Green Belt
Relay
Green Belt
Relay
Stage 21 - Ripley to Walton Bridge (8.4 miles)
TO BE COMPLETED - Below is a Taster
The Stage starts on the path just past the cottage of Ripley Green. These are across the High Street from the T-junction with Rose Lane and a few yards to the right.
Ripley Green is one of the largest village greens in the country and has lots of interesting stories to tell.
Ripley as the centre of a community dates back to at least 1160 when St Mary Magdalen’s church was built here by the Augustine’s. Before this the area seems to be a part of nearby Send which is recorded in the Domesday Book and back to the Saxon period. Newark Priory, just north of the village, was founded by Rauld de Clane and his wife Beatrice of Send in the 12th Century, for the Augustine Cannons and dedicated to the St Mary the Virgin and Thomas a Beckett. With the connection to the local church, this would have added to Ripley’s status. The priory remained an important centre through Norman times. However, with the dissolution of the monasteries in 1539, the priory was pensioned off and its treasures taken to the Tower of London. History has it that a canon was employed a few hundred yards north on Church Hill, Pyrford to bombard and demolish the priory. The incident is portrayed in a painting by Tessa Kewen in 1963 which is displayed in the porch of St Nicholas' Church. In total she painted ten pictures on the history of the area, one for each century and all are on display in the porch - 11thC, 12thC, 13thC, 14thC, 15thC, 16thC, 17thC, 18thC, 19thC, 20thC.
Turner made a sketch of Newark Priory in the early 19th Century, this shows the priory and it still looks today. Newark Priory ruins are now listed as a “Sheduled Ancient Monument”. It sits next to the River Wey on private land and is completely surrounded by water, the far river being called the Abbey Stream. St Nicholas’s Church sits on the hill to the north above the priory. It was built around 1140 and is a fine example of a complete Norman church. Queen Mary Tudor tried to re-establish Newark Priory, but under Elizabeth I the area (Pyrford - ford by a pear tree) reverted to being Crown Property. Lady Elizabeth More, favourite lady in waiting to Elizabeth, married Sir John Wolly and lived with him at the close by Pyrford Place. Elizabeth visited them many times and whilst there worshiped at St Nicholas Church. In 1570 she reputedly donated a silver chalice to the church.
A short way north along Pyrford Road, past the Church, is Pyrford Court. In the early 1980's the old stables here were used as a location in the horror movie "The Omen". The imposing gateway (The Bothy) can be recognised as the entrance to home the American Ambassador in the film. Almost opposite the gateway is Upshott Lane, on the corner of which stands the Pyrford Stone, a pre-historic standing stone. It once stood in the middle of the road and is reputed move around at midnight and sometimes tries to reap revenge on weary motorists for being removed from its original site.
In the 1220 Henry III granted the Newark Priory the right to hold a fair on Ripley Green on the feast day of St Mary Magdalen (22nd June) each year. Although the priory was dissolved by Henry VIII in the 16th Century, the village fair ran interrupted until the outbreak of World War II. The fair was resurrected by the local Rotary Club and now takes place in the middle of July each year. There is also Ripley Farmers Market which is usually held on the second Saturday of each month from 9am until 1pm on Ripley Village Green. It is a local farm and produce market with goods sold directly by their growers and producers.
Ripley Cricket Club on Ripley Green is one of the oldest cricket pitches in the world and for over 250 years the game has been played here. The first game recorded here was in 1749. Since then there have been many famous matches here, including 22 Surrey men "v" England in 1802.
A match in 1775 between England and Hambledon is of note. A famous bowler called Edward “Lumpy” Stevens played for England, apparently his name came from his awkward looking build. He was born just down the road at Send in 1735 and by trade was a gardener. At this time the leading bowler was allowed to choose where the wickets were pitched. Lumpy was noted for choosing a wicket which suited his type of bowling.
During the match he beat the great Hambledon batsman John Small three times with the ball going clean through the two stump wicket twice. As a result of his protest a meeting of the patrons of the game was held where it was decided to add a third (middle) stump. He died in 1821 and is buried in St Mary’s Church at Walton-on-Thames which we pass through on stages 1 and 21. At the time of his death it was not common place for a gardener to have a headstone placed on their grave. However, because of his sporting achievements he acquired one. It was broken in two many years ago, but the top half with the inscription was re-laid and is still to be seen at the head of his grave at Walton.
The busy road through Ripley from Guildford to Kingston was notorious with highwaymen in the 18th Century. In 1742, two of them, named Piggott and Roof were convicted of robbery and murder on the green and then hanged here.
