|
Bellaport Old and New
A figure of eight walk passing near to the site of Bellaport
Hall and Bellaport Old Hall.
The walk takes you over some of the beautiful ancient landscape
surrounding Norton in Hales and you should allow a good 2
hours. You will climb up to near where Bellaport Hall once
stood, overlooking parts of Cheshire, Staffordshire and Shropshire,
and then descend to pass by Bellaport Old Hall. This is very
old settlement and originally part of Bearstone Manor.
You also go over an area where a wind farm was recently proposed.
The walk starts from the centre of the village on the road
leading to Audlem. Walk up this road and over the old railway
bridge. This bridge has been re-built to take heavier lorries
and has re-used the old sandstone for the parapet.
From the bridge the old station can be seen, now converted
into a private house, and a little further away, the station
master’s house. After the group of houses known as ‘The
Croft’, take the stile on the right at the end of the
hedge and cross the field diagonally, to a stile in the far
corner. Into the next field, a similar line will take you
to a gateway part way along the right hand hedge with a small
tree visible just beyond. Pass through the gate and cross
the field following the same line, heading for a large hawthorn
bush in the far fence, to the left of some scattered hedgerow
trees and where a new hedge and fence meets the old.
The next part may not line up with your map, if you have
one! The line of the path was changed some years ago, so cross
the field on a heading for Bellaport Home Farm buildings,
diagonally to your right, to two oak trees on their own in
the field. Then bear slightly right and head uphill to some
more oaks on the skyline, well to the right of the farm buildings,
and a kissing gate in the corner of the field.
On this part of the walk, you will see the buildings of Bellaport
Home Farm. The Hall itself no longer exists, having been demolished
in 1939. As you turn sharp right through the gate, the views
can be quite far reaching over the Cheshire Plain, but on
walking along the hedgerow to your right the view is in the
opposite direction, towards the ridge of Ashley Heath.
Cross the next stile by a pond and descend the field heading
to the right of the next farm, to a stile part way along the
hedge. Having crossed this, aim to the left of the farm towards
a large ash tree where you cross a small bridge and stile.
From here, head uphill past a stag headed oak and a young,
fenced, tree growing in the field and eventually a field gate
will be seen through which the path goes. You will have seen
Bellaport Old Hall to your right when climbing the hill.
Turn left through the gate and the path continues on the
right hand side of the hedge and eventually comes to a stile
and plank over a stream. Walk across the next field on the
same heading, until you are level with the end of a lane to
the right, which has double gates into your field. This is
Poplar Lane and you should now turn right in the field towards
the lane. Walk down the lane until an old cottage is reached
and just beyond it is a stile in the hedge on the right. Cross
this and you are into the wettest part of the walk! Pick your
way to quickly cross the next stile. Cross this field on the
same line to a plank bridge, after which, cut across the corner
of the next field, to the left, where you should find a stile
part way along an overgrown hedge. Cross the stream, then
the stile and head up the next field to a stile to the right
of some trees growing in the fence line. Now follow the fence
leading to Bellaport Old Hall, passing through a gate and
along the back of the farm silage pits. Eventually a kissing
gate will be reached, leading onto the farm drive.
Follow the drive, but do not follow the left hand bend. Instead,
continue straight on, passing the point where you were earlier!
However, this time walk straight on following the fence on
your left. After crossing a bridge and stile, keep roughly
parallel to the fence on the right, but bear a little to the
left. If it is a clear day, head for the Wrekin, which can
be seen in the far distance. Continue on this line to the
next stile by a pool. After climbing the stile the path is
to the left. At this point, stop and admire the wild life
pool.
Crossing yet another stile, the next point of interest is
the old railway line, which is crossed by two stiles. Next,
walk to the corner of a protruding hedge and then go right,
which leads back through 2 kissing gates to Church Fields,
where you rejoin the road, Bellaport Road, which you walked
up at the start. Turn left, back to the village centre.
Download
walk by clicking here
A circular walk around Norton in Hales
 This
walk is just over 4 miles in length, so allow 1½ hours
for a leisurely walk. It takes in quiet lanes and field paths
and passes by three old Halls. In winter, one section near
Oakley can be a little wet underfoot.
From the centre of the village, walk up the road signposted
to Audlem, past Griffin Close on your left, and turn up a
drive just past the next house on the left. This leads to
a field, with a small gate. Go through the gate and cross
the field behind some bungalows which front onto Griffin Close,
and go through the ‘kissing gate’ on the far side
of the field. Turn right up the lane.
You stay on this lane for about ¾ mile. It is fairly
quiet, but watch out for fast moving tractors. The lane passes
the drive to Brand Hall, a Georgian Country House that can
be glimpsed through the parkland. Then passing the buttresses
of an old railway bridge (the railway opened in 1860), turn
left and cross a stile into a field.
Cross the field diagonally and go over a ditch. Once over
the bridge, change course slightly for a tree on the skyline
at the far side of the field. Pass through the small gate
into the next field.
Walk up this field parallel to the hedge on your left and
another gate soon appears. In the distance hills of Wales,
Shropshire and Cheshire can be seen on a clear day. Nearer
to hand the hamlet of Ridgwardine can be seen. Through the
gate, walk down the hedge line to a gate at the bottom. The
hill straight ahead in the far distance is the Wrekin.
Turn left into the lane, soon crossing the old railway line,
and continue for about ½ mile as far as the Market
Drayton to Norton road at Betton Hall. Taking care of the
traffic, turn right for 200 metres and then turn left into
another lane. You are now walking towards Oakley. After the
second house, Betton Lodge, there is an evergreen hedge at
the end of which is a gate into the garden. Cross the lawn
on this public footpath, with the river on your right, through
the next gate and then strike diagonally up the hill for a
few yards to follow the path to the left of some pools. You
then come to a footbridge and gate into a field, where you
should head towards Oakley Hall, which has now come into view,
to the gate by a lake. Admire the view!
