not particularly wooded now, but around the the around but now, wooded particularly not margins margins years it was buried face face buried was it years struck the hour for many years. years. many for hour the struck

to be the sites of the foresters’ dwellings. The area is is area The dwellings. foresters’ the of sites the be to are unknown - for many many for - unknown are a Millennium project. Prior to this the clock had not not had clock the this to Prior project. Millennium a

no roads or villages, only tracks and farms, believed believed farms, and tracks only villages, or roads no original purpose and age age and purpose original road. In 1999 the clock and dial were refurbished as as refurbished were dial and clock the 1999 In road.

Knossington lie on the perimeter of a large area with with area large a of perimeter the on lie Knossington carved stone figure. Its Its figure. stone carved his employees could see the time from the Brooke Brooke the from time the see could employees his

Loddington, , , Owston and and Owston Withcote, Launde, Loddington, Church is a strange strange a is Church stipulated that the clock should face east so that that so east face should clock the that stipulated

The village of Braunston, along with Brooke, Belton, Belton, Brooke, with along Braunston, of village The west end of All Saint’s Saint’s All of end west landowner and later High Sheriff of , who who Rutland, of Sheriff High later and landowner

In the churchyard, at the the at churchyard, the In installed at the cost of Mr Evan Hanbury, a local local a Hanbury, Evan Mr of cost the at installed

Hunting Forest. Forest. Hunting

almost certainly the first clock in the church. It was was It church. the in clock first the certainly almost

greatly influenced by its long existence as a Royal Royal a as existence long its by influenced greatly Goddess

clock mounted on the tower. Installed in 1879, it is is it 1879, in Installed tower. the on mounted clock The appearance of this part of the county has been been has county the of part this of appearance The

The Braunston Braunston The This attractive Ironstone church has an oversize oversize an has church Ironstone attractive This

was historically part of the Forest of . Leighfield. of Forest the of part historically was

it and Hundred Soke the in is village The All Saints Church Saints All

flycatcher and redstart. and flycatcher

‘Cheseldyne Farm 1604’. Farm ‘Cheseldyne visitors have included pied pied included have visitors

a modern stone tablet with the inscription inscription the with tablet stone modern a walked over by the feet of the pious churchgoers. pious the of feet the by over walked and many others. Rare Rare others. many and

with another 1660, dated stone a with one village, door step, with further insult being added by being being by added being insult further with step, door blackcap, garden warbler warbler garden blackcap,

the in houses farm several are There roofs. tiled symbolically and literally ‘cast down’ to form the the form to down’ ‘cast literally and symbolically numbers of nuthatch, nuthatch, of numbers

with brick of built are few a roofs; stone or thatch these building phases the figure could have been been have could figure the phases building these birds. There are good good are There birds.

rectangular figure. The cottages are of stone with with stone of are cottages The figure. rectangular the building of the present church. During one of of one During church. present the of building the along with 71 species of of species 71 with along

part of the village is grouped in and around a rough rough a around and in grouped is village the of part demolished in 1848 and the material reused in in reused material the and 1848 in demolished have all been recorded recorded been all have

As is frequently the case in the county, the main main the county, the in case the frequently is As replacing it in the 14th century before it too was was too it before century 14th the in it replacing muntjac and grass-snake grass-snake and muntjac

the time of the Normans with a second building building second a with Normans the of time the Badger, fox, stoat, stoat, fox, Badger,

year 1200. year

The first recorded church on this spot dates from from dates spot this on church recorded first The broad-leaved helleborine. helleborine. broad-leaved

known respecting the history of this parish before the the before parish this of history the respecting known

early-purple orchid and and orchid early-purple

mentioned in the Doomsday book; indeed, nothing is is nothing indeed, book; Doomsday the in mentioned of it has now been lost to history. history. to lost been now has it of

including wood anemone, anemone, wood including

name) ton (town) i.e. Braun’s Town. Braunston is not not is Braunston Town. Braun’s i.e. (town) ton name) attend. If there was such a church here evidence evidence here church a such was there If attend.

