The ‘Needs to Know’
Distance: 9.5 miles (15.3km)
Time to walk: Roughly 3.5 hours but you could shorten it by not doing the included village trails
Difficulty: Some hills & a few stiles
Parking: Carefully & considerately on the road near the bus stop in Forest Road, Hartwell
what3words: manly.transcribes.jazzy
Public toilets: The Hartwell Club, The Rose & Crown in Hartwell & pubs in Hanslope.
Map of the route:
I’d visited Hartwell whilst doing the Northampton Round long distance footpath, but had never included it in a specific walk
So it was time to remedy that & we set 003.5 off with a route in hand that also included the @Hanslope Village Trail
Plus initially we have included a short optional walk around Hartwell before starting the main walk. Many thanks to lovely Judy Webster with whom I spent a wonderful morning as she showed me around
Hartwell lays 7 miles south of Northampton on the border with Buckinghamshire. The name means ‘Spring or stream frequented by harts or stags”
The village is close to Salcey Forest which we know well & has a long history associated with the wood industry, which is evident from many of the street names
There’s a wonderful, extremely detailed history of the village which can be found at this link
Let’s Walk!
1. This walk starts at the bus stop in Forest Row…
Walk ahead towards the village, continuing straight on at the junction…
2. Look to the right where there’s a lovely view down Forest View (it does what it says ‘on the tin). At the bottom’s the most delightful private wood. Judy told me the owner tried unsuccessfully to introduce red squirrels into it…
3. On the left’s the first of something that makes Hartwell rather unique…yes, it has two War Memorials….& it seems as if one World War ended, another started, this time in the village!
The Parish Council wanted to put up a war memorial on one site & the Parochial Church Council on another. The Parish Council voted for the timber memorial you’re standing next to here on Forest Road…
The Parish Council could count on the support of the woodsmen & timber crews of the forest, whilst the Parochial Church Council had the support of the cutters & masons from the stone-pits
Not only that, but the villagers were also split between Church & Chapel, & even pubs!
Eventually, as matters got even more heated, people were asked how they felt about two memorials on which would appear the identical names of the ‘glorious dead’
Judy has given me the most wonderful article which contains the following statement…”As provocation followed provocation, the village cold war ended.
Father McNally’s faded biretta disappeared from his vestry at a wedding. The Colonel was given out lbw in the Marrieds v Singles match after cutting the ball past third man. Door-knocking, carbide-tin explosions in the fishpond, and paddock-gate opening became daily or nightly occurrences. Parish councillors found their bicycles removed or tyres let down at council meetings, parochial church councillors emerged from the vestry to be submerged in an avalanche of snow fro the church roof. The church bell tolled mysteriously at midnight. The following night the clerk to the parish council heard noises in his garden only to find in the morning that his well water had gone deep purple from potassium permanganate crystals.”
In spite of all the above chaos work on the memorials continued with the woodmen working on their finest oak & the masons quarrying their selected stone. Once finally unveiled the village ‘relaxed’ into an uneasy truce
In 1965, after a television news bulletin called ‘Lift Up Your Hearts’ listeners saw the memorial was ‘dilapidated, neglected, decaying’ An offer from a village timber firm was accepted to replace it & a donated tree from the forest was felled & dragged by a gang of men. After being treated & allowed to dry naturally, it was fashioned to the exact pattern & measurements of the previous one
4. Pass the Post Office & General Store & then, on the left’s the old Wesleyan chapel that’s now converted into flats…
…& then next up’s the rather wonderful Hartwell Club…
You’ll find a warm welcome, together with home-baked bread & cakes, sausage & bacon baps etc
5. On the right’s the location of the other half of the ‘argument’…St John the Baptist church, which stands on the site of an older, possibly Anglo-Saxon church, with significant Norman work & extensions…
Again Judy has provided me with a wonderful, detailed leaflet about the history of the church, bits of which I’ve included below
The Doomsday Book states there was a Priest in Hartwell in 1066 & the Old Chapel was situated at Chapel Farm. Over the years the centre of the village moved to where it is now & the population grew to over 500, but that church could only seat 200 in total. This Norman church was also in a poor state
In 1850 land was given for the church you see today & as much of the stone of the old one went into building the new
6. Enter the gate & there, ahead of you is the second War Memorial…
The inside of the church is a must see & the best way to do this is on a Thursday morning when it’s open between 10 – 11.15am for coffee & a cake
7. The first thing that strikes you when you walk through the door are the four amazing arches, which are the original Norman ones from the old church…
The nave, aisles & chancel arch are all in the Norman style & are quite magnificent
Under the arches are cleverly hidden a toilet & kitchen. Note the striking painting…
…but also what I really loved were the tiny wooden chairs from the original village school
Before moving on take time to wander around the beautiful churchyard which was fully used by 1990 when a new cemetery came into being – we’ll see this later
8. To continue the village walk bear left down Park Road. Check out the village clock on telegraph pole at this junction.
