The ‘Needs to Know’
Distance: 5.45 miles (8.8km)
Time to walk: Roughly 2 hours 30 minutes
Difficulty: Very flat on a mixture of surfaces. The Common may be wet in winter. There’s just one stile on this walk
Parking: Park in the main car park behind the Swan Revived Hotel. If you use What3Words it’s owls.blackmail.layers
Public toilets: Pubs & cafes in the town
Map of the route:
This walk can easily be combined with our wonderful Newport Pagnell Town Walk No.53 under the ‘Walks outside Northamptonshire’ tab – click on the link
As anyone who’s done the above walk knows, I really like this town just over the Northamptonshire border near Milton Keynes.
It’s also the home of my favourite car…the Austin Martin. The Newport Pagnell factory was considered outdated & a new production facility was built near Gaydon in Warwickshire. There’s still a service facility in Newport Pagnell, but the factory on the north side of Tickford St has since been demolished apart from the engine shop, board room & offices that are listed buildings. In 2012, Aston Martin completely modernised the service facility & the site also houses a bespoke sales department
The town walk will give you lots more information but for now…
Let’s Walk!
1. Starting at the car park of the Swan Revived Hotel which was first mentioned in the 1540’s & called The Swan Inn. It was a A coaching innfor those traveling through Buckinghamshire to Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield & Leeds. It was renamed The Swan Revived in 1952
Take the small footpath to the Church of St Peter & St Paul…
2. The Church overlooks the valleys of two rivers, the Great Ouse & the Lovat (also known as the Ousel)
There’s been a church (& also a castle) here since at least the time of the Normans. In 1066 the town was known just as Newport (meaning ‘New town’ or ‘New Market’). In the 11th century the Lord of the manor, Faulk Paganel added his name to the town
Like most churches, this one’s been rebuilt & added onto several times over the years…
3. Go left to the war memorial & right onto the High Street. Cross the road carefully & turn left into North Square & then right into Mill Street…
Continue through the gate to Bury Field Common & follow the footpath to the left…
Bury Field has so much history attached to it &, rather than reproduce it all here, simply click on this link from the Newport Pagnell Historical Society
4. At the crossways continue forward with the houses on your left, passing the two Bury Fields information signs…
As the path splits in the picture below, take the right track & head across the Common towards the big trees opposite
5. As you get to the trees head down to the bottom left corner…
Go through the gate & bear right to follow the lane
6. Continue straight up the hill…
The track arrives at a gate. Pass through it & continue forward…
As you get to the top you’ll see the bridge on your left
7. Cross the bridge & head to a further one to the left of the one opposite…
Go over & then over a further one opposite
8. On reaching the track turn right down the hill…
And, as the hedgerow stops on the left, head up the grass hill on the left to the metal gate
9. Head directly opposite towards the farm, crossing the stile on the way…
Go though the gate & follow the track which will now head towards the farm on your left
10. On reaching the junction there’s a clear sign telling you to go left!
Head through the middle of the farm, being careful as this is very much a working farm
11. As you come towards the end of the farm buildings look out for another sign telling you to turn right & pass the barn…
…before joining the lane. Keep the houses on your right as you continue walking down the lane
12. Just before the main road head through the gate on the right in the picture below…
Follow the edge of the fields, keeping the hedges on your right to the village of Lathbury
13. Go through the gate…
…& head in the same direction passing through a further gate which heads into the small village
14. Cross the lane to continue in the same direction…
Pass through the gate & head to the black fence line opposite
15. Go through the gate & a further one opposite, to follow the directional arrow towards the main road…
Pass out of the gate & right towards Newport Pagnell
16. It’s such an impressive sight as you pass the Toll house & over the bridge into the town once more…
The Toll House lies between two tributaries of the River Great Ouse & the two bridges which cross them. The marshes between Lathbury & Newport were often a problem to cross & as the town was on major route, this caused problems for many travellers & traders. Tolls were charged for both boats or vehicles. “In 1381 traders entering Newport were stung for a halfpenny for each cask of wine or cheese, a farthing for 10 bundles of garlic or one penny for a cartload of seafish, wood or charcoal”
The stone bridge & tollhouse were built in 1810 after an incident when the Defiance Manchester Stagecoach overturned into the river. The driver wasn’t able to see the breaks in the old bridge beneath the floodwater. The toll collector would only open once he had your money!
17. And who doesn’t like a cake shop to finish a walk?…
To complete the walk head down the high street to the mini roundabout…
Turn left into St John’s Street to the car park next to the library where we started this beautiful walk
So that’s it…what a lovely little stroll from this charming town just over our border. Plus now the Town Walk No.53
Go Walk!