CAFE RAILWAY HOTEL 13 DUNMOW GARDENS Linear Walk - Davy Down to STATION ROAD FRESHWELL GARDENS N There are 2 alternative start points for this walk. WEST HORNDON STATION SHOPS I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I

12 TUNNEL UNDER A Starting from Bridge. K RAILWAY

To get to this start take the 370 bus from Romford to Lakeside alighting at

Davy Down bus stop. Then walk back(north) alongL Pilgrim Lane towards the road bridge over the . A Alternatively by car there is a car park in the Davy Down. From the car park walk the short distance north along Pilgrim Lane. As the start is on the eastern FIELD HOUSE side of Pilgrim Lane take care crossing this road whichW can be quite busy at

times.

The walk follows Bridleway 219 which is joined at theE south east side of WEST HORNDON Stifford Bridgge. S STATION A B StartingT from North Stifford village. If getting to the start by car then North StiffordH is well worth considering. This MARDYKE village hasH a beautiful 12th century church C and a few attractive thatched 11 A S FISHING LAKE cottages. There is alsoM a pub,E the Dog and Partridge and a general store. SLOUGH HOUSE At the time of writing there are no parking restrictions in the village. CHINA LANE MARDYKE Start from FP 131 which is behind the bus stop between St Mary's Church and Belhus Cricket Club. Follow the footpath downhill through the Field of Peace, MOCKS FARM Mardyke Meadows enjoying the great views across the Mardyke valley. CHURCH FEN LANE DUNNINGS LANE 10 1 The walk follows the bridleway with the Mardyke on your left for just over TO BALPHAN CHURCH

4 miles. FEN LANE 9 To your left (north) you will see the Mardyke Valley golf course 8 7 on the far side of the Mardyke and to your right paddocks. STONE HALL FARM HARROW ROAD FP159 anticlockwise around the paddocks After around 500 metres FP 131 crosses the bridleway over a with Judd’s Farm on the right, until you 2 MARDYKE STONE HALL foot bridge across the Mardyke. HARROW ROAD approach Stone Hall farm. 6 FARM GATES If you started the walk at North Stifford this is where you join JUDD’S FARM the walk. 7 The footpath turns right as you 5 approach the metal farm gate of BRIDGE 3 After a further 300 metres the bridleway passes under Med- Stone Hall farm. Walk in the erbridge Road high overhead. direction of Bulphan Church and Keep following bridleway for another 2.5 miles as it after crossing the 4th stile turn left MARDYKE bends to a northerly direction with the Mar- at FP 159. dyke on you left and arable fields on MAR DYKE your right. 4 8 Walk north towards Fen Lane crossing two stiles then the footpath turns right then left and after a 4 Cross the large wooden bridge over a stream short distance there is another stile to cross on your joining the Mardyke and after around half a right.

mile a sturdy footbridge on your left crosses GRANGEWATERS WATER SPORTS CENTRE the Mardyke. (Copyright: Malcolm Fish Photography) 9 Almost immediately cross the footbridge over a stream and then turn right and continue walking parallel to 5 You can cross the bridge for a circular route back to Fen Lane. After a short distance the footpath meets Stifford by following FP 136, FP 132 and then FP 131. Fen Lane. However for West Horndon Station continue walking north for around 250 meters then turn sharp right and 10 Carefully cross Fen Lane and then follow FP 7/China Lane after around another 250 meters the footpath in a northerly direction. Pass Slough House to your right meets Harrow Road. and FP 142 to your left. Continue walking north pass the MARDYKE fishing lake on your left and a small car park for fishing club 6 The original footpath 160 members on your right. This short section can get a bit passed the burnt out Fen overgrown as you pass through the hedgerow and over the Restaurant which has been wooden bridge across the Mardyke. closed by high wooden Continue north with arable fields to your right and stream fencing. However turn right ST MARY'S CHURCH MEDEBRIDGE ROAD 11 on Harrow road and the to your left. Where the stream bears left the footpath cuts

new footpath on your left is GRANGEWATERS north across the arable field to the eastern side of Field a few yards away. Cross the WATER SPORTS CENTRE House. The footpath continues north for a further few stile and follow the path hundred metres to a tunnel under the C2C Fenchurch St/Southend railway line. HOUSES & BUILDINGS

