NO

TE

S •

Lette

rs o

n th

e m

ap in

side

refe

r to

the

Poin

ts

of In

tere

st in

this

leaf

let.

Num

bers

on

the

map

refe

r to

the

wal

k in

stru

ctio

ns. T

he

wal

k its

elf i

s mar

ked

with

the

Wes

ton

Gol

den

Jubi

lee

Wal

k de

cal,

a w

hite

cro

wn

in a

mar

oon

arro

w.

• Th

e w

alk

take

s abo

ut 2

–2½

hou

rs (n

ot

allo

win

g fo

r any

stop

s) a

nd is

abo

ut 6

mile

s (9

.5 k

m).

• Ti

mes

are

app

roxi

mat

e, w

alki

ng a

t nor

mal

pa

ce.

• St

out s

hoes

are

reco

mm

ende

d, a

s som

e pa

rts o

f the

wal

k ca

n be

mud

dy in

win

ter.

• Th

ere

are

step

s and

stile

s alo

ng th

is ro

ute.

•

Leav

e al

l gat

es a

s you

find

them

. •

Kee

p do

gs o

n le

ads i

n fie

lds w

ith li

vest

ock;

al

so d

o no

t allo

w th

em to

ent

er a

ny

woo

dlan

d.

• St

ock

up o

n liq

uids

and

sand

wic

hes a

t the

vi

llage

shop

in P

ost O

ffic

e R

ow, o

ppos

ite

the

villa

ge g

reen

! •

Ref

resh

men

ts e

n ro

ute

or a

t the

star

t and

en

d of

the

wal

k ca

n be

had

at t

he p

ubs,

The

Cri

cket

ers,

The

Red

Lion

and

The

Ris

ing

Sun.

****

****

***

Ack

now

ledg

emen

ts

• Ju

dith

Eva

ns’ b

ook

Wes

ton:

A V

illag

e Al

bum

190

0–20

00 a

vaila

ble

in th

e vi

llage

shop

for £

9.95

, and

to

the

leaf

let A

Wal

k in

Wes

ton

(text

by

Jean

Pur

chon

). •

Tim

Moo

dy fo

r the

idea

. Th

e O

rdna

nce

Surv

ey m

appi

ng in

clud

ed w

ithin

this

le

afle

t is p

rovi

ded

by H

ertfo

rdsh

ire C

ount

y C

ounc

il un

der

licen

ce fr

om th

e O

rdna

nce

Surv

ey in

ord

er to

fulfi

l its

pu

blic

func

tion

to p

ublic

ise

and

prom

ote

sust

aina

ble

visi

ts

to th

e co

untry

side

in H

ertfo

rdsh

ire.

This

leaf

let h

as b

een

prod

uced

by

the

Paris

h C

ounc

il us

ing

a gr

ant f

rom

the

Paris

h Pa

ths P

artn

ersh

ip S

chem

e.

The

Paris

h Pa

ths P

artn

ersh

ip is

adm

inis

tere

d by

the

Cou

ntry

side

Man

agem

ent S

ervi

ce, a

nd su

ppor

ted

by

Her

tford

shire

Cou

nty

Cou

ncil

and

the

Her

tford

shire

A

ssoc

iatio

n of

Loc

al C

ounc

ils. P

leas

e re

fer a

ny

com

men

ts o

n th

is le

afle

t to

the

CM

S on

014

62 4

5939

5.

Use

ful i

nfor

mat

ion

The

Cri

cket

ers 0

1462

790

273

The

Red

Lion

014

62 7

9032

8 Th

e Ri

sing

Sun

014

62 7

9048

7 W

esto

n PO

and

Sto

res 0

1462

790

258

OS

Expl

orer

Ser

ies N

o.19

3 in

clud

es th

e pa

ths o

n th

is

wal

k.

