Synopsis: A walk from home cobbled together at the last moment. Included Clyst St Mary. Winslade Park, Clyst St George, Ebford and Topsham. Mostly lane walking. Exercise required after lazy Sunday.
As mentioned in the synopsis, this walk was hurriedly devised during the morning of the walk. I set off from home at around 11am. Primarily intended as a chance to get some fresh air and exercise after a lazy Sunday celebrating my niece Sarah’s eighteenth birthday. Two previously ruined churches visited on walk.
Clyst St Mary - Half Moon pub
I rather liked this sign, perhaps hopeful, that is to be found on a wall of the Half Moon pub at Clyst St Mary. Now, just where are well behaved children to be found? You’ll note that it’s in the aptly named Frog Lane; being so close to the River Clyst, it’s easy to see why it would be named thus.
Wiinslade Park
First of the so named ‘previously ruined’ churches that I visited was that at Winslade Park. I was told by a woman arranging flowers in the church that there had been a ruinous fire in the church eighteen years ago that gutted the interior of the church completely. I commented on the rather unusual layout of the church, and the woman told me that the church had originally been the chapel of the nearby manor house. The organ is rather peculiarly situated over the access door to the church on the north side.
Clyst St George Church
Second of the ‘previously ruined’ churches I visited was that of the church of Clyst St George. There was an incendiary bomb from World War Two in a case mounted in the porch of the church. Under the bomb was the explanation that Germans had bombed Clyst St George with these devices in 1940 destroying a number of houses and setting alight to the church. The photographs on display show that the entire interior of the church was gutted. Quite why Clyst St George should have become a target for German bombing raids I really don’t know.
There is also a monument to the Gibbe’s family. I believe these are the Gibbs of Tyntesfield fame.
Topsham - Salutation Inn
From Clyst St George I attempted a route down a lane that took me past Marianne Pool, but this petered out leaving me stranded, so I returned to Clyst St George. From here I followed the road into Ebford and then took the lanes around the village, which I found to be fairly uninspiring, consisting mostly of bungalows.
I walked on to Topsham, taking a route down Fore Street, past the grand old Salutation Inn. This is an ancient hostelry that still has its old door through which carriages would once have once passed.
A local and familiar territory for this walk, but enjoyable all the same.
Walk Statistics:
Total Distance: 12.2 miles
Moving Time: 4hrs 25min
Stopped Time: 44min
Total Ascent: 245 metres
Maximum Elevation: 469 metres
Buses: None
No comments:
Post a Comment