From the start follow the path to the left and soon with a line of trees to the left and past a children’s playground to our right. Within 400 yards the path comes out onto a narrow road with Dunsborough Park to the left. Stay left along this road, soon past Dunsborough Farm. After 300 turn left, away from the road and onto a footpath signed “The Fox Way”.
Dunsborough Park is a country manor dating back to Tudor times. According to the Dunsborough Park website, the current house was built in 1630 and there have been many modifications since. The house is now home to Baron Sweerts de Landas Wyborgh. However, through the years was there were many notable owners and visitors. Previous owners included Lord King and then the Onslow family in the 18th and 19th Centuries. The Reverend George Walton Onslow, Vicar of Send & Ripley inherited the property in 1792 from his father Colonel George Onslow. He had to given a special dispensation to live here instead of the local vicarage. The park is famous for its gardens laid out in the 18th, 19th, and early 20th Centuries. In 1948 the estate was bought by Charles Hughesdon who was married to the actress, Florence Desmond. Desmond’s first husband Tom Campbell Black (1899 – 1936) is mentioned earlier on our route on stage 7. He was the pilot of the G-ACSS, Grosvenor House Comet who won the 1934 London to Melbourne "MacRobertson Air Race". Hughesdon’s marriage to Desmond in 1937 would open the door to meeting lots of celebrities and other well known people. They enjoyed entertaining at Dunsborough Park and even held an annual helicopter party, where many guests would arrive by such means and land in the gardens. According to “A Potted History” on the Dunsborough website, guests included the Duke of Edinburgh and Elizabeth Taylor & Richard Burton spent the first night of their honeymoon here. Florence died in Guildford on 16th January 1993 aged 87, but is fondly remembered for her charity work, including successfully masterminding the “Betatron Appeal” for St Luke’s Hospital at Guildford in the 1960s. The Florence Desmond Day Unit at the Royal Surrey Hospital is named after her.
As we go down onto the Wey towpath there are some old, well kept buildings on the right. It was on the river next to these that an old mill once stood, but was burned down in recent years.
The River Wey was one of the first in the country to be canalised and some of the locks, including Pyrford Lock retains its original mechanism. The section between Stoke Mill and Sutton Green was first made navigable by Sir Richard Weston, of Sutton Place, between 1618 and 1620, and through an Act of Parliament, in 1651, the Wey was made navigable all the way from Guildford down to the Thames. The Wey Navigation now belongs to the National Trust.
The Wey rises in Sussex and cuts through the Downs. Pope refers to it as "the chalky Wey, that rolls a milky wave". The canal was built to connect Guildford to the Thames and then to Godalming and the Arun and hence the south coast. An important commercial and strategic link before the railway age.
At Walsham Lock the river splits into two, the right channel is the old river , the left is the navigation. We cross the weir to follow the navigation past the lock and the lock-keeper's house. The watercolour "Walsham Gates" by local artist David Drury captures the beauty and tranquillity of the Wey.
Within a short distance we can see Pyrford Place across the canal. It was built in 1550 by the Earl of Lincoln after he was given the Manor of Pyrford by Elizabeth I. The Earl was the Lord High Admiral of her Fleet. He was succeeded by Sir John Wolly and in turn by his son Sir Francis Wolly in 1595. The poet John Donne was a friend of Sir Francis and was employed as a secretary at Pyrford Place. However the poet ran away to marry Ann More, a cousin of Sir Francis and heiress to the Loseley Estate, near Guildford. Her father did not approve. Both the disgraced poet and the unlucky priest who conducted the ceremony were imprisoned. Fortunately Sir Francis achieved a reconciliation and the Donne family lived at Pyrford Place until 1610. It was during this period that John Donne wrote many of his poems. A blue plaque, facing the canal, has been erected in memory to the poet.
The leg finishes just before the Anchor Public House, which overlooks Pyrford Lock, and Marina and the little road bridge. The golf course just before the lock on the same side as the pub is Wisley and one of the most expensive in the UK. Two other golf clubs, Pyrford and Traditions, also border on the lock. The entrance to the Royal Horticultural Gardens at Wisley is only half a mile along the road.
From the start we follow the Wey Navigation Towpath for five miles through Byfleet, New Haw and Addlestone to Weybridge. After two miles, the arm coming in from the left is the Basingstoke Canal; a footbridge crosses over to join its towpath on its way to Woking. Above our heads, to the right, the huge concrete construction carries the M25 and the rail bridge carries the Waterloo to Portsmouth line. It is wonderful to compare the transport system of old with that of the modern day. The building of all three were recognised as a great achievement of their day. However have we advanced or just gone backward. The road above is congested with automobiles, speedily vying for position as they search for their next traffic jam, the railways are anything but consistent nowadays, whilst the boats below float peacefully and unimpeded along the canal. During peak periods, canal traffic can sometimes flow faster than that on the motorway.