have been recorded, recorded, been have

is, doubtless, of Saxon origin from Brauns (a man’s man’s (a Brauns from origin Saxon of doubtless, is, church to try to encourage the local people to to people local the encourage to try to church

flowering plants and ferns ferns and plants flowering

name in Northamptonshire and Suffolk. The name name The Suffolk. and Northamptonshire in name may have been incorporated into an early Christian Christian early an into incorporated been have may

far over 230 species of of species 230 over far

spelt it Braunston. There are places bearing the same same the bearing places are There Braunston. it spelt the site. With the arrival of Christianity the carving carving the Christianity of arrival the With site. the

to a variety of wildlife. So So wildlife. of variety a to

and all topographers, including Saxton (1576), have have (1576), Saxton including topographers, all and Romano-Celtic goddess figure that once stood on on stood once that figure goddess Romano-Celtic

Wildlife Trust. It is home home is It Trust. Wildlife

document dated 1312 we find it spelt Braundeston Braundeston spelt it find we 1312 dated document could therefore represent some form of Iron Age or or Age Iron of form some represent therefore could

Leicestershire and Rutland Rutland and

alterations in spelling as others in the county. From a a From county. the in others as spelling in alterations indicate a previous pagan sacred area. The carving carving The area. sacred pagan previous a indicate

Interest managed by the the by managed Interest

The name of this village has not undergone so many many so undergone not has village this of name The is built on a raised circular mound and this may may this and mound circular raised a on built is

of Special Scientific Scientific Special of

What is interesting is the fact that the churchyard churchyard the that fact the is interesting is What

Braunston. It is a Site Site a is It Braunston.

similarities to Irish Sheela na Gigs. na Sheela Irish to similarities situated to the south of of south the to situated

ward off evil spirits. It has certain facial and stylistic stylistic and facial certain has It spirits. evil off ward ancient woodland woodland ancient

no drainage channel. It may have been used to to used been have may It channel. drainage no Priors Coppice is an an is Coppice Priors

church gargoyle but this seems unlikely as it has has it as unlikely seems this but gargoyle church

including Priors Coppice. Priors including female form and could be interpreted as a a as interpreted be could and form female

Cottesmore Hunt, Hunt, Cottesmore Braunston

The figure is thought to represent a grotesque grotesque a represent to thought is figure The

the of coverts fox

being rediscovered and re-erected in the 1920’s. the in re-erected and rediscovered being some of the most famous famous most the of some

a doorstep for the church before before church the for doorstep a as used and down are spinneys which are are which spinneys are

A1

Langham

A606 A6121 Oakham Stamford A6003

Braunston- In-Rutland Edith Weston A1

A47 A47

Uppingham Barrowden A6003 Braunston Travel

Road: Braunston is situated approximately 2 miles south west of Oakham on the C5305 (Braunston Road)

Bus: Oakham Hopper 146 on a Wednesday or Saturday. Contact Traveline for more information: T: 0871 2002233 E: www.traveline.info

Rail: The nearest railway station is Oakham. Ordnance Survey Maps

Explorer 234 Rutland Water Landranger 141 Grantham

If you require further information regarding this leaflet or require it in an alternative format please contact Rutland County Council Highways at the address below:

Rutland County Council Highways Catmose Oakham Rutland LE15 6HP T: 01572 722577 E: [email protected] W: www.rutland.gov.uk/row

