Introduction:

This walk is approximately 11k long, taking about 3.5 hours to complete at a steady pace, along paved, gravel and unmade footpaths, K

including parts of the Loop and/or Ingrebourne Way FP136, as S

R E L well as following some of the valley of the . C H U U R Q C E H H E

Start: From the bus stand in Tees Drive at the junction with R S 1 O C O A L A D L C HILL FARM O E W K O Road (served by frequent bus routes from , Harold E 2 R N Wood and ), turn right into and cross Noak Hill Road D A ST. THOMAS’S CHURCH O onto the footpath opposite. Walk along this path and uphill for R L W IL 3 H about 500 metres to the junction with Church Road and K A O 1 N Chequers Road. Continue ahead along Chequers Road for MANOR FARM about 250 metres passed Manor Farm on your right until you E reach Lower Noke Close on the right. S T 2 Turn right into Lower Noke Close through a large green metal A gate, signposted as the beginning of Ingrebourne Way FP136. 5 H 4 After about 250m the road turns left to go under the M25 (into H A DAGNAM HOUSE Wrightsbridge Road next to Old Macdonalds Farm). Continue ahead for about 300m along a C gravel path, which is an entrance to Dagnam Park (The Manor), with fields and woods on both MES sides. Among the woods on your left is the tiled area between the former stables to Dagnam 6 S H House. Behind the stable area there is a round concrete pond, which was in the gardens of a E F F I DA E GN L AM D

cottage belonging to the Dagnams Estate. On your right as you walk along the path are the remains PA D RK R I D V R E of Dagnam House, from which the area gets its name as “The Manor” among local residents. Some IV E of the shrubs including rhododendron of the original manor garden still exist as well as the remains of an orchard. 3 After 100m you pass Lily Pond, one of two ponds on your right, which are about 500 years old and formed part of the moat to Dagnams House. Continue through two white iron gateposts before entering a A12 large, well maintained field. On the far side of the field to the right “Hatters Woods” can be seen, which were 7 THE MANOR

ER also part of the grounds to Dagnams House. Footpaths lead into woods on the left, where large herds of IV R I I

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grazing fallow deer can often be seen. The path continues for a further 350 metres until reaching a car park on I

I H I I A I SEWAGE E RI the right and ahead an entrance to the park from Settle Road, . N I R I O WORKS OU I L B D E I R I G I C I O

4 Turn left across a field for about 250 metres, passed some small ancient ponds and then go right through woods IN I 8 U

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behind the playing fields of Drapers Academy in Settle Road. I R

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I D 5 Continue along a narrow path beside a steep embankment on the right for about 300 metres, D (Maylands Golf Course can be seen through the trees to the left). Cross a ditch and walk through Duck Wood 9

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Community Nature Reserve (this path can be very muddy after heavy rain) before emerging into Sheffield Drive. N

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D Turn left along Sheffield Drive, then left into Dagnam Park Drive and left again into Petersfield Avenue before reaching the A 6 E

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junction with the A12 Colchester Road. (This junction is the location of the Lodge to Dagnams House). Cross the A12 via S G

10 A a subway, turn left and then turn right at the traffic lights into Harold Court Road, re-joining the Ingrebourne Way FP136. N DUCK WOOD SH EPERDS HILL 7 Continue for about 300 metres downhill to the end of Harold Court Road, cross a footbridge over the River Ingrebourne and then under a railway bridge. 11 8 Harold Court Woods car park is on your left with access to the woods on both sides of the path. Harold Court Woods provide access to Tyler’s Common and an alternative route to Pages Wood (see Thames Chase H

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Walk 7 – Circular walk via Pages Wood, and Tyler’s Common). Walk uphill along a tarmac road and after 12 L

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150m pass Harold Court and a few cottages further along on the right. N I

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After 200m the road becomes a gravel track, which can be muddy after heavy rain. Walk through metal gates, B

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signposted “Ingrebourne Way, FP 136, Pages Wood ½ mile” and “Bridle path 279”. R

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Continue uphill for about 500m passing large farm buildings on the left then through metal gates at the top of the hill, R

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walking passed Ivy Lodge on the left, which is an attractive Georgian farmhouse. Walk past six houses, which were

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probably originally for farmworkers, before reaching Shepherds Hill.

