How to use this book

This book contains route maps and descriptions for 20 walks, with areas of interest indicated by symbols (see below). For each walk particular points of interest are denoted by a number both in the text and on the map (where the number appears in a circle). In the text the route instructions are prefi xed by a capital letter. We recommend that you read the whole description, including the fact box at the start of each walk, before setting out.

Route instruction denoted by a capital letter in the text A C 1 Point of interest denoted by a number in the text B

main alternative direction of route route walk

Key to walk symbols At the start of each walk there is a series of symbols that indicate particular areas of interest associated with the route.

Birdlife Other Wild wildlife flowers

Good Historical Woodland views interest

Geology Literature

SCALE 1:25,000 00.25 0.5 0.75 1 kilometre

0 d a mile Please note the scale for walk maps is 1:25,000 unless otherwise stated. North is always at the top of the page.

How to use this book 15 “ The route follows the to its source at Hampnett and then up onto the wolds before descending once more into the valley with a wonderful view of ”

ThThe Leeacach isis onee of thhe laargr erer riviverers fl owowining sosoutu h-h-eaeaststwawards ofoff thhe wow lds. This wawalkk folllolowss thee yoouungng rivverer foror a shoortrt wayy cloosese to its source at HaH mppnenetttt. ThThe LeL aacch’h’s joj urrneney eveveentutuala lyly enndds wiwithth tht e mem rging of its wata erers ini toto thee Thah memes ata Lechladade.e Thee rououtee tthenen proceede s upp on toto thehe wolds befeforo e ded scscendiingg oncn e moorree inntoo thehe valleey wiwithth a wonondeerrffull viei w of Nortthhlleacch ana d iitts chchurrchh. AAlththououghg the towown isis relelata iviveely recentn – establishhed in ththe eae rlly 133thth cecentn uru y – tht e sisitee itstsele f iss an ana cient one.e An Irrono Agege trarackck froom Chheddwow rtr h crc ososssed ththe LeLeacach hheerere andd conontitinunuede on ttoo thehe cacampmps atat Salalmoonnssbuburyry (onon thehe prereses ntnt sitte ofo Bouurtrtonon-oon-n-thhe- WaWateter)r) andn Maua gegerssbuuryry, atat Stotoww. ThThe FoFosssse WaWay,y jusust too theh weest ofof thehe towwn,n wasas buiu ltt by thhe RoRomamanss in aba ouout ADAD606 , anand waw s paartrt of a roroutu e ththatat strt etetchhede frfromom Exexeteter toto Linncoc lnn. LaLateter sttilill,l a Sala twwayay wasas eststaba lilishhede jusust ttoo thehe souo thth, caarvrveded by ththe hohoovoveses of pap ckck hororseses looadadeedd with DrD oio twt ici h saaltt en ror ute too Lonondodon viv a Leechhlaade.

Short Walks in Northleach Parish Church of 16 The Cotswolds St Peter & St Paul walk Northleach & Hampnett 1 v h

Plan your walk

Worcester Stratford-upon-Avon Great Evesham Malvern

Tewkesbur y

Gloucester

Stroud Dursley Swindon

Chippenham Marlborough Hampnett Bath Devizes

Route instructions DISTANCE: 4 miles (6.5km) a Park in the town centre. pulpit, and the collection of Head north-westwards famous brasses – among TIME: 2 hours along the main street, and the fi nest in . continue over the A429 to START/END: SP113145 a gate on the right just 2 The Old Prison, built in Northleach past the museum. 1790 by the prison reformer Sir George Onesiphorus TERRAIN: Easy 1 The parish church of Paul, was a model of its Northleach is one of the time with exercise yards, MAPS: three great Cotswold baths, and medical care. OS Explorer OL 45; wool churches. There are The historic courtroom is OS Landranger 163 similarities with the church open to the public. The at Chipping Campden that building now houses a rural suggest the work of the life collection, including same master mason. It is agricultural implements partly 12th century, built and wagons and is one of on the site of a previous the largest publicly-owned church, but owes much of regional collections of its 15th century grandeur country life anywhere in the to the wealth of local wool country. The workhouse merchants. The exterior is built at the other end of as notable as the beautifully town led to the saying light and airy interior. Of that Northleach began in particular note is the 15th prison and ended in the century porch and stone workhouse.

walk 1 Northleach & Hampnett 17 10 11

3

D

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A 1

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b Go through the gate and c Go through the gate and bear half-left to the corner. head across the fi eld (it may Cross the Leach and turn be under cultivation) aiming left to the gate at the end of just to the right of the big the fi eld. Pass through the house. Go through another gate, and continue straight gate and turn right up the on to the next gate. track to Hampnett Church.

18 Short Walks in The Cotswolds Northleach & Hampnett

3 The interior of the track, passing through church was restored in 1868 farm buildings and on to and it is certainly striking. In a tarmac drive to the road. the 18th century the rectors were notorious for marrying f Continue ahead along couples without asking too the left-hand dirt track as many questions. far as the fi rst gate on the left. d Leave the church and return down the track. g Turn left through the Cross the river and turn left, gate and follow the left- uphill, at the junction. Pass hand fi eld boundary through a gate halfway up downhill. Continue through the hill and go straight on another gate, heading at the road. Follow the right- straight on keeping the hand fi eld boundaries to the boundary on the left. Go Hampnett Church next road. through a further gate, past the tennis courts and e Turn left, go straight on cut across the playing fi eld at the crossroads and, at heading towards the the A429, continue straight church. Join a wall-lined over the main road onto a path, then turn right at the path in-between two fi elds. end onto a road to return Follow this path on to a to the town centre.

Northleach was once the centre of a large area of sheep production and owes its existence and much of its appearance to the wool trade. It was granted a market in 1227 and, by the 14th century, had become the principal wool market of the central Cotswolds. The Abbey of Gloucester owned the land and planned the town around a triangular market place with 80 plots of land laid out along the north and south sides of the market. Many of these plots have since been combined but can still be seen from high vantage points or detected in the roof lines visible from the market place. The local wool traders became incredibly wealthy, especially those who progressed to become Merchants of the Staple. These were a group of middlemen who held the monopoly of wool export from the Crown and several diverted part of their fortune into the construction of fi ne buildings including, of course, the magnifi cent church. Unfortunately, the local industry was tightly controlled by the guilds who proved unable, or unwilling, to adapt to new methods of production and, after the middle of the 16th century, the centre of the trade shifted to Stroud. The Industrial Revolution passed by Northleach and the town has remained relatively untouched for more than two centuries.

walk 1 Northleach & Hampnett 19