Lyth Hill Circular Ropes, Romans and Royal Hunts
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Lyth Hill Circular Ropes, Romans and Royal Hunts Windmill Cottage, Lyth Hill, and remains of the windmill. Old parkland with distant views to the south, takes us up by Longden Manor, to where the north Shropshire Plains can be seen stretching out ahead. We follow the narrow lane down to the small hamlet of Plealey. This was once a community of small copyholders, who unlike freeholders, held their land according to the custom of the Manor. Tenants title On top of Lyth Hill On Lyth Hill deeds were a ‘copy’ of the relevant entry, looking east listing their rights and duties, in the manorial Lyth Hill, with its panoramic views of the Old tracks and quiet lanes take us to the Vinnals. court roll. There were six farmhouses, and the early 17th century timber framed South Shropshire Hills, sweeps us through In spring, primroses clothe the banks of the some timber framed, others now Georgian Moat Hall, now partly brick clad, and return time. To the east, near Bomere Pool, was hedged lane south of the ford, and you could fronted, grouped around a square, with the via quiet lanes to Lyth Hill, to take in again the the kettle hole where the remains of woolly be a million miles from the hustle and bustle of tradesmen, and farm worker’s cottages on the wonderful views. mammoths were discovered. The road that the modern world, with maybe an owl silently three lanes radiating from this centre. runs east west along the bottom of the hill watching you. Past The Gorse, a small remnant Plealey Methodist Chapel There was a smithy, a wheelwrights shop, The chapel was built by Richard France in was known as Salter’s Way in the Middle of the Royal Hunting Forest, the route follows and a shoemaker. We take the north side Ages. It is likely that the Romans went this what remains of a once old hedged lane, past 1828 on Corfield’s yard, which he bought for passing the chapel, timber framed houses, five shillings. Sibberscote Manor was held way, with pack horses, from Viroconium at old coal pits, and along a wooded brook side and converted barns, and follow the old road, Wroxeter, carrying Cheshire mined salt to path to Longden Common. by the Barret family before 1660. Sold to the now a field edge track, to Shorthill, passing Warter family, by 1812 it was just a farmhouse. pay the Stiperstones lead miners. In the the late 16th century Sibberscote Manor. Middle Ages, a Royal Hunting Forest, or Windmill and Rope Walk It fell into great disrepair, but in recent years Haye, covered the area to the south. In more The windmill, built about 1835, and the rope- Arscott golf course lies ahead, with wonderful has been rescued and wonderfully restored recent times the area gave inspiration to Mary walk, shown on OS. 1881 running from the views back to Pontesford and Earls Hill, along with the adjoining barns. The gardens Webb, the author of ‘Precious Bane’, who east, up to just north of the Lyth Hill viewpoint but we are never far from old coal mines. A now lead down to a lake with swans. lived near Spring Coppice. The 18th century car park, were operating in 1841. The windmill colliery had been established near Arscott saw stage coaches travelling up the hill on prepared the flax, which was then twisted, as Coppice by 1767, and in the 19th century Woodhall the turnpiked toll road from Bayston Hill. also was hemp, to make rope for ships, mines had 3 shafts, and there was also a brickworks Woodhall is substantially an early 18th We travel the rough track; described useless and farms. The Davies family carried out rope north east of Arscott Hall. There were shafts century house, but some fragments of an in 1821 when the turnpikes were removed. manufacturing there until around 1890. near Moat Hall linked by a tramway to the earlier house remain. This was coal mining Passing by where ropes were once made, and Shrewsbury road at Annscroft. A horse called country and the long closed pits of Wood Hall the remains of the old windmill, we follow the The Vinnals Curley used to pull several small tubs of coal and Moat Hall, were part of the Shrewsbury bridleway past Spring Coppice and downhill. This is the area of the former Hurst Common. at a time from the pits near here to the wharf Coalfield where coal lies under a layer of red Here deer are now farmed, where once they The old farm house at The Vinnals, recorded at Annscroft. It closed in 1934. The old tracks sandstone. were hunted. in 1565, fell to ruin, but was said, by a past are more peaceful now as we pass Woodhall, occupier, to have been an inn