Marston Trussell and Sibbertoft again

Monday 09 December, with Maureen and Eddie. 8 1/2 miles.

Exactly the same route as last Thursday, but no detour to the ROC observation post this time.

"The Lake" in Marston Trussell

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Instead when we decided to shelter in Sibbertoft  church porch for our break, out of the biting wind, we were able to look inside, and talk to one of the local church "admin".
That's why the walk comes out longer in theory this time. Churches and old buildings with thick walls seem to affect GPS signals.

Between Clipston and Sibbertoft

Village sign

Bird carvings in the church

The thicker lines are when we were in the church.

A couple more observations about Sibbertoft - the river Welland has its source here, apparently under a patch of grass; and a Wellington bomber crashed nearby on 24th December 1941, killing all members of the Polish crew.

Marston Trussell- Sibbertoft circular, on minor roads.

Thursday 05 December, with Maureen. Just over 8 miles. It's almost the walk we did in March 2014, after a spell of wet weather, but today we didn't do the extra mile to include Clipston.

The walking was easy, and the frost had melted, though there were some muddy patches on these quiet roads. The whole area is where the very bloody battle of Naseby took place on 14 June 1645.

Marston Trussell church, the start and end of our walk.

We walked into the village and turned left at the junction, past the fishing lake.

 We followed the road round to the right past Marston Lodge, and continued, ignoring the small road to Sibbertoft. The road climbs steadily, but not steeply up to the ROC Viewpoint, just off the road to our right.

An information board gives details of the battle off Naseby. I'm convinced soldiers must have to be drunk in order to fight, and that this is one reason why they behaved so badly to the local people, especially the women.

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At the T-junction we turned right, away from Clipston and towards Sibbertoft. We arrived at the church as eleven o'clock was striking. This has been a pleasant place for a break on several walks in the past - in spring the snowdrops are lovely, but of course, not in early December.

An unusual flower trough by the village sign.

We carried on past the church, ignoring a road to our right with the signpost to Marston Trussell.  Instead we headed downhill, with Hothorpe Hall in view. There is a small road off to our right, and we took this to reach Marston again.

it leads past the magnificent trees in the grounds of Marston Trussell Hall,

and back into the village.


Lunch at Farndon Fields farm shop cafe.

Marston Trussell and Sibbertoft, just missing Clipston

Thursday 25 January, at 10am. With Maureen. 8 Miles.  

Another brilliantly sunny, blue-skied day, with a noticeable wind. Warm enough when we were moving.  We chose to walk along the quiet roads in this area rather than take to the footpaths over mud-sodden fields. The walk was very similar to one we did on March 6th 2014, but in reverse and missing out the mile-long detour into Clipston village.

We turn left from the church and walk through Marston Trussell village, turning right with the main road, toward Clipston. It takes us past the lake, and at the junction toward Sibbertoft we turn right, following the road gradually uphill.

At the top is the ROC viewpoint: 
The info below comes from The Naseby Battlefield Project's website:
From the Royal Observer Corps lookout the full sweep of the day’s battle can be appreciated. To the north-east Rupert’s Viewpoint can be seen near East Farndon. Turning clockwise, the communications mast next to the A14 stands on the skyline and further right Fairfax’s Viewpoint. The spire of Naseby Church projects from behind a clump of trees and then the white bulk Mill Hill Farm appears. Woods obscure a view of Broadmoor, but then Lowe Farm, opposite the Reservoir parking, shows and to the right of that a lone tree stands on Moot Hill with the woods to the right of the open field. 

The stand on that hill continued until their comrades had established themselves on the nearer hill, Wadborough. Then the defenders of Moot Hill turned and ran for their lives, down the slope into the valley and up to their new position to continue the fight. How long they held out on Wadborough is impossible to say, but eventually they could stand no more and they fled down the slope to the right, still turning and resisting from time to time. The lucky ones, mostly horse, made it to Leicester.

After our short detour to visit the viewpoint, we were confronted by a different sort of army, just before Sibbertoft.

In Sibbertoft I saw my first snowdrops in full bllom for this year.

The bench in the churchyard was in a sheltered and sunny spot. As we had our snack, a friendly woman told us that they are trying to encourage flowers to grow around the village, and to avoid mowing too frequently. All good for the insects, bees and birds.

St Helen's, Sibbertoft

The source of the Welland claims to be in the Hothorpe Hills, close to the 540-foot (160 m) contour  near Welland Rise, Sibbertoft.
We took the road past the church , decided against the muddy field paths and followed it downhill, taking the left hand fork towards Marston Trussell and Theddingworth.

