Peasenhall Circular Walk ~ Griffmonsters Great Walks

Sunday 6 February 2022

Peasenhall Circular Walk

Author: Griffmonster | Sunday 6 February 2022 | No comments |

Peasenhall Circular Walk

A walk around the countryside of the Suffolk village of Peasenhall

The village of Peasenhall is located on the A1120, some 3 miles from Yoxford and the A12. Surrounded by the glorious Suffolk countryside which this walk navigates through, landmarks include the medieval church of St Michael. Refreshments can be obtained at the Sibton White Horse pub.

NOTE

This is a walk summary intended to provide the user with just the essential information in order to navigate the walk route. Fully detailed information notes, refreshment stops and walk features are not included in this. A full write up will be included in the near future.

Peasenhall Circular Walk" - Essential Information

Walk Statistics (calculated from GPX):

Start location: Peasenhall
Distance: miles ( km)
Total Gain: ft ( metre)
Total Descent: ft ( metre)
Min Height: ft ( metre)
Max Height: ft ( metre)
Walk Time:
Walk Grade: Easy
Terrain: Footpath, Country Lane

Maps:

The following maps and services can assist in navigating this route. There are links to printed maps and links to downloadable GPX route data for importing into navigational software and apps.

Ordnance Survey Explorer Map: OS Explorer 231 - Southwold & Bungay
GPX Route File

Route Verification Details

Date of Walk: 13/04/2019
Walk Time: 10:30:00 to 14:00:00
Walkers: Griff, Kat
Weather Conditions: Cool, but bright

Walk Notes

The walk begins in the centre of Peasenhall, a pretty yet unassuming village. Although bus services are limited to this small village, there is plenty of parking alongside the main thoroughfare. A brook trickles alongside this road and the houses are offset beyond the brook making the street a broad and expansive view.

The village has some notable history in the fact that it was where the 19th century the wheelwright, James Smyth, invented the seed drill. The village is probably less notable for a still unsolved murder that took place in 1902, the setting of the deed being a country house during a thunderstorm some time around midnight making it sound like a piece of horror fiction. The victim was a servant girl by the name of Rose Harsent and she was found in a pool of blood at the bottom of a flight of stairs that led to her attic room. Her throat had been cut with gashes on her shoulder and additional stab wounds. The nightdress she was wearing was charred and although unmarried she was found to be pregnant. The chief suspect was William Gardiner who was a Methodist lay preacher and although he was arrested and twice tried by jury no verdict could be reached.

A wander through the village soon leads to the square towered 12th century church of St Michael. It is well worth the visit and the walkway to the porch is lined with cherry trees which provide a bouquet of blossom during the spring time. The porch is decorated with carvings of woodwose, the term for a wild man of the woods, plus dragons which nestle in the triangular corners of the arch, commonly known as spandrels. The interior is basic with white washed walls and a simple stained glass window at the eastern end depicting the crucifixion. This was a later addition when the church was renovated during the mid 19th century and the work is attributed to Londoner Thomas Willement who was proclaimed as the the Father of Victorian Stained Glass. The centrepiece of the interior is without a doubt the Norman font. A notice below it states that it dates from the XIth century which must have been from an earlier building.

The walk continues, taking a footpath down to the main road then across and continuing down to the valley in which a tributary stream to the River Yox flows. This is some fine Suffolk countryside and given a spring day with plenty of sunshine it is a treat to ramble through such a landscape.

The walk then meets the road and the Sibton White Horse, a traditional old village pub serving some local ales and always worth the visit.

For those with the time it may be worth taking an extension out to Sibton Abbey, an early Cistercian abbey founded in the mid 12th century by William de Chesney. The ruined remains are located in a field just off the road through to Yoxford. There is no public access but at the time we visited there was no-one around are we were able to proceed to look around without being challenged. The ruins were being renovated but is undetermined what the purpose of this was unless they are to be opened up to the public.