CHERRY TREE & 12 Pass through the tunnel and then FARM BUILDINGS HONEYSUCKLE COTTAGES MARDYKE NORTH STIFFORD turn left into Freshwell Gardens, right MEDEBRIDGE ROAD TREES/HEDGES into Gardens and left into FARMLAND GOLF COURSE Chafford Gardens which has a few DAVY DOWN PUMPING STATION FOOTPATH shops and a Post Office. GRASSLAND STIFFORD BRIDGE 3 UNDER A MARDYKE ROAD SHRUB BRIDLEWAY 219 From Chafford Gardens turn left 13 GOLF COURSE MARDYKE 2 into Station Road and follow this to 1 - - - - - ROUTE STIFFORD HILL West Horndon Station. Station I I I I I I RAILWAY BACK LANE FROM NORTH STIFFORD & COTTAGES IN Road has a café, restaurant and B NORTH STIFFORD CHURCH NORTH STIFFORD DAVY DOWN 370 BUS STOP Pub/Hotel.

of the building dates to around 1590 comprising a brick house, house, brick a comprising 1590 around to dates building the of

Ford Place, stands north of the Mardyke on Stifford Hill. The core core The Hill. Stifford on Mardyke the of north stands Place, Ford original station structure survives It was renamed West Horndon in 1949. in Horndon West renamed was It survives structure station original

Ford Place Ford moated on 3 sides. 3 on moated Barking to , and the the and Pitsea, to Barking from route direct new a on Horndon East

on the Road which is is which Road Orsett the on

The station was opened in 1886 as as 1886 in opened was station The

of the house says ‘This house has been anciently called Coppid Hall’. Coppid called anciently been has house ‘This says house the of House Motel) and Spring Farm Farm Spring and Motel) House

West Horndon Station Horndon West A large Queen Ann house built in1756. A plaque set in the facade facade the in set plaque A in1756. built house Ann Queen large A century) (now Ye Olde Plough Plough Olde Ye (now century)

and Appletons Farm (15th (15th Farm Appletons and

Coppid Hall Coppid

and . Chafford and On Ingrave Road are Garlesters Garlesters are Road Ingrave On

carries trains between Ockendon Ockendon between trains carries

Bulphan is rich in moated houses. houses. moated in rich is Bulphan

Bulphan; a distance of 4.2 miles. 4.2 of distance a Bulphan;

Fourteen Arches, the viaduct viaduct the Arches, Fourteen

Victorian Gothic red brick. brick. red Gothic Victorian

Ship Lane, , to Fen Lane Lane Fen to Aveley, Lane, Ship

Known locally as the the as locally Known 1892.

Brandon Hall, the former Rectory, in in Rectory, former the Hall, Brandon Bridleway which runs from from runs which Bridleway

Bulphan's fertile grassland was transferred to him. Along Fen Lane is is Lane Fen Along him. to transferred was grassland fertile Bulphan's frame the valley and date from from date and valley the frame Field of Peace form part of the the of part form Peace of Field

Bedchamber and Justice of the Peace. In 1540 under Henry VIII VIII Henry under 1540 In Peace. the of Justice and Bedchamber

peace.' Davy Down and the the and Down Davy peace.' The arches of the railway viaduct viaduct railway the of arches The

known as the Wick where lived Edward Bury, gentleman of the Kings Kings the of gentleman Bury, Edward lived where Wick the as known

should be a place to 'sit in in 'sit to place a be should

Viaduct

The hall stood east of the church and further east the Manor House House Manor the east further and church the of east stood hall The from her wish that the field field the that wish her from

June, 1933. The name derives derives name The 1933. June, Bulphan Hall Bulphan

Discover Davy Down open days. open Down Davy Discover

the elderly of the village on 19th 19th on village the of elderly the

the warden is on site and during during and site on is warden the

Sir Fielding died in 1928, and his widow later donated the land to to land the donated later widow his and 1928, in died Fielding Sir timber.'