Bus

es ru

n in

freq

uent

ly to

the

villa

ge: c

onta

ct In

talin

k on

03

00 1

23 4

050

Leaf

let d

esig

ned

by M

ichè

le C

lark

e

pdf f

ile b

y K

athl

een

Lyle

Edi

toria

l Ser

vice

s Pr

inte

d by

Des

ignP

rint (

0146

2 67

3904

) D

ecal

s by

Met

ro S

igns

(012

34 3

5120

7)

Map

dra

wn

by Ja

net L

amey

M

ap tr

ansf

er b

y N

ick

Payn

e (0

1462

790

688)

©

PPP,

Wes

ton

2002

2n

d ed

ition

200

3 3r

d ed

ition

200

7 4t

h ed

ition

201

0

We

st

on

g

ol

de

n

ju

bi

le

e

wa

lk

A

wal

k in

the

gent

ly ro

lling

hill

s

arou

nd o

ne o

f Nor

th H

erts

pre

tties

t vill

ages

POIN

TS

OF

INT

ER

EST

A

. WE

STO

N V

ILLA

GE

Th

ere

is e

vide

nce

of N

eolit

hic

resi

dent

s in

Wes

ton

from

80

00 to

400

0 B

C, s

ucce

eded

by

Cel

ts a

nd R

oman

s, A

nglo

-Sa

xons

, Vik

ings

and

Nor

man

s. In

106

6, it

was

ow

ned

by

Als

tan,

a th

ane

of K

ing

Edw

ard

the

Con

fess

or. I

t has

qu

ite a

n ill

ustri

ous h

isto

ry a

s reg

ards

ow

ners

, inc

ludi

ng

the

Mow

bray

s and

Ann

e B

oley

n. In

108

6, th

ere

wer

e ar

ound

400

resi

dent

s. Th

e po

pula

tion

now

stan

ds a

t nea

rer

1000

. The

pla

gue

in 1

348

deva

stat

ed th

e vi

llage

. It i

s be

lieve

d th

at th

e ho

uses

aro

und

the

chur

ch w

ere

burn

t in

an e

ffor

t to

stem

the

infe

ctio

n an

d th

e vi

llage

was

re-

esta

blis

hed

in w

hat i

s now

For

e St

reet

, whe

re y

ou w

ill

star

t you

r wal

k.

B. V

ILLA

GE

GR

EE

N

The

villa

ge p

ond

and

gree

n ar

e ce

ntra

l to

the

villa

ge. T

he

villa

ge si

gn w

as a

Mill

enni

um p

roje

ct. T

he d

ucks

aff

ord

hour

s of p

leas

ure

to o

ur c

hild

ren.

The

re u

sed

to b

e st

eps

into

the

pond

and

a p

ump.

C

. WA

TER

ING

HO

LES

Wes

ton

has r

etai

ned

thre

e of

its p

ubs,

two

in th

e vi

llage

(T

he C

rick

eter

s and

The

Red

Lio

n) a

nd o

ne in

the

ham

let

of H

alls

Gre

en (T

he R

isin

g Su

n) A

ll of

fer f

ood,

a g

ood

pint

and

frie

ndly

atm

osph

ere.

The

Wes

ton

Villa

ge S

tore

s of

fers

drin

ks a

nd fo

od fo

r you

r wal

k.

D. B

UIL

DIN

GS

Not

e on

you

r rig

ht in

For

e St

reet

thre

e th

atch

ed c

otta

ges,

illus

tratin

g th

e th

ree

styl

es o

f tha

tchi

ng: l

ong

stra

w

(Ros

emar

y C

otta

ge),

com

bed

whe

at re

ed (L

ive

and

Let

Live

– a

pub

in a

pre

viou

s life

) and

Nor

folk

reed

(C

ulve

rin C

otta

ge).

Als

o, n

ote

the

hung

tilin

g an

d an

cien

t do

or o

n Sw

ayne

s Cot

tage

, and

the

haird

ress

er’s

nex

t doo

r –

a sh

oem

aker

’s, h

arne

ss m

aker

’s, a

nd b

icyc

le re

pair

shop

in

pre

viou

s liv

es!

