Start point:- TQ088526
Distance:- 11.1 km; 6.9 miles
Time taken:- 2 hours 26 minutes
Route:-
| St Mary's Church CP - Parkrow Copse - Horsley Stn - Old London Road - Dirtham Road - Oldlands Wood - Crocknorth Farm - Coles Copse - Beech - Angel Clump - Sheepleas Viewpoint - Weston Wood - CP |
I have done this walk before starting from Orestan Lane but it makes a lot more sense to start from St Mary's church car park at Horsley. The church dates from the 12th century, the walk route crosses the main A road to Guildford and passes by West Horsley Place which is to your right. http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/surrey/vol3/pp353-357
The walk leads north and follows the railway line back to Horsley station, you would turn left and head towards the golf course to continue to follow the jubilee trail. This walk takes a short cut across to the Old London Road (an old drove road from East horsley to Effingham) and then joins Dirtham Lane before crossing the A road again and you will then pass 6 sites of some of the Lovelace bridges.
Some historical background - these Victorian bridges were funded by Lord Lovelace to make the journeys easier for the horse-drawn carts with their timber loads for the Epsom Road sawmill. William King, the first Earl of Lovelace, was a Victorian entrepreneur who bought Horsley Towers in 1840 then had it eye-catchingly remodelled. In the late 19th century, Lord Lovelace also had the look of East Horsley village dramatically changed as many buildings were built or covered in very decorative brick and flint-work.
The bridge sites
http://exploringsurreyspast.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Lovelace_Bridges_Trail.pdf
are Pinecroft (site), Stony Dene, Oak Hangar (site) Briary Hill East, Briary Hill West, and Raven Arch. After which the walk crosses a minor road and leads up into Sheepleas and past the Viewpoint on to the car park.
Briary Hill East
Raven Arch
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