Today we start our walk from the picturesque Blue Idol Meeting House, by taking the bridleway leading southwards and are soon surprised to see a most unusual warning sign.
As Springtime is the breeding season, and we are now almost at the end of May, we are disappointed to find there are no toads hopping across our path this morning, or handsome princes for that matter, (Perhaps it's just frogs that metamorphosise into royalty?)
We pass a modernised barn, Old House Farm Barn
followed by two derelict barns, their rooftops poking out from the dense vegetation like some spooky houses in a child's storybook.
Everywhere today is dry underfoot but our guide book directs us along a "rough and sometimes muddy track through light woodland". Two months ago when a couple of us did a pre-walk of this section, it was a different story, as these 'before' and 'after' pictures show.
 |
| Has Peppa Pig lost her wellington boots? |
 |
| Wellington almost disappeared under the weeds |
We proceed through woods spotting bracket fungus
and stagnant ponds
before entering fields with a far ranging view of the South Downs.
 |
| South Downs in the far distance |
Continuing uphill, we soon encounter the rows of vines which signal our arrival at Nyetimber Vineyard.
Wine enthusiasts rate the sparkling wine from this estate very highly. The grapes are apparently grown on the same seam of chalk as the Champagne region of France and it is well-known for its draining qualities. Chardonnay, (the oldest vines commercially grown in England dating from 1988), pinot noir and pinot meunier grapes are grown and there have been many accolades for the Classic Cuvee, with some experts claiming that it is even better than true Champagne.
As well as a 15th C barn, there is a half timbered Grade II listed Manor House on the estate which was once the home of both Thomas Cromwell (until he fell out of favour with the king), and Anne of Cleves. Henry VIII gave the house to Anne as part of their divorce settlement.
 |
| Nyetimber Manor House |
We reach a wonderful thatched house
and soon enter the drive of Stile Farm Cottage
with rain clouds gathering all around us.
As we reach Stuart's Wood there is a good variety of indigenous trees - oak, ash, hornbeam, lime, field maple and crab apple. This area was once well-known for agriculture and fruit growing, but has since been cleared and re-planted with the help of a grant from the Forestry Commission. The wood is named after Stuart Brown who was famous locally for the asparagus he grew here for twenty years.
To our right we now discover an old derelict mill surrounded by 18 acres of vines.
Nutbourne Vineyards grow five different grape varieties.
This week is English Wine Week and no fewer than 577 vineyards throughout the country are taking part, but unfortunately for us, the tastings don't start until 2pm and we are too early in the day to sample the famous 'Sussex Oak'. Perhaps another day! Before departing we take a look at the tasting room.
 |
| The tasting room |
 |
| A grape treader |
 |
| Who pulled the plug out? |
Now we really have worked up a thirst and the rain is getting heavier so we make the dash around the rear of the old mill house,
turn up the bank to cross the field,
 |
| Wobbly stile! |
and emerge on The Street, Nutbourne.
Turning right we see the friendly sign of The Rising Sun, so with increasingly soggy guidebook we stop to shelter from the rain and recharge our batteries!
 |
| We can thoroughly recommend the stilton and broccoli soup! |
This walk so far has been a bit of a 'literary desert' so we check to see if we have overlooked anyone and discover Edward Verrall Lucas (1868-1938) and his connection with Sussex where he once lived on the Petworth Estate.
Lucas was a journalist, poet, essayist, travel writer, biographer, novelist and publisher. Having left school at sixteen, he worked first as an apprentice bookseller in Brighton, then joined The Sussex Daily News at the age of twenty one. Mostly self-educated, he went on to join the staff of Punch where he stayed for thirty years and eventually became assistant editor.
To our real surprise, one member of our walking group relates that she had a relative who for many years was a cartoonist for Punch, namely Edward Linley Sambourne.
In the early 1900s Lucas wrote a popular 'Wanderer' series of guide books which covered 'A Wanderer in London/Holland/Paris/Venice/Florence/Rome'. Lucas is best known for the volume 'Sussex' in the 'Highways and Byways' series
and for his definitive (at that time) biography of Charles Lamb which took years of research on his part. Incidentally, Lucas paid for the upkeep of Charles Lamb's grave in All Saints Churchyard, Edmonton, and left money in his will so that it might be tended in perpetuity.