Most villages that have a clock have them on the church.This is a newish clock but the original clock was donated by the Whatton family (Woodyard owners) When it was being erected a local character Mr Bill Thomas opened a bottle of bubbly & the cork was placed inside the clock case
It’s said that each time the clock has been maintained or replaced the cork is popped back in
Passing, on the left, The Rose & Crown pub which dates back to the 18th Century. The pub’s believed to have been a hunting lodge dating back to around 1650. It first became licensed around 1883. It also operated as the local post office during the last few years of the late 19th century
9. Continue along the road passing some wonderful properties…
10. As the road bends right turn left down Folly Lane…
Folly Lane has a dead end &, if you have time, it’s worth walking right down to the end as it’s a classic English Country Lane
11. On the right’s an amazing modern house. Turn right down the lane just before it…
Walk to the bottom & pass through the gap…
…& turn immediately right & then right again through the gate
12. Follow the path left through the grassy, field up the hill to another gate leading into Lower End
Now simply follow Lower End which is another beautiful lane
13. Eventually the lane reaches a T-junction. Bear right & walk around 100 yards looking for the pole & entrance over the road into the allotments
These are technically private allotments but they are so beautiful & the plot holders are so welcoming that, if you say Judy & Dave says it ok, just walk through & admire them
14. Exit the site in the top right corner, turn left & then immediately left again down the lane…
Earlier on this walk we mentioned the churchyard burial site was full, but on the right’s the newer cemetery & what a beautiful, serene place it is
15. Just pass this, on the same side’s another gem…Hartwell’s Pocket Park…
And what a beautiful place this is that caters for everyone. Walk round & read all the information boards, look for the butterflies they mention, bug hotels & pass through the tunnel…
& maybe sit for a few moments, as we did, on the bench where consideration has been given to wheelchair users
16. Coming back out of the Pocket Park you could turn right & carry on down the lane to pass a farm with Shetland ponies & also the other side of the private wood we mentioned earlier
To return to the road turn left & then follow the road up past some beautiful alms houses to the junction with the church again
17. Now it’s time to start the next part of this walk so turn right again & pass the Rose & Crown again
Turn left up the driveway next to No. 11…
…& pass through the kissing gate & follow the grass path that leads directly across the field
18. On reaching the other side cross over the bridge & go through the gate to continue in the same direction…
At the next hedge cross over the stile & continue ahead
19. You’ll come to another stile which needs to be crossed…
…& then turn right towards the farm passing under the telegraph lines. Go through the gap in the picture below & along the grass path with the garden on your right
20. Continue to the corner…
…& go through the gap & over the next stile
21. Now turn right & pass through the gate across the paddock…
…& exit the gate in the top left corner
22. Now follow the driveway past the houses, crossing over the stile & continuing in the same direction…
Go through the small gate
23. Continue up the grass path with the solar panel farms either side of you...
…& pass through the little gap at the top of the field to be met with more solar panels. Follow the fence line with the panels on your left…
24. On reaching the telegraph pole head right towards the farm houses…
Keep the farmhouse on your left & follow field edge down to the road
25. On reaching it turn left at the road & walk along the verge as you make your way to Hanslope
Ignore all the footpath signs & head towards the village
26. Welcome to Hanslope whose name means “muddy place or slope of a man called Hama.” Continue along the road to join the path heading into the heart of the village
Hanslope has a village trail so we’re going to try & tie something of that into this walk. The West Coast Main Line between London Euston & Glasgow passes through the western part of the parish & it’s always a joy to see the church spire standing proud from the train
27. At the junction you can see the church in the distance which you’ll visit shortly, but for now continue along the road in the same direction…
Head over the crossing to the School in front of you…
Around 1872 a new school building was constructed at Green End, (the site of the current school), known as the ‘Bottom School’, (or alternatively, the ‘Board School’). This was demolished in 1969 to form the playground for the new school
28. Turn right into Western Drive & walk to the very end & then follow the road round to the left…
With the surgery on your right, turn left
This surgery replaced the old one which is almost opposite, at 3 Castlethorpe Road, on the corner of St. James’s Close
29. Pass the white building on your right which was the Old Surgery
“Dr Cooper was the last doctor to live at the old surgery at 3 Castlethorpe Road, until sometime in the 1960s. His waiting room only held 6 or 8 people. Any more patients would have to queue outside. Medicines were made up by the doctor on the premises”
Now isn’t that just wonderful
On reaching the Watts Arms turn right into the High Street
The Watts Arms has stood in its position looking down the High Street since 1821. It’s been named for the Watts family, Squires of Hanslope for more than 200 years
30. Continue along the High Street…
On the left’s The Cock which is a rebuild of the original building.
