Harlow: A longer walk to the River Stort

Bus No 5 from Harlow Bus Station stops in Hamstel Road for Princess Alexandra Hospital, which is next to the Addison House Surgery.

There is a small, pay and display, multi storey car park a short way from Addison House Surgery, on the other side of Hamstel Road.

Due to the "there and back" nature of this walk the waypoints for the way out have been used also for the way back, so as not to overcrowd the map.

Part of the walk is on cycle tracks. Always keep to the pedestrian side of the path and watch for cyclists.aque and sculpture

[1] From the Addison House Surgery, go out onto Hamstel Road and turn left. Walk along the left pavement. Carefully cross the entrance to the hospital and continue. Soon you will see the entrance to Alexandra House Care Home. Cross this carefully. A little way further on you will see a turning on your right called Rectory Wood. There is a grass area with a seat at the junction. There is a path by bollards to the right of the seat.

[2] Cross carefully over Hamstel Road and turn left into the path. Follow it past a few houses and continue after the houses finish. This path is one of the old roads that were made into a path when the new town was built. Follow the path, past the children’s playground until you see a road ahead of you, by some concrete bollards with blue bands round them. At the end of the path go out onto the pavement.

[3] Cross carefully over Hodings Road to join the right hand pavement of The Hornbeams. Follow the Hornbeams, crossing over two side turnings, and walking round the right hand bend. On the other side of the road you will see an alley with some more bollards with blue bands.

[4] Cross carefully over The Hornbeams and take this alley through to the main road, Elizabeth way.

[5] Turn right onto Elizabeth road and walk a few yards towards a traffic island. Cross Elizabeth Road very carefully, using the island, and turn right to return to turn left into Parndon Mill Lane, with Adams Motors on your right. There is no pavement, so be careful to face the oncoming traffic. Follow the lane passing St Mary’s Church on your left. Cross the metal railway bridge, following the lane as it bends left. As you walk towards the mill buildings you have the river on your right and a field that sometimes has animals in it on your left.

[6] When you reach the mill buildings stop to look at the boats and explore the artist’s studios. When you are ready walk back down the lane, crossing the bridge and passing the church on your right. Continue to follow the lane until you come back to the main road.

[7] as [5] Cross Elizabeth Road very carefully again using the traffic island. Go into the alley ahead that has concrete bollards at its start. Follow the alley through to The Hornbeams and cross the road carefully.

[8] as [4] Turn right on The Hornbeams and follow the left pavement, crossing two side turnings, until you come to the junction with Hodings Road.

[9]as [3] Cross carefully towards the start of the cycle/foot path by the bollards with blue stripes. Follow the pathway through the woods, past a children’s play area, until you come to some houses. Soon you will see a road ahead of you and a bench on your right. Take a rest on the bench as the road goes uphill from here.

[10] as [2] When you have rested turn right on Rectory Wood and carefully cross Hamstel Road. Turn left and follow Hamstel Road, crossing carefully over the entrance to Alexandra Care home and the access road to the hospital to return to The Addison House Surgery.

A. Parndon Mill is a centre for creative activity. Since the sixties it has been occupied by artists and craftsmen who have gradually restored the premises. The Mill was mentioned in the Domesday Book as having two hives and a goat. There still is a goat at Parndon Mill, as well as many other animals. Construction on the current building was completed in 1900. A Francis horizontal turbine was installed in 1904 which produced 20HP! It is still in position in the wheelhouse.

B. In 1741 Edward Parson and his wife Mary Woodley left Montserrat, where they had a sugar plantation and moved to Little Parndon. They brought with them several slaves. One of these was Hester their Housekeeper. When Hester died in 1767 she was buried in a marked grave by the porch of St Mary’s Church at Parndon Mill. The memorial had to be moved inside the church in the 1980’s to prevent further damage.

Her tombstone reads “Here lieth the body of Hester Woodley who died the 13th of may 1767 aged 62. This Stone was erected by John Woodley Esq of cork street London as a grateful remembrance of her faithfully discharging her duty with the utmost attention and integrity in the service of his late mother Mrs Bridget Woodley to whom she belonged during her life and after her death to her daughter Mrs Mary Woodley by virtue of a reciprocal agreement between the said Mrs Bridget Woodley and her son john Woodley whose property she would otherwise have been at her decease.”

Despite being highly regarded, Hester remained a slave to her death. She was the property of her owner to be disposed of in a will.

C. When the previous Rectory was pulled down in 1881, it was replaced by the red brick building that is now Hester House.