In 1924 he became the Chairman of Methuen & Co book publishers. He was responsible for the collaboration of A. A. Milne with E. H. Shepard for the Winnie-the-Pooh books, and amazingly, he managed to find time in his leisure hours to become something of an expert in Pekinese dogs, Japanese scrolls, Chinese rice paper books and cricket! In 1932 he wrote his autobiography, 'Reading, Writing and Remembering'. Phew! Was there a dark side to this man, though? I found these few biographical notes on Lucas which present another picture of the man. I'll leave you to decide what you believe.
After lunch we set off once more down The Street passing Mole End, a cottage with a name plaque picturing a mole reminiscent of E H Shepard's altruistic furry chappie in 'Wind in the Willows'.
After crossing West Chiltington Road we turn into more woodland where beehives are set up, and soon we are crossing the River Chilt before emerging onto the 108 acre West Sussex Golf Club owned by Nyetimber.
Next we cross the River Stor and find ourselves on the edge of Parham Airfield, home of the Southdown Gliding Club and one of the oldest in the UK.
Once more we enter a rough path leading into trees before exiting into a mobile home park adjacent to the A283 and our destination in Cootham. 300 metres to our right is the entrance to Parham House.
Next time in an attempt to attract more NWR members on the walk, we'll be covering the short leg between here and Houghton Bridge and Amberley station, a distance of approximately 4-5 miles.
Join us then.
 |
| E V Lucas |
Lucas was a journalist, poet, essayist, travel writer, biographer, novelist and publisher. Having left school at sixteen, he worked first as an apprentice bookseller in Brighton, then joined The Sussex Daily News at the age of twenty one. Mostly self-educated, he went on to join the staff of Punch where he stayed for thirty years and eventually became assistant editor.
To our real surprise, one member of our walking group relates that she had a relative who for many years was a cartoonist for Punch, namely Edward Linley Sambourne.
 |
| Edward Linley Sambourne |
In the early 1900s Lucas wrote a popular 'Wanderer' series of guide books which covered 'A Wanderer in London/Holland/Paris/Venice/Florence/Rome'. Lucas is best known for the volume 'Sussex' in the 'Highways and Byways' series
and for his definitive (at that time) biography of Charles Lamb which took years of research on his part. Incidentally, Lucas paid for the upkeep of Charles Lamb's grave in All Saints Churchyard, Edmonton, and left money in his will so that it might be tended in perpetuity.
In 1924 he became the Chairman of Methuen & Co book publishers. He was responsible for the collaboration of A. A. Milne with E. H. Shepard for the Winnie-the-Pooh books, and amazingly, he managed to find time in his leisure hours to become something of an expert in Pekinese dogs, Japanese scrolls, Chinese rice paper books and cricket! In 1932 he wrote his autobiography, 'Reading, Writing and Remembering'. Phew! Was there a dark side to this man, though? I found these few biographical notes on Lucas which present another picture of the man. I'll leave you to decide what you believe.
After lunch we set off once more down The Street passing Mole End, a cottage with a name plaque picturing a mole reminiscent of E H Shepard's altruistic furry chappie in 'Wind in the Willows'.
After crossing West Chiltington Road we turn into more woodland where beehives are set up, and soon we are crossing the River Chilt before emerging onto the 108 acre West Sussex Golf Club owned by Nyetimber.
 |
| Look out for flying golf balls! |
Once more we enter a rough path leading into trees before exiting into a mobile home park adjacent to the A283 and our destination in Cootham. 300 metres to our right is the entrance to Parham House.
Next time in an attempt to attract more NWR members on the walk, we'll be covering the short leg between here and Houghton Bridge and Amberley station, a distance of approximately 4-5 miles.
Join us then.
Wonderful tales of interesting folk and some great photos. Have just watched the film Effie Gray (recorded from TV last night) and was prompted to then look up Wikipedia which told me that one of the sons of Effie and John Everett Millais was named John Guille Millais and he lived in Horsham. Apparently he created a "museum" and some things are still kept in the local museum.
ReplyDelete