A quarter of a mile east is Brooklands, home of British motor racing. When opened in 1907 it was the world's first purpose-built motor-racing circuit. It later became a home of aviation and is steeped in history of flight and motor sport. Today there are many businesses based at Brooklands and until recently a Sunday Market on the old runway. However a lot of the famous banked track still remains and Brooklands Museum, which covers 30 acres has much to see and is open daily. The natural course of the River Wey cuts through Brooklands and past the museum. It was at Brooklands on 10th July 1961 that the UK and France signed an agreement to build an aeroplane called Concord. Now no longer in service, this amazing plane can only be seen in museums, and rightly so, one of them has just been put on show at Brooklands Museum.
A teenager who attended the opening car race meeting at Brooklands in 1907 was John Granville Grenfell. He
Within half a mile we come to New Haw Lock with its picturesque look-keepers cottage of 1780. Here two of the original barges, built for the Wey by the Stevens family of Guildford, can still be seen on the right - they are now used as houseboats. Just over the small road bridge is the White Heart Inn.
After another mile Cox’s Mill dominates the area and retains many of its original features. It used for the iron industry till 1829, then later as a flour mill, and now converted to flats. This is one of the best examples of industrial architecture in Surrey. Commercial barges worked between here and London Docks up to 1969 and again from 1981 to 1983. This is a popular spot and a lovely setting. Below the mill is the lock with its iron ladder on its far wall and the wide expanse of the millpond with its banks of alder dividing it from the canal, making it a natural haven for many species of birds.
The Pelican pub, a short walk past the mill and on the opposite bank, looks inviting, unfortunately there is no footbridge.
We next come to Black Boy Bridge, named after a statue that once stood nearby, is known technically as a "turnover bridge" as the towpath crosses to the opposite bank. To our left, as we cross the bridge is Weybridge Business Park with its modern office blocks and factories. Some of those in our view include Toshiba’s European Headquarters and the offices of The Royal Caribbean Cruise Line. In contrast The Old Round House to the left just after the bridge is worth a mention, and has recently been sold.
It is only a short distance from here along the narrow towpath to Weybridge Town Lock and you will notice that the canal is higher than the adjacent Addlestone Road.
The three arched iron bridge, just past the lock, dates from 1865 and it is here that the canal rejoins the natural course of the Wey. There are records of bridges and a ford in this area from as early as 675 when its lands were owned by Chertsey Abbey and it was referred to as 'Waigebrugge'.
The river widens to form a large pool between the older iron and the newer red brick bridges and is called Town Wharf Pool. The pool has such a peaceful atmosphere and yet seems so busy, with the lock, the two channels merging, the old and "new" bridges and the different age housing developments all blending in together to make a beautiful setting. The larger and newer bridge was completed after World War 2 and carries the busy A317 to Addlestone and Chertsey.
Weybridge Town retains a lot of its old character. The column on Monument Green commemorates the Duchess of York who died in 1820. Adjacent to the Green is the Ship Inn, which maintains its 17thC facade. On the other side of the Green, on the front of one of the houses, is a blue plaque to say that E. M. Forster lived and worked there. His books included "A Passage to India", "A Room With A View" and "Howard's End". To find out more information on Weybridge, visit The All About Weybridge Website.
The final stretch along the Wey is peaceful and wooded. To our left through the trees is the exclusive Hamm Court Estate and across the river to our right is the Portmore Park Estate, a housing development built in the 1890s. Some of its many dwellings have secluded gardens backing onto the river with small boats and old boathouses along the riverbank.
Portmore Park was once a stately home with extensive gardens. It was built in the late 1670s for Henry Howard, 6th Duke of Norfolk by architect William Talman. After the Duke’s death his widow sold it to King James II in 1688 who gave it to his mistress Catherine Sedley, Countess of Dorchester. It is said that James spent his last night in England at the house after he was forced to abdicate to William and Mary and before his exile to France. Catherine went on to marry David Colyear, a soldier under William. The king honoured him for his service by making him the 1st Earl of Portmore on 1703. It is from the Earl that this area gets its name. He went onto buy a large number of shares in the Wey Navigation and for years the navigation was controlled by himself and his descendants. However, the 3rd Earl let the house fall into ruin and was demolished in 1822. All that remains of the grand house and gardens are the large gate piers on the west entrance to Portmore Park Road.
After a half a mile a main river channel goes off to our right and within a short distance we cross a footbridge over a weir which allows another relief channel to go off to our left. In theory we are now following the towpath along a very narrow island and across the river to our right is another island called The Bull Dogs (or Bull Dog’s Island). As we approach Thames Lock our island does widen out and is called Weybridge Ait.
