Village Square - Lower Aynho Grounds - Souldern Mill - Souldern Village - the Fox - Souldern Church - Aynho, Croughton Road - Village Square
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Village Square - Lower Aynho Grounds - Souldern Mill - Souldern Village - The Fox - Souldern Church - Aynho, Croughton Road - Village Square Leave the Village Square down Little Lane. At the bottom of the lane turn right and cross the main road with care. Take the footpath round into Station Road, following the sign for Deddington, and continue to the bottom of the hill. Turn left up the drive of Lower Aynho Grounds. Follow the drive with Aynho Park to your left over the wall. There are good views of Aynho Park House back over your left shoulder from certain points along this part of the track. After about half a mile, at the bottom of the hill, the drive curves to the right. The bridleway branches off to the left with parallel concrete wheel tracks indicating the route. The fence is on the right of the track. The track, known as Miller’s Lane, continues down to Souldern Mill where the stream crosses the track and it may be necessary to ford on the rare occasions when the water level is high. Souldern Village Souldern Manor, which you pass on your right, was built by Bernard Weedon in 1655 after he had pulled down an old Saxon Manor near the church. It has been restored and the grounds spectacularly redeveloped by the present owner. Half way along the main street on your right you will pass a narrow lane leading to a lovely old pub, The Fox. Pass through the village and turn left at the village pond. Take the road down to the church. Souldern Church The Church of St Mary the Virgin dates from the twelfth century, although many alterations have since been made. The font is twelfth century and the chalice is Cromwellian. There are six bells, most of which date from the seventeenth century. Wordsworth stayed in the old rectory, formerly to the north of the church, in 1820, and wrote his sonnet, ‘A Parsonage in Oxfordshire,’ during his visit. Pass to the left of the churchyard along the concrete road. Stay on this road through two metal gates. You have now reached the sewage works and need to take the narrow path between the fence and the stream. This is sometimes overgrown in summer, and a stick can come in handy. At the stile cross into the field, and head diagonally left up the slope. As you approach the fence keep it on your left until you reach the stile at the very end of the field. Across the stile a track leads through woods. Follow this across a stream. You are now back in Northamptonshire. The track becomes a concrete road as it emerges from the wood and takes you up the hill. At the top the concrete road turns right, but go through the gate on your left, and continue in your original direction down the hill to a double gate at the bottom. A herd of deer can sometimes be seen in this area. It is descended from the Aynho Park herd which became dispersed during the Second World War. Through the gate the path now follows the field edge with the fence on your left as you climb the hill ahead. At the top of the hill a low stile leads into a path between two fences which quickly become two stone walls. Pause at the stile, however, as you may well need to recover your breath, and the view behind you is of a magnificent sweep of countryside. The path ahead passes under a tunnel and finally emerges at the B4100 Croughton Road through the village. Cross the old stone stile, turn left, and you will soon pass the Cartwright Arms and enter the village Square. .