1/12 aim diagonally left and head for a double trunked ash gate, pass through to the far end of the field and Braunston Walk Number 1 tree beneath which is a stile. Continue diagonally left another gate leading down to a footbridge over a Start from the Old Plough. to the top of the field where a gateway leads you on to stream. a broad bridleway. Turn right and pass through a gate Standing with your back to the Old Plough take the 1 across the track. Now turn right again and follow a grassy 7 Keep on the track to until you reach the road. road on your left to the church. Enter the churchyard track all the way to a road. Cross over and enter the field opposite. Follow and take the path past the main door to a gate at the the path diagonally right through the field, past a rear of the church. Continue straight on to a kissing 5 At the road there are two paths on your left. To bridle gate and on to a further gate leading in to an gate. Pass through the gate and over a ditch then avoid walking the busy road take the right hand path enclosed track. Follow this through two further gates continue straight ahead to a footbridge. Traverse across a field to cross a stile and continue to a field gate until you find a gate on the right leading to a bridleway the bridge and then walk across the next field before on the roadside. Turn right and, at the T junction, cross across a grassy pasture. crossing a second footbridge. over on to the bridleway opposite. With the hedge on your left continue to a gate. Pass through the gate and 8 Cross the grassy pasture, pass through one gate Continue straight on to a kissing gate and ditch 2 cross the corner of the next field to another gate. and head diagonally towards the right hand fence crossing. Bear left when you enter the next field and you where a yellow waymark post can be seen. A further will soon see a footbridge. 6 Here, stay on the bridleway with the hedge on gate takes you into a green lane which takes you your right and pass through another field gate before down to a metal gate across the track. Pass through Pass through a hedgerow, then over a stile and on 3 reaching a junction of bridleways. Go through the gate the gate, turn left, and follow the track to the road. your right is a pond. Make your way to the field gate and with a fence on the left and hedge on the right Here to your left you will see The Old Plough on ahead. Carry on with the hedge on your left, passing walk to a further gate. Here, strike diagonally left across the corner. the farmhouse. At the end of the field a waymark directs the field to a gate. Through this gate make your way you to turn left over a footbridge. diagonally left towards the hedgerow avoiding a ditch 4 Cross the footbridge and turn right. Continue along at the bottom of the field. Follow the hedge to a bridle the hedgerow and cross a ditch into the next field. Now

8

Key

Braunston Walk Number 1 Distance: 6 miles Stiles: 8 Braunston Walk Number 2 Distance: 3.8 miles Stiles: 8 N Public Footpath Public Bridleway 7 PH Public House Braunston- = Bus Stop in-Rutland

1 PH

6 PH 1 = 2 2 BRAUNSTON-IN-RUTLAND CP

7

3 5 5 Brooke 4

3 6

BROOKE CP 4

3 Cross the corner of the next field to a gap in the 7 Take the footpath to the left and head for a stile Braunston Walk Number 2 hedge which leads you into a small copse / spinney. in the hedge. Turn right on to a grass track around Start from the Blue Ball. Follow the track to a waymark post on the far side. the field edge. At the end of the track cross the stile Pass through a gap in the hedge and then head for the and head for the field gate at the opposite end of the Starting with your back to the Blue Ball enter the 1 corner of the next field, where you will find a hand gate. field. Continue straight ahead to a stile and a bridge church yard opposite by the main gate and follow the and then head for a stile in the corner of the next field. path past the left side of the church. Use the hand gate 4 Turn left on to the track and after a short distance Crossing this stile will take you on to a track between you can see to your left and then head towards the field you will find a gate on your left. Follow a path around stone walls that will eventually lead you to a stone gate and stile that are straight ahead. Bear left once the right side of the field and you will soon see a stone bridge over the . Ahead on your left you you enter the next field and you will soon see a surfaced track ahead of you. Follow the track until it should now see All Saints Church and the Blue Ball. foot bridge. meets a road.

2 Cross the bridge and continue ahead to a second 5 If you would like to cut your walk short at this point bridge and a stile. Walk along the right side of the next - turn left and follow the road down the hill and back into field and about two thirds of the way along you will find Braunston - otherwise, turn right. As the road reaches a stile leading on to yet another bridge. Cross the bridge the bottom of a hill you will see a bridleway on your left and turn left on to a grass track around the edge of indicated by a wooden gate and a Leighfield Way sign. the field. Continue up the hill and turn right when you meet a stone track. Follow this track for a short distance 6 Follow the bridleway with the stream on your right. until you encounter a foot bridge (and a yellow topped After you pass through a wooden gate you will see waymark post) on your left. footpaths on either side.