Cross Shepherds Hill via the controlled crossing to the left and enter Thames Chase Pages Wood. After a few meters take 11

the left-hand path (FP136 goes to the right but is a longer and hillier route). Continue downhill until the path becomes flat for

about 500m between meadows, then it inclines slightly before going downhill again for another 500m.

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LANE RD I B At the bottom of the hill, where the path re-joins Ingrebourne Way FP136 and the LL, turn left over a wooden bridge, then 12

continue for about 350m uphill to the Pages Woods car park off Hall Lane. H

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Cross over Hall Lane and turn right along the roadside path for about 500m, following FP136 and LL towards and A 13 N crossing over the A127, to Bird Lane on the left. From here we join part of the route (points 10 – 16) of TC Walk 6b Northern E Loop to . Alternatively, you can follow the reverse of Walk 6b (points 10 – 1) to the TC Forest Visitor Centre via Bird Lane and Brickfields. 14 Continue passed Bird Lane along Hall Lane to the junction with Avon Road. Cross Avon Road, then cross Hall Lane and almost immediately turn right into River Drive. Walk downhill to the end of the road. 16 15 Carefully cross a footbridge, which has no handrail, over the Ingrebourne and through the kissing gate. Then 15 bear left crossing the boardwalk and continue to footpath sign 285. 17 16 The footpath now passes school playing fields on the right and woods of oak and sweet chestnut on your

left. On meeting an arable field turn left following FP sign 284/285 in the direction of Benets Road. 18 17 The footpath now follows the edge of the field with Upminster Golf Course visible through the trees on BENETS ROAD your left. At the corner of the field turn right and continue along the edge of the field. 19 BUILDINGS

HEDINGHAM ROAD 18 Cross the footbridge and then turn left where the path again follows the edge of an arable field. At the FARM BUILDINGS WALGRAVE

I B GARDENS E end of the field the LL route goes to the right at the back of houses. Our walk bears left then between I R K DUNSTER I E CR L I E TREES/HEDGES Y I houses into Benets Road, where we turn left. I DR I IVE UPMINSTER ST I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I II II I I I I I I I I I I I FARMLAND 19 The walk is now along roadside footpaths. Walk to the end of Benets Road, turn right into Frimley Avenue I I I I I 20 S T M then left into Berkeley Drive. Follow Berkeley Drive as it bears to the left. Cross the bridge over the AR GRASSLAND Y’S LA Ingrebourne then uphill passing Dunster Crescent on your left until you join Berkeley Close. Walk to the end NE MARSHLAND of the road and take the footpath alongside the railway until the path emerges in Hall Lane. 20 Finishing at Upminster Station. GOLF COURSE - - - - - ROUTE I I I I I I RAILWAY

Thanks for information from Tony Benton's Upminster History Site History Upminster Benton's Tony from information for Thanks intervals, where they still remain. still they where intervals,

completed there in 1884 and extended at regular future future regular at extended and 1884 in there completed

opposite side of the road. road. the of side opposite

Nag's Head Lane site. Their new sewage works were were works sewage new Their site. Lane Head Nag's

bridlepaths. bridlepaths. in 1846 and 80 acres became part of Pages Farm on the the on Farm Pages of part became acres 80 and 1846 in

actions the authority agreed in 1882 to buy part of the the of part buy to 1882 in agreed authority the actions

surfaced paths, 2.6km of cycle paths and 1.3km of of 1.3km and paths cycle of 2.6km paths, surfaced the tenants of Gaynes Manor. It was enclosed by agreement agreement by enclosed was It Manor. Gaynes of tenants the

