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Butlers Marston & Pillerton Hersey via Marston Hill. Warwickshire.

Difficulty Leisurely

Walking time 2 hours 25 minutes

Length 7.6km / 4.7mi

Route developer: John Clift

Route checker: Andy Page

Start location Butlers Marston War Memorial
Route Summary This route links the villages of Butlers Marston and Pillerton Hersey along field paths and quiet lanes. Marston Hill is only 117 metres high but still provides a fine viewpoint, with a long escarpment to the south and east, terminating in Edge Hill.
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Getting there

By car: Butlers Marston and Pillerton Hersey are on the road between Kineton (on the B4086) and Pillerton Priors (on the A422). In Kineton take the turning opposite the church signposted Butlers Marston and The Pillertons. In Pillerton Priors the junction is signposted Pillerton Hersey, Butlers Marston and Kineton. The war memorial in Butlers Marston stands in the middle of a triangular junction on the western side of the road. Grid reference SP 318500. Postcode CV35 0NL.

Bank Close, behind the memorial, is a wide road where it should be possible to park without inconveniencing local residents.

By Bus: The 270 bus operates from Stratford, Kineton and Banbury at roughly three hourly intervals. There is no Sunday service. There is a bus stop in Butlers Marston by the war memorial.

Description

[1] From the war memorial cross the main road and walk down the lane opposite (marked No Through Road). After 300 metres fork right onto a farm track. Continue on this track for 700 metres to a point where it makes a sharp turn to the right. Here you carry straight on for 20 metres over rough grassland with a hedge on your left.

Go through a gap in the hedge at the next corner and turn right, walking up slope with the hedge on your right. You reach a gap in the hedge where the path changes to the opposite side. Continue up the slope with the hedge on your left to reach a corner of the field that occupies the summit of Marston Hill. From this point you have a good view to the east, with Edge Hill being the most prominent feature. You are looking out over the site of the Battle of Edge Hill

(A)Edge Hill,  the first pitched battle of the English Civil War. This ranged over the low ground between Edge Hill and Kineton. The trees growing here now make it quite difficult to visualise the battlefield. At the time there would have been open fields and patches of gorse.

An arable field occupies  the top of Marston Hill and, the right of way crosses this field diagonally to the left. However, if it is heavily ploughed or covered by crops, it may be easier to walk around the edge, following the hedge to your left and turning right at the next corner.

[2] Take the bridleway that heads south from the corner of the field, just left of a small group of trees. You walk downhill along the right hand side of a field. Look out for a waymarked gate in the hedge to your right near the bottom of the slope. Go through the gate and past the outbuildings of Dockers Barn Farm to reach the farm drive. The bridleway now runs along this drive, so navigation is uncomplicated until you reach the village of Pillerton Hersey. Along the way you may notice a waymark post at the point where the route changes status from Bridleway to an Unclassified County Road.

[3] At the junction with Kineton Road, the main road through the village, turn right, cross the road and take the next turning on the left, signposted to Parish Church. After 100 metres turn right into the road running alongside the churchyard.

(B) The present church  dates from the mid-13th century and its chancel is considered to be one of the best examples of Early English style in Warwickshire. There was a major restoration in 1875.

Turn left into a a footpath running along the line of trees at the end of the churchyard. Continue through two metal gates and alongside property boundaries, crossing two private drives. Follow a grassy path between hedges which curves to the right to reach a wooden kissing gate. Turn right and follow a fence line down through several wooden gates. At the bottom of a slope go through a metal gate and cross a footbridge over a stream.

[4] Head up the slope across a grassy field to reach a stile at the far left corner. The next section is across two arable fields, where the footpath is hopefully kept in good condition. Head out over the first field towards the far left corner. Cross a farm track and then walk straight across the second field. Go through a metal gate and continue along the edge of a grassy field with a tall hedge on your right. At the far corner of the field go through a footpath gate and continue along the right hand edge of the next field. It is impracticable to follow the line of the right of way shown on the Ordnance Survey map which turns left to follow a field boundary that no longer exists. Instead continue along the right hand hedge until you reach a gate into the next field.

[5] This is Lobbington Hall Farm Meadow, a traditionally managed hay meadow, recognised as a Site of Special Scientific Interest. In spring this meadow supports a range of wild flowers now scarce elsewhere. Follow the bridleway that runs along the edge of the meadow, with a hedge on your left, and continues through a gate into woodland. You pass close to the River Dene, although there are impressive gates to prevent public access. The Butlers Marston sewage works serves as confirmation that you are approaching the end of the walk. Continue up the concrete approach track, which eventually swings sharp left and goes on to end in Bank View, one of the village streets. Keep straight on in the same direction.

(C) Mill Mound. You pass a conspicuous mound  about which little is known for certain, but which is thought to have supported an early windmill.

Turn right into Bank Close, which leads back to waypoint 1.

 

POI information

The long struggle for supremacy between King Charles I and Parliament came to a head in 1642. The king left London in March and, on 22nd August, raised the royal standard at Nottingham. Building up his army Charles moved to Shrewsbury while the parliamentary army moved west to Worcester. In October the royalist army decided to move on London, knowing that the parliamentary forces would have to try to stop them and there would be a chance of a decisive victory. More by accident than design the two armies came together near KIneton and the battle of Edge Hill was fought on 23rd October. The outcome was not decisive, but the parliamentary army withdrew to Warwick while the royalists went on to capture Banbury on 27th October.

The details of the deployments of the two armies are still the subject of research and discussion. For more information consult the website www.battleofedgehill.org. An ammunition storage depot, DSDA Kineton, now extends over most of the area of the former battlefield.

Notes No details available.
Acknowledgements No details available.
  • Edge Hill seen from Marston Hill
    Edge Hill seen from Marston Hill
    By - John Clift
  • Butlers Marston seen from Marston Hill
    Butlers Marston seen from Marston Hill
    By - John Clift
  • Pillerton Hersey Church
    Pillerton Hersey Church
    By - John Clift
  • In the Dene valley
    In the Dene valley
    By - John Clift
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