Introduction
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INTRODUCTION The Octagon Parish is made up of eight villages with churches: Stansted, Racton, Stoughton, East Marden, North Marden, Up Marden, Compton and Forestside and two villages without churches: West Marden and Walderton. Blessed with wonderful walks and fine views down to the south coast, its small ancient downland churches are noted for their spiritual peace and tranquility, some dating back to Saxon times. There are two stately homes in the area: Stansted House and Uppark. To mark the Diamond Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in 2012, The Octagon decided to establish a long circular walking route using existing footpaths and bridleways to link all the villages together. This is called The Octagon Way and is about 18 miles long. There are also eight circular Octagon Short Walks of 2–4 miles each. GET THE BUS Why not reduce parking pressure and help • Please take your litter home with you. to conserve this beautiful National Park by • Wildlife: Please do not disturb or harm using the local bus service. It passes through any wild animals. the area – 5 times daily except Sunday – • Photograph wildflowers but leave them making it possible to bus and walk. Find unpicked and untrampled for others to out more about local buses in the contacts enjoy. section at the back. • Take care on public roads. Some routes do involve walking along or Parking: Apart from Stansted Park Garden crossing roads. Centre there are very few official car parks in The Octagon. • Remember that wild animals, farm animals and horses can behave Environment: Please help us to care for unpredictably – so give them plenty of this beautiful place by following a few space. simple guidelines: • Remember that footpaths are only • Close gates behind you. open for walkers, whilst bridleways • Keep your dogs under close control at are open to walkers, cyclists and horse- all times to protect livestock, wildlife and riders. your dog! OCTAGON WAY ROUTE: 4. Cross field diagonally. Pass through gate and cross next field to corner by 1. From Stansted Park Garden Centre car a former watermill. Cross stile. Turn left park, walk 90 yards towards main onto lane. Cross small bridge, and entrance and turn left at footpath turn right onto grass path parallel fingerpost. Cross meadow, enter new with River Ems. Lordington House, an planting of broadleaved trees. At 3-way elegant 17th Century house (not open to fingerpost turn left , pass through public) is on left. Cross two more stiles kissing gate. Follow path diagonally over and continue straight ahead for 100 field, cross stile and continue ahead. yards. Cross stile. Walk down slope to 2. At next kissing gate turn left onto lane. Woodlands Lane. Turn right . Continue uphill to Racton Monument (on 5. At main road, turn left . After a few right). yards, cross the road into Cooks Lane Note: Racton Monument was built and walk into Walderton. between 1766 & 1775 by the owners 6. At first footpath fingerpost turn left up of Stansted House. It has a history of a narrow footpath between houses. Turn lavish parties, smuggling and was right along Monarch’s Way. Cross used by the Home Guard in World lane and continue uphill to Inholmes War II. Wood. Walk downhill with St Peter’s Church 7. At edge of wood turn right on below (on right). At end of lane pass bridleway down to Stoughton. Bear left. metal gate to main road. Note: To visit St Mary’s 11th Century Note: To visit St Peter’s Church Racton: Saxon church turn sharp left up turn right and walk 250 yards church path. along the main road. 8. Walk to village notice board; continue 3. Turn left along main road for 220 along lane past pub out of village. yards – beware there is no pavement and there may be fast-moving traffic. 9. After 500 yards turn left at footpath Turn left at footpath fingerpost. Cross fingerpost. Follow path uphill for 500 stile into field – please keep dogs on yards towards Inholmes Wood. leads and don’t feed or disturb horses. 10. Turn right at footpath fingerpost. box turn left at footpath fingerpost Continue for a mile along headland, and sign to church. then through woods. Note: St Mary’s 12th Century 11. Turn left onto bridleway and continue Church North Marden: originally a to edge of wood. Turn right at chapel of ease to East Marden footpath fingerpost. After 300 yards go 17. From church (on right) follow path steeply down to the lane. downhill. At bottom right corner of field 12. Cross lane at diagonal, follow footpath pass between wire fences (keep wood fingerpost into field. Turn left , then on left). At footpath fingerpost turn left diagonally across field towards distant . After 150 yards turn right . electricity pylon. Cross stile and follow 18. Leave woods, continue uphill with hedge path with hedge (on right). Cross two on left of path. Follow edge of field more stiles. After second, follow hedge to gap in hedge at field end. Ignore (on left) to East Marden. footpath on left and continue uphill along 13. Cross stile, then through farmyard to path through narrow woods between fingerpost. Turn left . Follow farm track fields, to stile. 