Authority to remove the sewers from his land. After legal legal After land. his from sewers the remove to Authority

the west of Nags Head Lane and provided grazing rights for for rights grazing provided and Lane Head Nags of west the and his apostles. There are around 3.3km of of 3.3km around are There apostles. his and

contract, and ordered the Billericay Rural Sanitary Sanitary Rural Billericay the ordered and contract,

and often shown on maps as Upminster Common, was to to was Common, Upminster as maps on shown often and

chestnuts ring a central tree to represent Christ Christ represent to tree central a ring chestnuts

Crompton refused to take over Preston’s sewage disposal disposal sewage Preston’s over take to refused Crompton

Gaynes Common, sometimes also known as Mill Common, Common, Mill as known also sometimes Common, Gaynes

planted including a ‘Tree Circle’ where eleven horse horse eleven where Circle’ ‘Tree a including planted

Harold Court estate and other lands occupied by Preston. Preston. by occupied lands other and estate Court Harold

Harold Court Woods have over 40,000 trees trees 40,000 over have Woods Court Harold

Harold Wood Hospital, he had become the owner of the the of owner the become had he Hospital, Wood Harold

College of Education. Education. of College

Harold Wood in 1877. Living in The Grange, later part of of part later Grange, The in Living 1877. in Wood Harold

Council, and from 1963 it housed a branch of Brentwood Brentwood of branch a housed it 1963 from and Council,

area for birds at almost any time of the year. year. the of time any almost at birds for area John Crompton had taken over the development of of development the over taken had Crompton John

sold to the Education committee of the County County Essex the of committee Education the to sold

woodland and the rough grassland makes it a good good a it makes grassland rough the and woodland

There was a further change of use when in 1960 it was was it 1960 in when use of change further a was There

taking his family to Australia. Australia. to family his taking The combination of these with the river, the young young the river, the with these of combination The

bankrupt in 1881 and seems to have fled the country, country, the fled have to seems and 1881 in bankrupt

original state and are rich in flowers and insects. insects. and flowers in rich are and state original sanatorium became a hospital in the Brentwood Group. Group. Brentwood the in hospital a became sanatorium

proved financially disastrous for him. Preston absconded, absconded, Preston him. for disastrous financially proved

Health Service came into being after world war two the the two war world after being into came Service Health Pleasant Farm lower down have been left in their their in left been have down lower Farm Pleasant

an unpleasant stench for miles around, but they also also they but around, miles for stench unpleasant an

county's tuberculosis sanatorium. When the National National the When sanatorium. tuberculosis county's

planted, but the grazing meadows of Mount Mount of meadows grazing the but planted,

adjoining Harold Court. Not only did his operations cause cause operations his did only Not Court. Harold adjoining

main Warley asylum until 1918 when it became the the became it when 1918 until asylum Warley main

The former Pages Farm has been extensively extensively been has Farm Pages former The

30 acres of land which he leased in Nag's Head Lane, Lane, Head Nag's in leased he which land of acres 30

Harold Court continued to be used as an annex to the the to annex an as used be to continued Court Harold

the River Ingrebourne, only a stream at this point. point. this at stream a only Ingrebourne, River the

town's sewage. His solution was to spread the sewage on on sewage the spread to was solution His sewage. town's

male inmates and in 1911 there was 72 male lunatics. male 72 was there 1911 in and inmates male

consists of two former farms sloping down towards towards down sloping farms former two of consists the local authority to dispose of the the of dispose to authority local the

of inmates gradually rose and the 1901 census shows 67 67 shows census 1901 the and rose gradually inmates of

footpaths and 2.2 kilometres of bridlepaths. It It bridlepaths. of kilometres 2.2 and footpaths Brentwood, Preston contracted with with contracted Preston Brentwood,

lines. In 1892, 44 male inmates took up residence. Number Number residence. up took inmates male 44 1892, In lines.

main drainage system being laid in in laid being system drainage main 2002. It also has meadow areas, 6.5 kilometres of of kilometres 6.5 areas, meadow has also It 2002.

