Silver Street Lane

1.5 hours

Walk Number 9

Map 8 2.5 miles

Southwick Country Park car park - School Lane - Church St -Wynsome St - White Cottage - Silver Street Lane - Frome Rd

Commentary: Very much an ecclesiastical walk.

1. From the car park go through the stile into Southwick
Country Park and take left fork footpath (of 3) up the hill
between the newly planted trees.

Go through the hedgerow and pass straight through the next field keeping to the beaten track. Next, take the middle of 3 forked paths and proceed across the field passing straight across a vehicle track. Carry on walking and pass on the right a large single oak and fenced-off wetland area.

Follow the track around the right hand side of the field. Proceed up the slight hill to a wooden bench (take a rest if required).

2. Carry on up the field through the gap at the top. If you look
to your left you will see Westbury White Horse. Keeping
the rear of the Farmhouse Inn and the allotments on your
left, exit the field at the left hand corner next to a red brick
house, into School Lane.

3. Turn left down School Lane until you reach the main road.
If you look left you will see the Old School and particularly
the interesting clock. (The Farmhouse Inn is 50 metres to
your left if you require refreshment!).

4. Turn right into Frome Road and walk past the former Providence Strict Baptist Chapel built in 1861 by a splinter group from Southwick Baptist Church. Continue past the site of Fairfield Farm (now Fairfield Meadow) to the roundabout and cross the road to Southwick Church, built in 1904. (The first church burnt down and the second "tin" church was re-erected at Brokerswood). It is one of only 3 Church of England buildings to have a total immersion baptistry at the west end of the nave - probably included to compete with the, older, Baptist Church built in 1655.

Proceed down Wynsome Street to the open-air Baptistry restored by the Baptist Church in 1937 and still in regular use - the last immersion outside being September 1999.

4a. Cross both the road and the river and climb the stile 10 metres ahead of you on your left and proceed across the field keeping houses on your left and the telegraph poles on your right. Pass the 2 old oak trees. Take the top right hand comer exit from the field over a double stile.

4b. Continue in the same direction across the next field. Cross over the stile (alongside the private track leading to the white cottage). The next large building on your left is Southwick Court. Take the left exit from the field through the gate (closing it behind you) and proceed across the field and over the stile. Look right to see the Westbury White Horse again. Take a slight left across the field and pass over the stile and bridge in the comer of the field.

Proceed along the track (which can be overgrown and muddy) until you come out onto Silver Street Lane. Turn left and proceed approx 100 metres and then turn left down The Avenue (footpath), between new houses, that leads to Frame Road .

Cross the road to St John's Church and then turn left down White Hill passing Rose Villa and some fairly new but traditionally built small cottages backing onto the Country Park.

Map 8