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Stroll along peaceful country lanes around a remarkable medieval planned town and its castle.
Distance 3.7 miles (6km)
Minimum time 1hr 30min
Ascent/gradient Negligible
Level of difficulty Easy
Paths Mostly country lanes
Landscape Rolling agricultural land
Suggested map aqua3 OS Explorer 237 Norwich
Start/finish TM 088904
Dog friendliness Dogs can run free, but watch for occasional traffic
Parking On village green opposite Market House
Public toilets None on route
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© The Automobile Association 2008. © Crown Copyright Licence number 100021153
1 Park on the village green near the King's Head in the centre of New Buckenham. The timber structure opposite you is the Market House, or Cross, which dates back to the 16th century and was raised on columnar legs in 1754. William d'Albini established a market here to attract local traders and farmers, and the tolls they paid were used to finance his new castle. From the green, walk along Queen Street, and then turn right along King Street to the castle.
2 Explore the remains of the castle, then retrace your steps and return to the village green. The Old Vicarage on the way claims to be a 15th-century guildhall.
3 From the village green, head towards the post office and then turn into Church Street, past St Martin's Church, which dates mainly from the 15th and 16th centuries. When you reach the end of the street, you will see a long, narrow cemetery in front of you, along with a sign for Cuffer Lane. Go into the cemetery and walk through it, keeping the lane on your left-hand side. When you reach the last of the graves, pass through the gap in the hedgerow to emerge on to Cuffer Lane. Turn right, past the village allotments, and continue walking in the same direction until you reach a sign for Harlingwood Lane.
4 Turn right, down the branch that is unnamed, although maps tell you it becomes Folly Lane near here. There is grass growing in the middle of the lane, indicating that it is seldom used by traffic these days. However, it can be busy during the harvest and you should watch for agricultural vehicles in late summer.
5 At the T-junction, turn right, then take the next right-hand turn down a single-track lane. You can sometimes see waterfowl on Spittle Mere in the scrubby meadow to your left. The water table is often high here, making the land very boggy and unsuitable for arable farming. However, it is an ideal habitat for water-loving bog plants and you will see marsh mallows, rushes and many other wetland wild flowers in season.
6 When you see a cricket pitch on your right-hand side, you are nearing the village again. Pass a children's playground, also on your right, to reach another T-junction. Turn right on the street signed Norwich Road and enter the village. After a few paces, the road forks. Take the right-hand lane, past Crawford's and Corner Cottage, until you reach the green where the walk began.
In the middle of the 12th century, the powerful Norman baron William d'Albini decided that he did not much care for his castle at Old Buckenham, so he gave it to Augustinian canons and set about building himself a better one. The result was the handsome cylindrical tower at New Buckenham, about 1½ miles (2.4km) away.
At first sight, you may not be impressed by the remnants of the great circular building that stands among trees on private land. It looks a bit like a giant well. But this was the first of its kind to be built in Britain and was the forerunner of such famous keeps as Pembroke, Conisbrough and Orford. Since we know from historical records that New Buckenham was built in the 1140s, we can use it to disprove the theory that round towers were an sequential advancement on square ones: New Buckenham proves that both types of fortification were apparently being built at the same time.
If you stand a while and look around you, you will begin to see more of this ancient castle in the form of grassy bumps and ditches. The site was a figure of eight, with ditches all around it; parts of a 13th-century gatehouse also remain. The inner bailey - the most secure part - comprised about 2 acres (0.8ha), which was a large area to defend. It would have been protected by stone ramparts reaching 20-30ft (6-9m) high. The great tower, or keep, is in the middle of this and you will appreciate the defences would have posed a formidable obstacle to would-be attackers.
The keep itself is about 65ft (20m) across and may well once have stood about 65-70ft (20-22m) tall. It probably had four floors and was surmounted by a parapet that allowed look-outs to watch the surrounding countryside for hostile visitors. Walk slowly around the remains of the tower and you will see that it was built with considerable care and skill. D'Albini intended his tower to be something that would last for a long time and that would protect him and his household from the enemies any powerful lord automatically acquired in medieval England.
D'Albini was never obliged to put his fine castle to the test and it decayed slowly over time due to neglect. The large barn on the road near the castle is all that remains of the chapel. This was used as New Buckenham's parish church until the 15th century, after which it was replaced by handsome St Martin's, with its lovely timber roof and effigies of the 12 apostles. As you walk around the village, look at the way the streets are laid out - a marvel of 12th-century planning, although few medieval buildings survive.
The King's Head in New Buckenham is an ancient hostelry, with a history dating back to the 1700s. It offers several real ales, and food on most days. Children and well-behaved dogs are welcome. The nearby George also serves good food. Old Buckenham has several pleasant pubs on the large village green, including the Gamekeeper and the Ox and Plough.
The Church of St Mary at nearby Attleborough is well worth a visit, as its loft and huge, painted 15th-century rood screen were among few to survive the Reformation. Also look for the medieval wall painting of Moses and David. To the south is Bressingham, famous for its steam museum, where there are road and rail engines; children and adults alike love riding on the narrow-gauge railway through the Bressingham Hall Estate.
There is even less of Old Buckenham Castle to see than New Buckenham, although if you happen to be on Abbey Road, you might want to see whether you can spot the remains. They comprise the remnants of a double moat, which lie in a field just to the east of Abbey Farm.
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