station is open to the public when when public the to open is station

Mary Milward Clarke once lived at Coppid Hall in North Stifford. Stifford. North in Hall Coppid at lived once Clarke Milward Mary constructed entirely of heavy heavy of entirely constructed

the Filter House. The pumping pumping The House. Filter the

Stifford Village and the Mardyke River. Sir Fielding Clarke and Lady Lady and Clarke Fielding Sir River. Mardyke the and Village Stifford stands the impressive belfry belfry impressive the stands

lower building, next to Back Lane is is Lane Back to next building, lower

Bridge lies 'The Field of Peace' which is located between North North between located is which Peace' of Field 'The lies Bridge 1903-1946. At the west end end west the At 1903-1946.

to surrounding households. The The households. surrounding to

carved out by the Mardyke river. On the south side of the Mardyke Mardyke the of side south the On river. Mardyke the by out carved Alphonse Teitelbaum, Rector Rector Teitelbaum, Alphonse

over 1 million gallons of water a day day a water of gallons million 1 over

shallow valley valley shallow a overlooking shelf a on stands Stifford Ancient nave in memory of Rev. Theodore Theodore Rev. of memory in nave

electric pump which still provides provides still which pump electric

the north-east window of the the of window north-east the

The Fields of Peace of Fields The These have been replaced by an an by replaced been have These

unknown. There is modern glass in in glass modern is There unknown.

over 3 million gallons of water a day. day. a water of gallons million 3 over

but its 15th century origin is is origin century 15th its but

continuing with the harvest. harvest. the with continuing diesel engines (still housed in the pumping station) were used to pump pump to used were station) pumping the in housed (still engines diesel

designed for its present position position present its for designed

their work, to pray, before before pray, to work, their aquifer, this lies approximately 40 meters below the ground. Originally Originally ground. the below meters 40 approximately lies this aquifer,

The fine oak screen was not not was screen oak fine The

Church. They would pause in in pause would They Church. 1920s to extract water, which lies in an underground store. Known as an an as Known store. underground an in lies which water, extract to 1920s

first Hanoverian period (1714-1801). (1714-1801). period Hanoverian first

Communion inside the the inside Communion windows. It was built by the and Suffolk Water Company in the the in Company Water Suffolk and Essex the by built was It windows.

symbols. Inside the door there is a panel depicting the Royal arms of the the of arms Royal the depicting panel a is there door the Inside symbols.

consecrated for Holy Holy for consecrated Stifford Pumping Station is an impressive building with beautiful arched arched beautiful with building impressive an is Station Pumping Stifford

porch has some fine wood carving of Tudor roses and evangelistic evangelistic and roses Tudor of carving wood fine some has porch

bread and wine were were wine and bread

Stifford Pumping Station Pumping Stifford

flint and rubble stone; there was major restoration in 1874/5. The south south The 1874/5. in restoration major was there stone; rubble and flint the fields know when the the when know fields the

book 'Exploring ' describes the church as follows: 'built of of 'built follows: as church the describes Thurrock' 'Exploring book his in

bell, struck to let workers in in workers let to struck bell,

opposite side of the road. the of side opposite

Formerly, this was the Angelus Angelus the was this Formerly, The present church was built in the 15th century. Christopher Harold Harold Christopher century. 15th the in built was church present The

Swan Inn and next to it stood the smithy before it was moved to the the to moved was it before smithy the stood it to next and Inn Swan

on the outside of the steeple. steeple. the of outside the on

St Mary the Virgin, Bulphan Virgin, the Mary St This thatched cottage at the bottom of Pilgrims Lane was formally the the formally was Lane Pilgrims of bottom the at cottage thatched This

electrical winding in 1960's. The clock strikes the little bell housed housed bell little the strikes clock The 1960's. in winding electrical

Davy Down Cottage Down Davy installed in St. Mary's in 1955 and converted to converted and 1955 in Mary's St. in installed

the early part of that century. that of part early the

The newly restored clock was originally made in 1885, but but 1885, in made originally was clock restored newly The

bring in supplies and return with farm produce in times of flood, during during flood, of times in produce farm with return and supplies in bring

relatively steep sided valley that is covered by ancient woodland. ancient by covered is that valley sided steep relatively

by an oak-shingled, broach spire. spire. broach oak-shingled, an by

family history story is recounted of bargemen using the fen ditches to to ditches fen the using bargemen of recounted is story history family

where the effects may be damaging. The floodplain lies at the bottom of a a of bottom the at lies floodplain The damaging. be may effects the where

local abundance. and lime mortar. The Church Tower is surmounted surmounted is Tower Church The mortar. lime and abundance. local

during the frequent times of flood, well into the 20th century. A local local A century. 20th the into well flood, of times frequent the during

flow into the and contribute to flooding in other areas areas other in flooding to contribute and Thames River the into flow