40 yards to next fingerpost. Turn right 19. Cross stile at 4-way fingerpost. Turn left . Follow path between houses to post along edge of pine copse. At end box on lane. Turn right . of field cross stile into Long Lane. Turn Note: To visit the 12th Century right . After 150 yards turn left at Church of St Peter’s in East Marden footpath fingerpost and pass through turn left for 100 yards. The thatched kissing gate. village well was the sole source of 20. Follow fence line (on right) steadily up water until 1924. It has an unusual Apple Down. The small copse on top of square winding wheel and is 200 ft Apple Down marks the site of an Anglo deep. Saxon cemetery – replaced in Victorian 14. Follow lane 70 yards up to footpath times by a water reservoir. Cross stile fingerpost. Turn left and follow path at end of field. On clear days there are through hedge. Cross stile and bear fine views south to Portsmouth and Isle of diagonally across field. Cross another Wight. stile and farm track then continue ahead 21. Continue across large arable field to on path climbing gently along left-hand distant right corner of tree line near Up edge of the large open field. Trees on Marden. Do not turn left at footpath left give way to open fields. Continue marker post. Continue ahead with uphill to top of slope. hedgerow on left. At far left corner of 15. At hedgerow, cross stile and enter Long field join bridleway. Lane along which it is said Roman tax Note: To visit St Michael’s Church Up collectors used to pass. Turn left and Marden turn left along bridleway continue to ‘Fourways’ crossroads. then right after cart shed into 16. Turn right follow lane uphill and churchyard. through North Marden. Just after post 22. Turn right , downhill towards Compton path on left through woodland bearing with view of Uppark (on right). right at marker post. 23. At bottom of hill path bears left and 31. Follow marker post straight across right at fingerpost, then uphill between field, with hedge close to right-hand fields. Pass through wooded area and side. Cross Oldhouse Lane and take continue uphill between arable fields. bridleway with fingerpost and hedge now on left. 24. At the 4-way fingerpost cross bridleway and follow footpath downhill. Path 32. Continue along bridleway to Lodge crosses hedge line, then descends very Farm. Pass farm house on left. Enter field steeply on edge of grass meadow with by fingerpost. Follow track across field; views of Compton Down ahead. enter wood at 4-way fingerpost. 25. Leave meadow; bear right at the Note: To visit Christchurch Forestside: 4-way fingerpost, and follow bridleway Turn right at 4-way fingerpost and into Compton. follow footpath outside woodland on edge of field for about 350 yards. Note: To visit St Mary’s Church Enter wood at joining footpath and turn Compton – at end of bridleway on right at next fingerpost. Continue for right climb steps and follow path to 60 yards to field gate. Turn left and church. follow marker and footpath for 650 26. From village square turn left at pub. yards inside wood to road. Cross road Walk 200 yards along road to The Old to visit church. Return back along same Post Office (now a private home). Turn path to the 4-way fingerpost to rejoin right across road. The Octagon Way. 27. Climb block steps; follow diagonal path 33. From 4-way fingerpost continue south across field; through pine woodland; along bridleway (conservation woodland cross next field uphill; up bank by on right) until you emerge from forest. footpath fingerpost, through tall swing 34. Continue south and after ¾ mile pass gate into West Hanger Wood (used for through a latch gate. Further on, pass pheasant breeding). Climb steeply uphill through a second gate which takes you past cross-track footpath fingerpost, then onto access road to Stansted Estate through second swing gate into field. offices. 28. Follow diagonal path to fingerpost; take 35. Turn left along road and after 100 farm track opposite steeply downhill. yards, turn right along footpath with 29. Cross stile near field gate and dew Stansted House on left. Return to Stansted pond. Turn sharp left at fingerpost and car park. follow fence line to another stile where Note: To see St Paul’s Chapel Stansted path enters woods.