aim of this blog, as I intend to take you on a journey along some of the paths and interesting places you can see just beyond the well-known and popular hillfort. Although of course I might just sneak in the odd photo of or from the earthworks as you can see a great deal of the area to be walked from its outer ring. Anyway, I will stick mainly to the topic of “not” Old Sarum and at the bottom of the blog I supply a map with the locations so that hopefully you will be able to locate them yourselves if you wish to visit.
As I mention Old Sarum, I will start the walk for the blog there. If you arrive by car, you can park for a small fee in the English Heritage Car Park, but note it is only open whilst the hillfort is. However, there are other possibilities for free parking at unrestricted times along the way, so you can decide to park there and start the walk at that location.
Turning away from the hillfort, we usually walk down the road and then turn right at a gate that takes you on a path along the lower part of the earthwork. It is difficult to imagine now, but this is where once the Romans had a settlement. Just before reaching a road you turn right to head down a grassy area towards Hudson’s Field. As you get to this field, you again turn right onto a footpath. Either taking this path or, if it is overgrown, skirting along the field you will find the first landmark. The Parliament Tree, once the location where voting took place for the so called Rotten Borough of Old Sarum. Rotten because so few voters had as much sway as the many voters did in other locations. A stone memorial now marks the place where the tree once stood.
From here you can head towards Philips Lane by returning to the route that skirts Old Sarum and then heads towards Stratford sub Castle and then on the footpath to the east of the church or you can continue on taking the route to Stratford sub Castle and enjoy seeing the lovely cottages along the way. On one building you will notice there is a blue plaque related to the fact that Willam Pitt, MP for Old Sarum did live for a time in one of the grander houses. The Church of St Lawrence is located a little farther on towards the edge of the village. The church is lovely to visit and is thought to be around 800 years old. It is said that it might have been built on a more ancient sacred site either Roman or earlier. (Do see the Stratford sub Castle website for more information).
Having passed the church, both routes lead towards Stratford Bridge and the River Avon. Here we have spent many a moment watching amongst other things, schools of fish or territorial sedge warblers. It is a delightful place to stop.
From here we do not cross the bridge but keep the river to our left and walk along the road that passes the splendid Manor House with its immaculate grounds on the right. We continue on this road and make our way on up to Little Durnford. Often red kites, buzzards and ravens can be seen here. As you walk, to the left are lovely views of the River Avon and beyond. The water meadows here are regularly flooded, and flocks of Canada Geese and Mallards are often in residence along with families of swans. You can also see some of the signs of where the channels were dug for when they used to purposely flood these meadows.
Fortunately, the road is usually quite quiet with very little traffic and farther along the route just past the sign for Little Durnford we often stop and look back towards the view of the Cathedral or across to Camp Down and its notorious road up what is known as Snake Hill. I believe I may have attempted once or twice to cycle up in my somewhat younger days. I can’t remember if I stayed in the saddle, so I suspect I had to dismount and walk up the hill.
Continuing on and still looking to your left you might glimpse some more exotic animals than you would expect grazing in a field in Wiltshire. I won’t tell you what they are as that will spoil the surprise. The animals all belong to Lady Chichester the owner of the Little Durnford Estate. There is a footpath through the estate so when you get to a crossroads you could choose to turn left and walk through the automatic gate and onto a footpath that takes you to the Woodfords, alternatively you could turn right and head along the beautiful Beech lined byway known as The Avenue and cut out the next bit of the walk. It is worth noting that visiting The Avenue when the snowdrops are in flower is beautiful as whole hoards deck the road side.
However, we almost always prefer to continue on up the road to the Devenish Nature Reserve passing the fairytale Druids Cottage along the way.
I often feel a sense of peace here as I listen to the flow of the river and the sounds of the water birds on my left and woodland birds on my right and all starts to feel right with the world.
On past some wonderful flint and stone built cottages to the left, you will soon see the sign for the Devenish on the right. Entering into the Devenish you turn right and slightly backtrack along a path until you reach some steps to the left that take you up to a flight of steep and difficult steps that lead you to the top of the ridge and a signpost.