by telephone to Warley along the Great Eastern Railway Railway Eastern Great the along Warley to telephone by

a turn for the worse. Following a a Following worse. the for turn a

having 100,000 trees planted since it opened in in opened it since planted trees 100,000 having accommodation for the inmates. This annex was connected connected was annex This inmates. the for accommodation

style, but in 1871 his fortunes took took fortunes his 1871 in but style,

Commission's woodlands within Thames Chase, Chase, Thames within woodlands Commission's system and other works to provide more suitable secure secure suitable more provide to works other and system

Preston continued to live in some some in live to continued Preston

managed the works.The conversion work installed a water water a installed work conversion works.The the managed Pages Wood is the largest of the Forestry Forestry the of largest the is Wood Pages

Despite the initial lack of success success of lack initial the Despite

vacant Harold Court for £3,100 in 1891.Dr Amsden Amsden 1891.Dr in £3,100 for Court Harold vacant

The Essex County Lunatic Asylum’s committee bought the the bought committee Asylum’s Lunatic County Essex The

Pages Wood Pages

Harold Wood. Harold

to Colchester, which took the name name the took which Colchester, to

“there are no insuperable objections” objections” insuperable no are “there

Lane on the main line from London London from line main the on Lane

main asylum at Warley three miles away he concluded that that concluded he away miles three Warley at asylum main

Company in 1868 also aimed to build a station in Gubbins Gubbins in station a build to aimed also 1868 in Company

the need for a telephone or telegraph to connect with the the with connect to telegraph or telephone a for need the

town. A contract with the Great Eastern Railway Railway Eastern Great the with contract A town.

1881 history. history. 1881 sewage disposal, which was still spread over local fields, and and fields, local over spread still was which disposal, sewage

with the unsuccessful aim of building a new new a building of aim unsuccessful the with Company

engraving in Wilson's Wilson's in engraving ran near the house. Despite reservations about the lack of of lack the about reservations Despite house. the near ran

300 acre Gubbins Farm to form the Harold Wood Estate Estate Wood Harold the form to Farm Gubbins acre 300

the mill but there is an an is there but mill the every floor but there was no gas supply and no gas pipes pipes gas no and supply gas no was there but floor every

comprised some 87 acres. In 1866 Preston bought the the bought Preston 1866 In acres. 87 some comprised

photographs survive of of survive photographs said there was a bathroom on the first floor and a W.C. on on W.C. a and floor first the on bathroom a was there said

replacement for the former Good House Farm which which Farm House Good former the for replacement

the following year. No No year. following the favourably on Harold Court.suitability in August 1890. He He 1890. August in Court.suitability Harold on favourably

developer. Preston’s new home of Harold Court was a a was Court Harold of home new Preston’s developer.

the mill was taken down down taken was mill the lunatics with three attendants. Dr Amsden’s reported Amsden’s Dr attendants. three with lunatics

a Brentwood solicitor, farmer, and speculative land land speculative and farmer, solicitor, Brentwood a

employing one man, but but man, one employing Asylum’s Committee needed a suitable premises for 50 50 for premises suitable a needed Committee Asylum’s

style for the born William Richard Preston, who was was who Preston, Richard William born Ilford the for style

there, shown in 1881 as as 1881 in shown there, After standing vacant for a year, Essex County Lunatic Lunatic County Essex year, a for vacant standing After

The house is of white stock brick and built in an Italianate Italianate an in built and brick stock white of is house The

Manning was the last miller miller last the was Manning

nearby Harold Court, seems to have acquired it. Samuel Samuel it. acquired have to seems Court, Harold nearby Harold Court to the new premises. new the to Court Harold

Harold Court Court Harold

Pinchon had sold it, and William R Preston, the owner of of owner the Preston, R William and it, sold had Pinchon Cottage Homes. In 1889 the children were moved from from moved were children the 1889 In Homes. Cottage

descendants still owned the mill in 1846. By 1875 David David 1875 By 1846. in mill the owned still descendants Harrow Farm, Hornchurch to build the St Leonard’s Leonard’s St the build to Hornchurch Farm, Harrow