West Thurrock and Northfleet in Kent; flints, of which there is a a is there which of flints, Kent; in Northfleet and Thurrock West

flooded ditches of the fen in order to get about and continue working working continue and about get to order in fen the of ditches flooded

This area now acts as a floodplain and stores water that might otherwise otherwise might that water stores and floodplain a as acts now area This

St Mary's is constructed of local sandstone from quarries at at quarries from sandstone local of constructed is Mary's St

In the past, all the local farmers kept their own small boats on the the on boats small own their kept farmers local the all past, the In

abandoned when the new was built, splitting the land in half. half. in land the splitting built, was road A13 new the when abandoned

Thames.

fortified place. The land at Bulphan belonged to the Abbey of Barking. of Abbey the to belonged Bulphan at land The place. fortified

More recently the area was used for market gardening but this was was this but gardening market for used was area the recently More

to St Clement's Church in before crossing the the crossing before Thurrock West in Church Clement's St to

the Doomsday survey it was called Bulgenen meaning marshland in a a in marshland meaning Bulgenen called was it survey Doomsday the

hills have been historically classified as downland, hence, Davy Down. Down. Davy hence, downland, as classified historically been have hills

the Canterbury Pilgrimages. Pilgrims travelled down Pilgrim's Lane Lane Pilgrim's down travelled Pilgrims Pilgrimages. Canterbury the

the sound 'phan' although it is sometimes spelt Bulvan. At the time of of time the At Bulvan. spelt sometimes is it although 'phan' sound the

dating back to at least 1730. Farmed by the Davy family the surrounding surrounding the family Davy the by Farmed 1730. least at to back dating

It is believed that St Mary's formed part of the Pilgrims' Way for for Way Pilgrims' the of part formed Mary's St that believed is It

meaning low, marshy land or a low-lying district. Bulphan has retained retained has Bulphan district. low-lying a or land marshy low, meaning

Before opening as a riverside park, Davy Down had a history of farming, farming, of history a had Down Davy park, riverside a as opening Before

Bulphan and ancient artefacts have been found in the river bed. river the in found been have artefacts ancient and Bulphan

The Saxon word 'fan' or 'fann' has changed over the years to 'fen', 'fen', to years the over changed has 'fann' or 'fan' word Saxon The

known as the Flete River. In Roman times it was navigable as far as as far as navigable was it times Roman In River. Flete the as known Davy Down Davy

Bulphan Fen Bulphan

eastern ford. This would make sense as the Mardyke was then then was Mardyke the as sense make would This ford. eastern

where a path crosses a stream, another suggests estinford - estinford suggests another stream, a crosses path a where storm. storm.

grounds for light industry. light for grounds

comes from Anglo Saxon. One source suggests stigford - a ford ford a - stigford suggests source One Saxon. Anglo from comes was still in place until the 1950s when it was blown down in a a in down blown was it when 1950s the until place in still was mill smock

long lease and divided the house into flats and developed part of the the of part developed and flats into house the divided and lease long

recorded rector is Ralph De Stifford of 1180. The name Stifford Stifford name The 1180. of Stifford De Ralph is rector recorded was recorded in 1800 standing on a dam with a small water mill and a a and mill water small a with dam a on standing 1800 in recorded was

the Second World War when Mr Humphrey John Vellacott bought a a bought Vellacott John Humphrey Mr when War World Second the

millennium, Christians have worshipped in Stifford, but the first first the but Stifford, in worshipped have Christians millennium, at , Aveley and . The windmill Ockendon South The Ockendon. South and Aveley Purfleet, at

parish since the 1630s. There followed a succession of tenants until after after until tenants of succession a followed There 1630s. the since parish

that a church existed here before that date. For the whole whole the For date. that before here existed church a that said to have had two ancient windmills and there were others recorded recorded others were there and windmills ancient two had have to said

acquired by James Silverlocke whose family had been prominent in the the in prominent been had family whose Silverlocke James by acquired