E. F

AR

MIN

G

The

Ang

lo-S

axon

s firs

t sta

rted

farm

ing

the

heav

y Ea

st

Ang

lian

soils

with

thei

r hea

vier

plo

ughs

. Med

ieva

l stri

p fa

rmin

g w

as g

ivin

g w

ay to

enc

losu

res w

ith c

rop

rota

tion

by th

e 16

th c

entu

ry, b

ut th

e m

ajor

enc

losu

re a

nd la

nd

redi

strib

utio

n oc

curr

ed in

the

18th

cen

tury

. Alth

ough

the

land

is fa

rmed

inte

nsiv

ely

in th

e ar

ea, t

here

are

few

land

wor

kers

. The

maj

or la

ndow

ners

hav

e sp

ent c

onsi

dera

ble

effo

rt in

repl

antin

g he

dger

ows i

n th

e ar

ea. T

here

are

still

fie

lds o

f cat

tle a

nd sh

eep

to b

e se

en a

nd so

me

good

w

oodl

and.

The

elm

s, kn

own

once

as t

he ‘s

pine

of

Wes

ton’

wer

e de

vast

ated

in th

is a

rea,

but

do

reap

pear

in

term

itten

tly.

F. R

OM

AN

RO

AD

Th

e R

oman

Roa

d its

elf a

ctua

lly st

arts

furth

er a

long

. Thi

s tra

ck is

a B

OA

T (b

yway

ope

n to

all

traff

ic),

but i

t now

ha

s a tr

affic

rest

rictio

n or

der a

nd is

ope

n on

ly to

wal

kers

, bi

cycl

es a

nd h

orse

s. Th

ere

are

anci

ent b

ound

arie

s and

di

tche

s her

e; b

rush

woo

d cl

eara

nce

is n

ot b

urne

d, fo

r goo

d co

nser

vatio

n re

ason

s – p

rovi

ding

a h

abita

t for

man

y im

porta

nt in

sect

s. G

. HA

LLS

GR

EE

N

Her

e ar

e a

few

hou

ses,

farm

s, an

d Th

e Ri

sing

Sun

pub

, a

form

er 1

8th

cent

ury

cotta

ge o

wne

d by

the

Dim

sdal

es;

thei

r wea

lth c

ame

from

Cat

herin

e th

e G

reat

afte

r Bar

on

Dim

sdal

e ha

d in

ocul

ated

her

aga

inst

smal

lpox

. H

. WA

RR

EN

S G

RE

EN

N

ote

the

pret

ty th

atch

ed c

otta

ge, f

eatu

red

in th

e fil

m

Nan

ny M

cPhe

e , an

d la

id h

edge

to y

our l

eft.

I. W

EST

ON

PA

RK

Th

e Pr

yors

wer

e es

tabl

ishe

d he

re b

y th

e m

id-1

9th

cent

ury.

Mar

lbor

ough

Pry

or b

uilt

this

‘cot

tage

orn

ée’ i

n 18

43 (g

limps

es c

an b

e se

en o

n yo

ur ri

ght a

t poi

nt 5

). It

has b

een

exte

nded

sinc

e, a

nd is

now

div

ided

into

flat

s. In

12

31, t

he la

nd fo

rmed

par

t of t

he L

ord’

s ‘de

smes

ne’,

with

de

er p

rovi

ded

for s

port

and

mea

t. J.

WE

STO

N C

HU

RC

H

The

Hol

y Tr

inity

Chu

rch

date

s fro

m th

e 12

th c

entu

ry b

ut

ther

e w

as p

roba

bly

a ch

urch

in W

esto

n at

the

time

of th

e D

omes

day

Boo

k in

108

7. T

he n

orth

tran

sept

, cen

tral

tow

er a

nd n

ave

are

belie

ved

to b

e th

e re

mai

ns o

f a 1

2th

cent

ury

cruc

iform

chu

rch.

The

re a

re fo

ur N

orm

an a

rche

s ov

er th

e ol

d ch

oir s

talls

. The

sout

h ai

sle

and

porc

h w

ere

adde

d in

the

15th

cen

tury

; the

re is

als

o a

15th

-cen

tury

pi

scin

a an

d fo

nt. T

he n

ew o

ak fu

rnitu

re w

as a

Mill

enni

um

proj

ect.