on an old coach www.shropshireriding.co.uk The Red Lion, route to Bishops Castle. Longden Common Longden Common Cottages were built here in the l8th century to house miners from the nearby coal pits. The Red Lion is an old coaching Inn which dates from the early 19th century. A micro brewery has recently been established here. Methodist Chapel, Plealey Woodhall, Hanwood Humphrey Kynaston Circular Lyth Hill Circular• 14 miles / 22.5 km Polemere A488 HANWOOD Hook-a-gate Coppice Farm Start: Lyth Hill Car Park 8 Turn left and follow field edge west OS Landranger 126, Explorer 241 Y Golf Course and then north round to wicket gate WA BAYSTON DISMANTLEDRAIL y HILL Grid ref: SJ 477 073 onto hedged path to lane. Wa Lea Cross Shorthill Moat Hall y Hinton Arscott Marches Alternative start: Church Pulverbatch 9 At lane turn left and follow over Wa Annscroft Village Hall Grid Ref: SJ432030. bridge up to T Junction. Red Lion Pub Shropshire Arscott Rea Brook Sibberscote Lythwood View Telephone beforehand: Mrs. L Russell: 100m to the left Manor Hall 01743718409 ! Turn right for ¼ mile (400m) Take care Stoneford Riding Centre Lythbank Old Coppice 1 From car park follow stoned track road can be busy at times Great Lyth west along brow of hill. Keep straight Plealey # At crossroads turn left . A488 Spring Coppice Lyth Hill A49 on through western car park, past TLED DISMANWAY Country Park $ After Woodhouse Farm on right go RAIL Pontesford view-point with common on left Pontesford Broo y ches Wa Mar LONGDEN The Yews and houses on right down to gates through wicket gate on right. Cross Lingcroft Pool fields through two field gates ahead, PONTESBURY k Slang by Spring Coppice. Go through Coppice Longden then bear left to wicket gate, cross Radlith Longden Exfords Green wicket gate by field gate and follow Manor Coppice next field to top right hand corner. Oakshall bridleway down hill through gate and Coppice Lower Common Go through field gate and ahead Pontesford fork left on track to road. Hill across field to wicket gate in fence Reservoir Little Vinnals 2 Turn left and then right onto Upper Woodhouse Earls Hill Oaks Farm line over ditch. Oaks The Vinnals Bridleway and follow track through Oaks Wood Hays Coppice % Go ahead up field through field gate Longden y STAPLETON left bend for ½ mile (800m) to road. Common Wa and follow track through gate, past Habberley Brook 3 Turn right and follow lane for ¼ mile farm building on right down to gate Shropshire (400m) onto lane and bear left up through Wrentnall 4 Turn left and follow lane for ¼ mile Longden Manor entrance gates to The Gorse Black Lion Farm (400m) to The Vinnals buildings. road. Bend right after gate and follow track Harolds Holly Grove & Turn right and follow road for ²⁄₃ Bank Farm 0 KILOMETRES ½ 1 through ford and right ahead onto mile (1km) passing on your left the hedged lane and follow for ²⁄₃ mile Church 0 MILES ¼ ½ bridleway link to Humphrey Kynaston PULVERBATCH Pulverbatch (1km) to T junction, Crown Copyright. All rights reserved. Way and go down to cross roads in Shropshire Council 100049049.2014 5 Turn left and follow hedged track to Plealey. road. Go right through gate onto drive. ( Turn right and where road bends + Turn right and follow road past 6 Turn right and follow road for ¼ mile right take lane ahead past chapel Arscott Golf Club for ½ mile (800m) to bm Turn left. Follow drive to main road. (400m) past woodland on right. and where road bends right take staggered cross roads. Turn right. 7 For alternative start/finish and link bridleway on left. , Turn left and follow lane for ½ mile bn Take next lane left to Lyth Bank and to Humphrey Kynaston Way turn left ) Follow field edge bridleway, keeping (800m) follow lane up hill for 1 mile (1.5km), on bridleway through ford and then keeping left at road junction. hedge to right, through hedged Turn right onto lane past post box right on road for ²⁄₃ mile (1km) to bu section and field edge to junction by and houses, at junction of tracks keep bo Turn right onto hedged stoned track Church Pulverbatch Village Hall. Sibberscote Manor. Bear right and go right and on through gates to Wood bridleway down hill. To continue turn right through field through double gates and keeping Hall. Go between farm buildings bp At junction of tracks turn left and go gate onto bridleway alongside The lake on your right go ahead on ahead and after double gates bear uphill through field gate and follow Gorse wood go ahead through wicket grass track to junction with drive to left to gate to field. track to wicket gate onto lane follow gate and follow right field edge Sibberscote Manor.