Whittington, Sevenhampton and Brockhampton

1 From the parking area walk along the lane towards Brockhampton. Just after a junction on your left turn right on to a footpath alongside a field. Cross a stile and continue on the same line across more stiles, following the path as it descends through undergrowth. Cross a field at the bottom to another stile and enter a large field.

2 Go forward, curving very gently left, passing through scrubland (where you might see the occasional waymarker). Eventually you will come to a fence on the left. Follow this and, at the point where telegraph poles on the right converge with the path, reach a stile on the left. Go over this on to a broad track. Follow it until you emerge in a large field. Cross the field, curving slightly left, to a gate. Go through, follow the track to the bottom and bear right to a road.
Turn left and, at a junction, turn right until you reach Whittington Court. The house is mainly Tudor but there has been a manor house on this site since well before the Normans - a moated version is mentioned in the Domesday Book. Earlier stonework is still visible at the base of the walls.

3 The Church of St Bartholomew stands adjacent to the house. It may well be closed, but if it is open it is well worth the effort. You'll see the handsome brasses of Richard Coton - who built the present house - and his wife Margaret, as well as three Cotswold-stone effigies. Two are of Richard de Crupes and his son, Richard, 13th-century lords of the manor, whilst the third is presumed to be the wife of one of them. It is said that the oak panelling in the chancel was made from the old pews of Sevenhampton church.
A little way back up the road towards the village, look for a gate on the right into a field. Take the middle path by bearing slightly right to pass a spinney, continuing on the same line over some grassy bumps to a stile on the far side.

4 Now follow the left margin of a succession of fields more or less on the same line. The path then crosses a field's middle line to a stile. It then descends into a thicket beside a lake. Keep right of this, then follow a clear path left of Syreford Mill to a track. Turn left and continue until you come to a lane. Cross the road to a track. Follow this as it passes houses and curves right into woodland. Walk through the woods to emerge at the edge of a field. Cross this, enter another field and continue across to a gate. Go through and follow the left side of a field to a gate on your left. Go through and follow a track down to a road. Turn left. Just before the ford at the River Coln turn right on to a grassy path. Follow this to a stile and a bridge. The path then climbs up a bank to a stile. Cross a field to a road and then enter Sevenhampton churchyard.

5 Walk to the right of the church and then turn right into a newer burial area. Turn left to pass through a kissing gate into another field. Continue down beside a wall and enter the next field. Now go half right across the field to a kissing gate and follow a grassy path up into Brockhampton. Pass the former brewery, with its brick chimney, and then the Craven Arms pub, to a junction. Turn left up to a crossroads. Cross over and, at the next junction, turn right to return to the start.