The

orga

n w

as re

built

and

mov

ed fr

om th

e so

uth

aisl

e to

the

wes

t end

of t

he o

f the

nav

e in

199

2. T

he n

ew

vest

ry w

as d

edic

ated

in 1

998,

with

scre

en a

nd d

oors

in

Wes

ton

oak,

in m

emor

y of

John

and

Ann

e Pr

yor o

f W

esto

n Pa

rk. S

pot t

he h

idde

n ch

erry

on

the

chan

cel

ceili

ng, d

ecor

ated

in 2

003

in m

emor

y of

Pet

er C

herr

y –

the

deco

ratio

n is

an

inte

rpre

tatio

n of

a V

icto

rian

treat

men

t, w

ith tr

aditi

onal

gol

d hi

ghlig

htin

g th

e pr

evio

usly

som

bre

timbe

rs. T

he e

xter

ior o

f the

chu

rch

is

built

of f

lint a

nd ir

onst

one

rubb

le w

ith q

uoin

s and

dr

essi

ngs o

f ool

ite a

nd c

lunc

h. T

he ro

of is

slat

e an

d th

ere

is a

gilt

coc

kere

l. K

. JA

CK

O’L

EG

S LE

GE

ND

Th

e ol

dest

acc

ount

dat

es fr

om 1

728:

‘The

gia

nt, c

alle

d Ja

ck o

’Leg

s, as

Fam

e go

es, l

ived

in a

woo

d he

re, w

as a

gr

eat R

obbe

r, bu

t a g

ener

ous o

ne, f

or h

e pl

unde

red

the

Rich

to fe

ed th

e Po

or. H

e to

ok b

read

from

the

Bald

ock

Bake

rs fr

eque

ntly

, who

taki

ng h

im a

t an

adva

ntag

e, p

ut

out h

is E

yes a

nd a

fter h

ange

d hi

m u

pon

a K

noll

in

Bald

ock

Fiel

d. H

e m

ade

them

at h

is E

xit b

ut o

ne si

ngle

re

ques

t, w

hich

they

gra

nted

; tha

t he

mig

ht h

ave

his B

ow

put i

nto

his H

and,

and

whe

reve

r his

Arr

ow fe

ll he

shou

ld

be b

urie

d, w

hich

hap

pene

d to

be

in W

esto

n ch

urch

yard

.’ Th

e le

ngth

bet

wee

n th

e st

ones

tend

ed to

mov

e fr

om ti

me

to ti

me

so th

e st

ones

are

now

cem

ente

d in

at a

bout

14

ft.

L. A

LMSH

OU

SES

The

two

cotta

ges a

nd a

djac

ent f

ield

s wer

e gi

ven

to

Wes

ton

in 1

840

by H

enry

Roe

, a B

aldo

ck la

wye

r. H

e us

ed to

wan

der a

roun

d lo

cal v

illag

es a

s a tr

amp,

and

re

war

ded

thos

e w

ho tr

eate

d hi

m w

ell b

y a

bequ

est i

n hi

s w

ill.

M. V

ILLA

GE

SC

HO

OL

Ther

e ha

s bee

n a

scho

ol in

the

villa

ge si

nce

1847

, site

d in

va

rious

bui

ldin

gs. T

he p

rese

nt sc

hool

dat

es fr

om 1

883,

w

hen

it w

as re

built

follo

win

g a

fire.

The

ave

rage

at

tend

ance

in 1

917

was

150

and

toda

y st

ands

at a

roun

d 19

0. B

efor

e th

e ad

vent

of m

oder

n te

chno

logy

, sch

ool

child

ren

wer

e of

ten

abse

nt h

elpi

ng o

ut in

the

field

s and

pa

rticu

larly

so d

urin

g th

e W

orld

War

s. Th

e N

urse

ry

Scho

ol w

as a

dded

in 1

975.

N

. RE

CR

EA

TIO

N G

RO

UN

D

The

Rec

reat

ion

Gro

und

was

giv

en to

the

villa

ge b

y th

e Pr

yor f

amily

in th

e 19

50s.

Ther

e is

a p

lay

area

for

child

ren

incl

udin

g sw

ings

and

clim

bing

fram

es.