1670. In 1778 William Pinchon was the miller there and his his and there miller the was Pinchon William 1778 In 1670. children in the care of Union who then bought bought then who Union Shoreditch of care the in children

was buried in the churchyard and certainly it existed in in existed it certainly and churchyard the in buried was Harold Court continued in use as the home for 120 120 for home the as use in continued Court Harold

existed in 1665, when Thomas Dawson of Upminster, miller, miller, Upminster, of Dawson Thomas when 1665, in existed partnership between the two Boards dissolved in May 1885 1885 May in dissolved Boards two the between partnership

map). It was a post-mill on a high brick base, and may have have may and base, brick high a on post-mill a was It map). use as a children’s home for 84 children. When the the When children. 84 for home children’s a as use

Gaynes Common, north of the road facing Pages Farm (see (see Farm Pages facing road the of north Common, Gaynes children and Harold Court was temporarily pressed into into pressed temporarily was Court Harold and children

built by James Nokes in 1803, stood on the south side of of side south the on stood 1803, in Nokes James by built needed premises to house and educate their pauper pauper their educate and house to premises needed

Upminster Mill, as it was known before the existing Mill was was Mill existing the before known was it as Mill, Upminster In 1882 the Shoreditch Board of Guardians with Hackney Hackney with Guardians of Board Shoreditch the 1882 In

Noak Hill Thames Chase - Community Forest Noak Hill is a small village dating back to the 11th Environmental improvements within the borders of century. The area was once part of a Royal Thames Chase Community Forest are all around hunting forest, with the site of Pyrgo Palace to the you in the many green spaces that are enjoyed Transforming north, which was a hunting lodge used by King through its 40 sq miles of countryside. landscapes, Harold and Henry VIII. The Deer’s Rest (formerly- This landscape regeneration project is now being transforming The Bear) pub in Noak Hill Road is a 17th managed by the Thames Chase Trust. There is a lives century inn, where traditionally a bear was kept in wide range of events to interest all ages - pick up a a cage until the 1960s. leaflet at the Forest Centre. Dagnam Park Opening Hours Central Park and Dagnam Park were formerly Visitor Centre: Late March to October; part of two ancient English manor estates – 10am - 5pm every day. November to Late March; Thames Gooshays and Dagnams, dating back to the 12th century. The Gooshays Manor house 10am - 4pm each day. was on the site of a community centre in Site: Daily; 8.30am - to dusk. Gooshays Drive, adjacent to Central Park, at Car parking Chase the heart of the Harold Hill housing estate, A fixed daily donation to originally built by the London County Council Thames Chase Trust payable at the ticket machine. in the 1950s. Dagnam Manor house was situated in Dagnam Park, known locally as The Thames Chase Walks are in partnership with the Land of Walk D5 Manor, remains of which are being excavated by the Friends of Dagnam Park Group. the Fanns Land of the Fanns is supported by Thames Chase Destination walk from: The Land of the Fanns Landscape Noak Hill to Upminster Partnership Scheme seeks to restore, discover and celebrate one of the Station via Dagnam Park, last remaining landscapes of London as it once was. Through delivery of Harold Court & Pages Wood 26 projects. We aim to engage the The Manor community with their local heritage and environment. 6.8 miles (11 k) (approx) Wildlife Find out more on social media and our website: 3.5 hours (approx) The area has a rich variety of flora and fauna, www.landofthefanns.org.uk including woodlands prolific with bluebells and anemone in springtime, plus several ancient /Thames Chase @ Thames_Chase thameschase ponds, which are home to frogs, newts, For more information and to make bookings please ring waterfowl and fish. There is an abundance of 01708 642970 or call at The Thames Chase Forest Centre, Pike Lane, Upminster RM14 3NS T H grey squirrels and birds, including green E-mail: [email protected] K A L woodpecker, owls and the occasional buzzard Web site: www.thameschase.org.uk M A and kite. Fallow deer can often be seen grazing Charity no. 1115627. Company No. 5687558 E W S CH SE in large herds in the meadows and woods. A Design & Artwork by P A Vine Mobile: 07940570194 Email: [email protected] Thames Chase Trust