Walk around Daws Heath and Bramble Lane

Lockdown 2020

From Western Road, through the walkway by Victory Villa, is the graveyard for Daws Heath Evangelical Church. Here some interesting graves can be seen, names that we often come across in the Hadleigh & Thundersley Community Archive group. Then a right turn into Daws Heath Road and left into Fairmead Avenue where you will notice an interesting period property with a nicely ‘manicured’ grass verge. Out into Bramble Lane where there are some interesting properties, some well established, some recently built, some refurbished. Taking another right down an unmade route we found ourselves approaching a closed gate; there were horses grazing, in fact the lady we spoke to says she breeds them. We were, so she told us, on private land and this approach was probably the entrance to Bramble Hall (long since pulled down). There used to be a through route path on old maps but that had long disappeared.

Turning right, at the next junction by a red post box took us through a Bridle Way to Poors Lane and then left to come back to Bramble Lane. Note signage for Bramble Hurst Farm, Wisbey’s Potato Merchants (Nashlea Farm) and Dodds Grove Nature Reserve on the edge of Belfairs Wood. Dodds Grove once belonged to the Dean & Chapter of St Paul’s in the City. St Paul’s also owned Hadleigh Great Wood.

On returning there is the entrance to Pound Wood and St Michaels Church. By Rivers Corner can be seen the entrance to Tylerset Farm, the farmhouse is a Grade 11 listed building*. The Chapter of Westminster Abbey once owned the farm and also Tile Wood, Pound Wood and St Michael’s Field.

It’s fascinating to see what is on our doorstep when walking around.

*We have 5 nationally listed buildings in Thundersley, all Grade II. Can you name them?