Do not cross the dam, but walk the other way alongside a stonewall
up the hill and then head for two trees in the field. Continue
uphill and towards the top bear right, to keep the fence line
on your left. You are walking on the old road from Norton
to Oakley, but only traces remain. Continue along the old
track way and small gate appears. Through the gate you are
on a‘green lane’ and from up here you look down
to the village of Norton. This lane leads into the village.
There is a short cut across the corner of the field further
or keep on the lane all the way to the end of Forge Lane.
From here, continue straight ahead with the village school
on your left, to your starting point.
Download
walk by clicking here
|
|
|
Brand Hall |
Oakley Hall |
Old Betton Hall |
Click on a photo to see an enlargement
|
Extending the Circular Walk
 For
the energetic, a description is given here of an extension
to the circular walk of about a mile and a half. It takes
in the area of Betton Moss and could easily also form the
basis of a shorter circular walk from Betton or Ridgewardine.
Join the extended walk after the comment about seeing the
Wrekin:
On reaching the lane running up to Ridgewardine, turn right
instead of left, and walk towards Ridgewardine for 350 yards,
to a stile in the left-hand hedge by an oak tree. Climb the
stile and walk across the field skirting the fenced pond,
making for a gate in the far hedge. Once through the gate,
bear left diagonally downhill across the field and head for
a small old oak tree in line with a black and white house
in the distance. There is a gate here, which you go through.
The heading is now for the black and white house, keeping
to the right hand hedges, and a stile will be found in the
corner of the field leading onto a lane. Turn left and walk
along the lane for about half a mile, past Bettonmoss Farm,
and a gate will then be found in a high hedge on the left.
Walk across this small rough field to a little gate, through
a small spinney, to a kissing gate. In the next field keep
to the right hand hedge to the line of the old railway and
then head diagonally left across the field to another stile,
followed by two others at Mosslane Farm, which lead you onto
a charming lane. After passing a couple of old cottages you
will see an old corrugated iron chapel, now converted into
a house, and on the other side the inevitable barn conversions.
On reaching the Market Drayton road, turn left and carefully
walk through the hamlet of Betton, past Old Betton Hall.
In 50 yards there is an iron kissing gate on the right. From
there the path leads straight across three fields towards
a line of trees which mark the edge of the river Tern. At
the edge of the field turn left for a few yards for the stile
that leads onto the lane and rejoin the main walk at Betton
Lodge.
Download
walk by clicking here
Murrain Stone Walk
 This
is a short walk of just over 2 miles and will take under 1
hour. Most of the walk lies on the perimeter of a large arable
field on a permissive bridle path; as such, it will not be
found on Ordinance Survey maps. The walk starts from the centre
of the village and passes an unusual memorial.
Walk along Main Road, in the direction of Market Drayton,
to Forge Lane and turn down the lane. Follow this, ignoring
the public footpath sign on the left at the end of the houses.
The lane then turns sharp left and continues. Where the lane
next bends to the right, by a cherry tree, a turn into the
field will be found. Enter the field and continue walking
parallel to the lane, but inside the field. There is a short
length of old hedge, followed by a new hedge on your left.
At the gateway of a defunct hedge a shortcut may be made down
the old hedge line to the right. For the full walk, continue
uphill. Looking back, the village of Norton can be seen in
the hollow; the Tern valley is away to the left as is the
OakleyPark. At the top of the hill, continue inside the field
and do not pass through the gate
As you drop down the field, Oakley Hall will be seen. Follow
the field round at the bottom and, at some double gates, turn
right to walk parallel to the Market Drayton road. The road
here is sunken well below field level, indicating its great
age. There are views to the left of Brand Hall parkland. If
you have not yet seen a buzzard, which are quite numerous
hereabouts, over Oakley, keep your eyes open for the sight
of one over The Brand. The path eventually diverts from the
road, with a small paddock on the left side of the fence.
Just before the fence becomes a hedge, an iron gate is found.
Lean over this and the Murrain Stone can be seen. This is
the size of a small gravestone and is most unusual. An old
transcription tell us that the following is written on it:
THIS STONE
IS RAISED AS A MEMENTO
OF THE GREAT CATTLE
PLAGUE OF 1866
WHICH SWEPT 54 HEAD
OFF THIS FARM IN
14 DAYS OF MARCH.
THEY DIED WITHOUT
REMEDY AND HERE LIE.
“Shall we receive good from God and not evil.”
Job 2,10.’
This disease was Rinderpest and 1865/6 was the last major
outbreak in this country.
Cases were apparently found at Bearstone in November 1865.
In January 1866 weekly prayer meetings were started to avert
the plague and on March 7th a general Fast Day was proclaimed.
On 21st June 1866 the plague died out.
At the next hedge turn right through 90’ and walk back
to the starting point inside the big field. In the distance
can be seen Arbour Farm. Arbour is a corruption of the Old
English for earthwork and commemorates the burial mound that
must have been in the fields here. Only the entrance stone
with a circular hole and an upright stone remain (known as
the Devils’ ring and finger), and that has been moved
to a field boundary.
Cross the lane into the field opposite and follow the path
diagonally across the field to the left, heading for a small
poplar tree. This leads to Forge Lane by the small lorry park.
All that now remains is to retrace your steps back to the
centre of the village.
Download
walk by clicking here |