1085 refers to 30 acres of Glebe land in Stifford it was believed believed was it Stifford in land Glebe of acres 30 to refers 1085 1700s was drowned when long pond was created at Belhus. Stifford was was Stifford Belhus. at created was pond long when drowned was 1700s

1757. In or before1689 the manor of Stifford, including Ford Place was, was, Place Ford including Stifford, of manor the before1689 or In 1757.

remains of an Anglo Saxon building. As the Domesday Survey of of Survey Domesday the As building. Saxon Anglo an of remains late 1200s many with water mills. A windmill at Bumpstead manor in the the in manor Bumpstead at windmill A mills. water with many 1200s late

1747 by Mr John Archer Sish, a trustee of William Palmer’s School in in School Palmer’s William of trustee a Sish, Archer John Mr by 1747

Building and repair works in the tower in 2005 uncovered the the uncovered 2005 in tower the in works repair and Building There are records of windmills throughout the Mardyke Valley from the the from Valley Mardyke the throughout windmills of records are There

the Artisan Mannerist style with a Georgian west front constructed in in constructed front west Georgian a with style Mannerist Artisan the

Windmills St. Mary’s Church North Sifford North Church Mary’s St. originally half “H” plan, altered and extended in approximately 1655 in in 1655 approximately in extended and altered plan, “H” half originally

Mardyke River Valley - The Mardyde River starts in the Brentwood Hills and Community Forest runs southwards into the River Thames at Purfleet. It Environmental improvements within the borders of Transforming takes its name from the manor of Mardyke that, in the Thames Chase Community Forest are all around landscapes, 14th century, lay south of Dagenham close to where you in the many green spaces that are enjoyed transforming the river now flows into the Thames. through its 40 sq miles of countryside. lives It is thought that the river originally joined the Thames This landscape regeneration project is now being farther east than today. As the sea receded, the River managed by the Thames Chase Trust. Thames lowered its level and moved its course south of the chalk belt. The Mardyke was not able to cut The Forest Centre provides information about the through the chalk ridge that ran east/west and so Community Forest and moved west through softer deposits and entered the a focus for community Thames Thames further upstream. It is thought that when the activities. There is a flow of the Mardyke first came in contact with the wide range of events chalk outcrop it initially formed a lake. This expanded to interest all ages - until it found an outlet along the northern edge of the pick up a leaflet at the chalk ridge at Stifford. Over time the lake waters Chase Forest Centre. drained leaving the flat fen areas of Orsett and Bulphan fen and the fen slowly covered with wet woodland. The Mardyke and its changing course has greatly Opening Hours influenced the development of land use through the Visitor Centre: Late March to October; Walk D2 fens and the settlements of Aveley, North and South 10am - 5pm every day. Stifford, Orsett, North and South Ockendon and November to Late March; Bulphan. Following the draining of the lake, the wet 10am - 4pm each day. Destination walk from: woodland was gradually cleared to be used extensively Site: Daily; 8.30am - to dusk. for agriculture. It is also thought that the Mardyke was Davy Down to navigable as far as Bulphan as late as the eighteenth and Car parking nineteenth centuries facilitating transportation of crops West Horndon Station A fixed daily donation to Thames Chase Trust payable and grain to the Thames. Some records also indicate (approx) that drainage channels were dug to drain the land for at the ticket machine. 7 miles grazing pastures. Thames Chase Walks are sponsored by 3-4 hours (approx) The Mardyke has and still is subject to flooding and was said to be tidal up to and beyond Stifford Bridge as App for Android late as 1760. The name ‘Stifford’ is Anglo Saxon stig ford and IPhone (path that crosses a stream) and other place names /Thame Chase such as Ford Place, Ship Lane, Stifford Clays, Fen For more information and to make bookings please ring Lane, Puddle Dock 01708 642970 or call at The Thames Chase Forest Centre, Farm, Fen Farm, etc. T Pike Lane, RM14 3NS H K give clues to the nature E-mail: [email protected] A L of the landscape of the Web site: www.thameschase.org.uk M A E W Mardyke Valley. Charity no. 1115627. Company No. 5687558 S CHASE Design & Artwork by P A Vine Mobile: 07940570194 Email: [email protected] Thames Chase Trust