Here we usually follow the sign for the downs and continue through gates to a pretty wooded area that leads to a clearing and magnificent views of the Woodford Valley and beyond. It is so peaceful here, and we often sit on the chair kindly provided and enjoy the wonderful view. Every time we come to this location the view seems different and there is always something new to see.
It was from here that we were able to see the full extent of the 2023-2024 winter’s flooding of the River Avon.
After spending a moment admiring the view, we have to reluctantly leave and retrace our steps through the wood and then before reaching the gate by the sign post we turn off to the left along a path to a gate which joins a route that takes you down to the end of the Devenish and a pretty little thatched building known as the Keeper’s Cottage. I often stop to admire both the cottage and its amazing Horse Chestnut tree. Sadly, only one tree survives perhaps the other was a victim of one of the recent storms.
Shortly after passing Keeper’s Cottage you come to a crossroads which joins with the aforementioned “The Avenue”. Here you can head straight on and back to Old Sarum, I often take this route over a cobbled path that is reminiscent of a Roman road. I imagine myself a weary Roman foot soldier returning to Old Sarum for rest and sustenance or perhaps a runner nearing their destination. Sadly, I do not think I would make the grade for either, but is amazing where your imagination will take you. I am assured however, that the cobbles are far more recent than Roman but if you do take this route and negotiate the cobbles you are rewarded by a lovely view of Old Sarum and the surrounding countryside.
However, for this walk there is more to see if you turn left through fields and head towards the Monach’s Way. On reaching the Monarch’s Way, you turn right and head towards the A345 and the new developments of Longhedge and (new) Old Sarum. On reaching the A345 you need to cross this with care and continue on the long distance footpath. When you reach a second road you turn right and you will find yourself walking along the Roman Road known as the Portway. The Portway went from Old Sarum (Sorviodunum) to Silchester (Calleva Atrebatum). Some say this route may have predated the Romans and there are tumili in this location which could suggest that is true although some date them to the Roman period.
Continuing on into the modern settlement of Old Sarum, you will find to your left Throgmorton Hall. Now private residences it was once the Officers Mess for the local airfield.
Just beyond the Hall we usually turn left onto Green Lane where another reminder of the former military use of the airfield is an air ministry stone marking the perimeter of the base.
Continuing on along Green Lane you come to the village of Ford and another Roman Road. Crossing over the road you walk a little way along Green Lane until just before the new development of Riverdown Park you see a footpath to your right. Taking this footpath you are now entering part of the new Castle Hill Park that skirts the Riverdown Park and Bishopdown Farm Estates. If you stay on the footpath and keep the school on the left, you will soon arrive at the main part of the Castle Hill Park where as you continue on over an unadopted road and up a hill. Old Sarum will again come into view. Behind you are lovely views of the Laverstock Downs.
Looking to your right, you will have a good view of the Old Sarum Airfield. The location of the airfield with its flat level area was once thought to have been put to a different use. That of jousting. So now, as I watch the planes taking off, I also consider the knights of old racing along with their lances and remarkably I realise that jumping out of an aeroplane with a parachute is probably a much safer occupation.
As you continue along and before the main path curves back on itself you need to take one of the grassy paths to the right and head towards a reservoir where you exit the park and turn right on a path that takes you down to a lane and the Old Castle Pub. If you wish to see a final curiosity then you should turn right and continue down to the A345. At this road turn right again and head along the path a little way to find a stone with an inscription describing the reason that there is a buried cannon in the field close to the stone. This is where the first triangulation measurement for the mapping of England was made and was the start of what was to become the Ordinance Survey. If you visit in winter, you will see the top of the buried cannon.
So all that remains is to head back to a safe place to cross the road and return to Old Sarum and perhaps head up along the earthworks to get a view of some of the locations you have just visited.
I hope this has whetted your appetite to see a little more the next time you visit Old Sarum.
If you do not wish to park at Old Sarum, there are parking places at The Devenish and Castle Hill Park.
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