The original pub was on the other side of the road & had stone walls & a thatched roof. It was demolished in the 1930s
31. So over the road where the original Cock stood is now this building…
When John Wesley came to Hanslope, the landlord underwent a conversion & closed the pub. He changed the building to two shops, a drapers & a grocer. Since then the building has housed a number of shops including a butcher. The butchers had its own slaughter house at the back & a metal rack can still seen just above the door
32. Next door’s the Methodist Chapel…
John Wesley (1703-1791) preached in Hanslope in the course of his travels. The Chapel you see today was built later in 1828
And next along we have…
The Working Men’s Club opened in 1896 & is still open today, making it one of the survivors from Hanslope’s many hostelries. This building was once the village bakery
33. Cross the road & head left back up the road to take the path beside No. 51 to rejoin Long Street…
The building opposite was once The Black Bull but it closed in 1938…
34. Turn right past ‘The Newsagents’…
This store started life as the village telephone exchange with a manual exchange of course. The new automatic exchange was built in a new building at the other end of Gold Street, on the opposite side
On your left’s the Butchers…
The village butcher’s shop sells meat & vegetables. Many villagers remember when animals were slaughtered on the premises, in the buildings at the back of the shop
35. Walk past Horseshoe Cottages on the other side of the street with its thatched roof. This property was once several individual cottages…
Also on the left’s a house known as Green Manor…
This was formerly a pub called the Green Man, but is now a private house. The photograph shows the house in about 1910
At one time there were as many as 12 public houses as well as the Working Men’s Club in the village, but nearly all have long been closed
36. Turn left into Church End…
…& enter the church grounds
St. James Church’s spire is almost 200 feet high & is visible from many local roads& also from the M1 motorway & the West Coast railway line. Its earliest parts date from 1160. Perhaps one of its most memorable events was in 1804, when after a terrible storm the spire collapsed. It was later rebuilt twenty feet lower than its original height
The graveyard contains some locally famous remains including one Alexander McKay (1804-1830), who died after a bare-knuckle prizefight in nearby Salcey Forest, & one Joseph Knibb (1640-1711) clockmaker of London & Hanslope
37. At the church door head right & circle the church &, in the bottom left corner, head out of the gate…
Ahead of you is the old Horse Pond which is fed only by rain water &, in hot summers, can dry out
38. Turn left and walk along the other side of the village green to arrive at The Old Forge, once the local blacksmith’s forge. It once rang to the hammering of metal horseshoes for local farmers & travellers
Cross the road & head up Newport Road, passing the Village Hall…
39. On reaching Hazel Row turn left…
Then turn immediately through the little blue gate…
40. Cross the stile & continue straight ahead…
Go over the stile & turn immediately right along the field edge with hedge on your right…
41. At the end of the field cross into the next & head diagonally left to the opposite side…
At the gap, cver the bridge & continue diagonally left on the well-marked grass path…
42. At the next hedge go over the stile & head opposite…..
…to find the small metal gate in the picture below. Pass through this & continue towards the farm house
43. Pass through the gap on the left & continue in the same direction…
…& now continue to follow the driveway ahead
44. On reaching the junction in the picture below turn right & walk through the farm keeping to the track…
Follow the path up the hill & over the M1
45. After crossing the bridge bear left through the gap…
Go though gate & keep the hedge on your left as you head away from the noise of the M1
46. Pass the farm & continue straight ahead…
Upon reaching the road, cross over & walk straight towards a set of gates on the left in the bushes
47. Ignore the gates on the left. Just keep straight ahead with the hedge on your left…
On arriving at the next gate, go through it & continue towards the forest
48. There’s one more gate to pass through & Salcey Forest…
On reaching the path turn right
49. On arriving at the wide grass track turn left & follow it...
At the next junction continue straight ahead on the hard path which passes the Rangers Oak on the left. If you would like to visit all of the Ancient Oaks in Salcey Forest, including the two living ones, you can on Walk 218
50. At the junction in the picture below turn left & follow the signs to the main car park…
Your route continues straight ahead.
51. At the road carefully cross & continue on the track opposite…
…& at the junction turn right
52. Pass the green gate & head to the road, turning left over the motorway once more…
Welcome back to Hartwell, follow this road back to where you left your car at the start of this walk…
So that’s it…
Two amazing villages with lots of history & a great walk across some lovely countryside too…
Go Walk!