At Thames Lock we turn right over a steep metal footbridge where we leave the Wey Navigation. On one side of the lock, housed in what used to be old stables for barge horses, is a small visitor’s centre which provides lots of history and other information on the navigation. Just past this and off to our left is Weybridge Rowing Club. On the other side is the lock-keepers cottage. It was built in 1765 and rebuilt retaining its original form in 1975 by the National Trust. To the right of the cottage is what was formally Weybridge Wharf and Mill which have now been demolished and replaced with flats, designed to resemble the older buildings. A mill has stood on this place since at least 1693. Beside the flats another relief channel separates Bull Dogs Island from Whittet’s Ait. The latter, as you can see from the link, is being developed as a residential and business area.
We follow a path across Whittet’s Ait, staying right at the junction of paths and across a road to another footbridge over the main River Wey stream. A footpath to our left leads across Jessamy Road and onto another path which leads us to the car park of the 17th century Old Crown public house with its pleasant riverside garden overlooking the Wey as it enters the Thames.
On leaving the car park we turn left along Thames Street and past the Minnow Pub (previously called The Lincoln Arms).
Within a few yards we go through the small public car park with the River Thames in front of us and many channels going off in different directions. To our immediate left is the Wey, just right of this a sign points to the start of the Wey Navigation, next is the Thames meandering off around Hamhaugh Island. To the right the island is Shepperton Weir with a footbridge over it, connecting Hamhaugh and Lock Islands. The latter hides Shepperton Lock which we passed so many miles ago.
As we continue along the towpath we soon pass Weybridge Ladies Amateur Rowing Club on or right followed by some steps down to the riverside on our left. Next to the steps you can see a metal bell; its purpose is to call the ferry from the opposite bank. The ferry runs every fifteen minutes from 8am to 6pm during the week, between 9am and 5pm on a Saturday, and between 10am and 5pm on a Sunday. Services continue an extra hour later during the summer. The fare at the time of writing is £1.50 single or £2 return. Further information can be obtained on 01932 254844.
In front of us D’Oyly Carte Island is joined to the riverbank by a footbridge. A large gate on the bridge makes it plain that visitors are not welcome. It is named after Richard D’Oyly Carte founder London’s Savoy Theatre and producer of Gilbert and Sullivan Operas. He bought the island 1887 and built a large house on it with a footbridge across to the mainland. He used it as a country residence and bought some extra land on the riverbank next to it. In 1896 he planned to convert the house to a hotel but was refused a licence to sell alcohol. Within three years he built and opened another hotel on The Strand in London called The Savoy Hotel. He died in April 1901, but his family kept ownership of the island up to at least 1911 when his grandson Michael was born there. Today the grand house has been converted to flats and moorings for small boats are rented out around the island.
A short distance past the island as the main river channel disappears to our left, we continue straight on along the Desborough Channel, cut in 1930 it shortens the journey down the river by over a mile and formed Desborough Island, The island is one of the largest on the Thames and covers an area of 44 hectares. Access is provided from Walton Lane (above and parallel to our right) by two identical road bridges, formally opened in 1935 by William Henry Grenfell (Lord Desborough) and named after him. He was Chairman of the Thames Conservancy from 1904 to 1937. Both bridges are one way – the first one we pass under leads off the island and the second one leads on to it. The island has many owners including Surrey County Council, Elmbridge Borough Council, Weybridge (formally University) Vandals Rugby Club, the Environment Agency and the Three Valleys Water Company. It contains water works, reservoirs and sports grounds. It is an important wildlife sanctuary is very popular with anglers and has a path (Brownacres Towpath) following the main Thames around its edge.
Follow the Thames along the Desborough to Walton Bridge. The Cut Just before Walton Bridge, the main river joins from the left.
Henry VIII built a royal palace at Oatlands in 1537, but it was demolished around 1650 and many of the bricks were used to build the lock walls on the Wey Navigation.
Footnote: At the time of writing the latter part of this stage (January 2007), the Thames is in flood and the volume of water flowing swiftly along it is probably more than enough to supply all of London and the South East of England. However, the front page of Three Valleys Water (like most other Water Companies) states in large letters that “HOSEPIPE BAN REMAINS IN PLACE”, “You can help us beat the drought”.
From reading, in section one of this book, about the building of the Hampton Waterworks, as consequence of the Metropolis Water Act of 1852, it’s a wonder why over 150 years later our water companies still have a hosepipe ban and can’t do what their predecessors did and use this excess to fill the huge shortages that now appear in our reservoirs. As a consequence they may also spare places such as Chertsey from suffering huge floods as those of just a few years ago.
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