TH

E W

AL

K

1. S

tart

the

wal

k at

the

villa

ge g

reen

and

pon

d an

d w

alk

north

up

Fore

Stre

et, k

eepi

ng th

e po

nd

on y

our r

ight

. Pas

s Dar

nalls

Hal

l Far

m (t

he

high

est p

oint

of t

he v

illag

e at

146

m) o

n yo

ur

right

. 2.

Afte

r the

S b

end

(blin

d be

nd –

so k

eep

clos

e to

edg

e) a

t the

last

cot

tage

, ‘B

ushw

ood

Hou

se’

(9 m

in),

turn

righ

t on

to th

e fo

otpa

th th

roug

h th

e ga

rden

and

leav

e th

e ga

rden

at t

he k

issi

ng g

ate

oppo

site

. (A

t the

tim

e of

writ

ing

ther

e is

a

Perm

issi

ve F

ootp

ath

roun

d th

e ga

rden

whi

ch

may

be

used

inst

ead.

) Con

tinue

stra

ight

ahe

ad

with

hed

ge o

n rig

ht.

3. G

o th

roug

h th

e fie

ld g

ate

(3 m

in);

and

wal

k st

raig

ht a

head

acr

oss t

he fi

eld.

4.

At t

he 4

-way

mar

ker (

3 m

in),

turn

left

thro

ugh

the

gate

. [A

ltern

ativ

e ro

ute

(1) b

ack

to

the

villa

ge h

ere.

] Con

tinue

with

the

fenc

e on

yo

ur ri

ght t

o th

e co

rner

of t

he fi

eld.

5.

Rea

ch th

e st

eps (

4 m

in) t

o th

e rig

ht th

roug

h th

e un

derg

row

th. G

o th

roug

h th

e ki

ssin

g ga

te a

t th

e to

p an

d w

alk

stra

ight

ahe

ad o

n th

e gr

ass

path

. The

re is

a fo

otpa

th m

arke

r at 3

min

. Kee

p st

raig

ht a

cros

s the

fiel

d to

the

line

of tr

ees

ahea

d.

6. G

o th

roug

h th

e ga

p in

this

line

of t

rees

(2

min

) to

reac

h th

e ‘R

oman

Roa

d’. T

urn

right

. [A

t 6

min

you

will

see

a si

gn sh

owin

g an

alte

rnat

ive

path

(2) b

ack

the

villa

ge.]

As y

ou c

ontin

ue th

ere

are

love

ly v

iew

s ove

r the

fiel

ds..

7. C

ross

the

brid

ge (2

5 m

in).

At 5

min

turn

righ

t at

the

next

way

mar

k, a

imin

g fo

r the

pyl

ons.

Not

e th

e ap

ple

and

holly

tree

s her

e –

the

rem

ains

of a

n ol

d ga

rden

. Wes

ton

wat

er to

wer

ca

n be

seen

on

the

horiz

on to

you

r rig

ht.

8. F

ork

left

at th

e ne

xt w

aym

ark

(1 m

in) w

hich

st

ates

‘Hal

ls G

reen

’, ke

epin

g th

e he

dge

to y

our

right

, und

er th

e po

wer

line

s. 9.

Rea

ch a

kis

sing

gat

e (8

min

) and

take

in th

e lo

vely

vie

w! G

o th

roug

h th

e ga

te a

nd w

alk

stra

ight

acr

oss t

he fi

eld

to th

e ne

xt g

ate

(3 m

in).

Go

thro

ugh

this

and

kee

p st

raig

ht a

head

with

the

fenc

e on

you

r lef

t. 10

. Pas

s thr

ough

the

next

kis

sing

gat

e (3

min

) an

d ai

m a

cros

s the

fiel

d to

the

right

of t

he sh

eds

dire

ctly

ahe

ad o

f you

. Not

e th

e po

nd (a

ncie

nt

fishp

ond)

to y

our r

ight

. The

re w

as a

farm

(A

rdle

igh

Farm

) her

e un

til 1

00 y

ears

ago

. Go

thro

ugh

the

gate

to th

e rig

ht o

f the

pub

, rea

chin

g th

e ro

ad th

roug

h th

e Ri

sing

Sun

car

par

k (2

m

in).