We didn't see any of these!

Almost opposite Hothorpe Hall, we turned right and arrived back at Marston Trussell.

Marston Trussell church (St Nicholas)

More snowdrops

Marston Trussell and Sibbertoft circular + Lubenham village

Fri, 2014 Oct 24 9:36 AM BST

With Marta. Dry, damp underfoot in places, but some ploughed fields sticky. About 7 miles.

From the church, where the porch roof is being repaired, we walk towards the Sun Inn (also being repaired or renovated, and then past Marston Trussell Hall on the road towards Theddingworth.

Roses outside Marston Trussell Hall

We turn left opposite Hothorpe Hall, and walk along the road as far the bend. We take the bridleway to the right, and follow it as it climbs steeply between Barn Hill Spinney and Coombe Spinney. Great views back are a good excuse for a breather.

View towards Theddingworth from Hothorpe Hills

At the top the bridleway goes through a gate and takes a path alongside fields to the Roserie just north of Sibbertoft. 

Outside a house in Sibbertoft

We join the road, but not for long. There's a Jurassic Way signpost, and a path between hedges and houses.

There is always a hopeful horse

We take it  then cross a couple of fields to reach St Helen's Church.  People are around, so we look inside briefly - I'm intrigued by the bird carvings on one of the pillars. But it's time for a break - we've come around 4 miles.

Sibbertoft church

Bird carvings inside the church

At the church lychgate we turn left and walk along the road for a couple of hundred yards, then find our path on the right hand side in a gap in the hedge. It's still the Jurassic Way.

fungi in the church yard

The waymarking is good, and takes us to the opposite corner of the first field, then along the field boundary of the next. We cut corners of the next two fields and then come to a waymarker pointing directly across a recently planted field. We can see the route, but decide to walk around two edges before rejoining the Jurassic Way on a recently surfaced track (an improvement on the previous mud-bath), which goes steeply downhill, through woodland (Mount Pleasant and the Lawns).

Autumn colours 

At the bottom of the roadway, we can see the way marks and path. It climbs uphill then flattens out and comes out on the road at Dick's Hill.

We cross over and take the footpath at the bottom of the field, keeping the hedge on our left. After some time we reach Rectory Farm, and carry on past this until we reach a minor road From East Farndon to Marston Trussell. 

Other colours near Rectory Farm

 We turn left, and soon afterwards right. Our path should lead across the field to the opposite corner, but once again we take the way of least resistance, and follow the field edges. Marston Trussell church is clearly in view now.

We come to a footbridge, then cross the field where fleeing royalist cavalry were slaughtered after the Battle of Naseby. This brings us to the church. We walk through the churchyard, and back to the car.

From 1986 Bbc's Domesday reloaded

                                     

   St.Nicholas Church,Marston Trussell was originally built in 13th century in

 sandstone.The site is believed to date back to Roman times.The tower, 71 feet

 high,was built about 1525 and has 5  bells now rung by 1 man and 4 women.  

 The porch is made from oak possibly  part of a Danish Ship. Part of the    

 nearby castle was also used,only the  moat and mound can still be seen.There

 have been 35 priests since the church was built.There has been only one     

 christening in the last 5 years.  

At the Battle of Naseby King Charles' Cavaliers made their last    

 stand against Cromwell's men and were defeated.The ones that broke away     

 from the battle retreated towards Leicester but many were cornered  at  

 'Pudding Poke Marston',slaughtered and buried near the church yard.      

We have a good lunch at the Coach and Horses in Lubenham, see an old graffiti-carved table top from a former pub down the road on display in the bar and some black and white photographs, including one of the Tower House. The barman is very happy to tell us the story behind them, and as a result we have a mini walk round the village after lunch before going home.

There's more to these villages than meets the eye on a drive along the main road.

Tower House, Lubenham

The Tower house was originally a farmhouse,  called the Cottage. It was enlarged in 1865 as a hunting box for Benedict John "Cherry" Angell, a horse racing enthusiast who celebrated his major wins by adding to the house. The tall tower was built to commemorate his horse Alcibade winning the 1865 Grand National. From there he could watch the races.

An old cottage, Lubenham

A quilt inside Lubenham Church

How tall is the tree?

All Saints Church. Lubenham - it is believed there was once a spire, which blew down in the Great Storm of 1703.

Map and details