11

. Tur

n le

ft on

the

road

and

imm

edia

tely

righ

t th

roug

h Ir

onga

te fa

rm a

t the

sign

post

. [A

ltern

ativ

e ro

ute

(3) b

ack

to W

esto

n –

turn

rig

ht a

t the

sign

post

to W

esto

n Sc

hool

1¼

m

iles.]

Fol

low

the

track

roun

d th

e ba

rn o

n yo

ur

left,

turn

ing

right

alo

ng a

wel

l mad

e tra

ck.

[Alte

rnat

ive

path

bac

k (4

) at 9

min

: tur

n rig

ht a

t th

e 4-

way

mar

ker,

acro

ss th

e fie

ld, a

imin

g fo

r th

e co

rner

of t

he w

ood;

kee

p th

e w

ood

to y

our

left.

] 12

. Rea

ch th

e ro

ad a

nd tu

rn ri

ght.

Ente

r the

ki

ssin

g ga

te a

head

of y

ou a

s you

app

roac

h th

e be

nd a

t War

rens

Gre

en F

arm

(4 m

in).

13. C

ross

the

first

fiel

d an

d go

thro

ugh

the

kiss

ing

gate

opp

osite

. Aim

for t

he lo

ne st

ile in

th

e m

iddl

e of

the

next

fiel

d sl

ight

ly d

iago

nally

le

ft. C

ontin

ue a

head

slig

htly

dia

gona

lly ri

ght.

14. R

each

the

park

driv

e af

ter 2

mor

e ki

ssin

g ga

tes i

n 15

min

. Cro

ss th

e st

ile b

y th

e fa

rm g

ate

to y

our r

ight

; cro

ss th

e dr

ive

and

ente

r the

m

eado

w o

ppos

ite v

ia th

e ki

ssin

g ga

te.

15. C

ross

dia

gona

lly to

the

right

of t

he h

ouse

to

the

gate

by

the

big

ches

tnut

tree

s. C

ross

the

driv

e an

d en

ter t

he fi

eld

oppo

site

via

a w

hite

w

roug

ht ir

on g

ate

num

bere

d 21

! (5

min

) 16

. Kee

p th

e w

ood

to y

our r

ight

and

wal

k al

ong

the

edge

of t

he m

eado

w to

the

gate

at t

he to

p rig

ht o

f the

fiel

d, b

y th

e ed

ge o

f the

woo

d,

whe

re it

can

be

mud

dy. W

alk

stra

ight

ahe

ad

thro

ugh

the

strip

of w

oodl

and

and

ente

r the

fiel

d vi

a a

kiss

ing

gate

. Wal

k st

raig

ht a

cros

s thi

s m

eado

w to

the

gate

opp

osite

(5 m

in).

17. T

urn

right

alo

ng th

e pa

th to

war

ds th

e ch

urch

. Vis

it th

e ch

urch

if it

’s o

pen,

then

retra

ce

your

step

s to

the

iron

5-ba

r gat

e an

d ki

ssin

g ga

te; t

ake

this

pat

h pa

st C

owm

ead

Cot

tage

on

your

righ

t, an

d yo

u w

ill e

mer

ge o

n th

e vi

llage

ro

ad (M

aide

n St

reet

) with

the

villa

ge sc

hool

on

your

left

(5 m

in).

[Alte

rnat

ive

rout

e (5

) bac

k th

roug

h th

e re

crea

tion

grou

nd, p

assi

ng th

e ba

rn

conv

ersi

on to

you

r rig

ht a

nd e

mer

ging

opp

osite

Th

e Re

d Li

on.]

18. C

ontin

ue u

p M

aide

n St

reet

to re

join

the

villa

ge g

reen

(5 m

in).

19. T

he ‘w

ater

ing

hole

s’ a

re to

you

r lef

t: th

e Vi

llage

P.O

. and

Sto

res a

re o

ppos

ite th

e gr

een;

th

e Re

d Li

on is

abo

ut 2

0 ya

rds t

o yo

ur le

ft an

d Th

e C

rick

eter

s abo

ut 2

00 y

ards

to y

our l

eft.