Eversley Church (or Eversley Cross) and Castle Bottom Nature Reserve - Circular
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The walk takes place in a surprisingly quiet area between the urban sprawl of Camberley and Yateley and the village of Eversley. Part of the walk takes place around and through areas where sand is being extracted, but these areas are now being monitored by Hampshire County Council, and the woodland and heathland are being restored to a unique habitat.
The walk starts at the Church of St Mary the Virgin at Eversley, which has been a place of Christian worship for over 900 years. The church building itself dates mainly from the 18th Century. A notable figure in the history of St Mary's is the 19th Century preacher, author, naturalist and social reformer, Charles Kingsley. He was Rector of Eversley for 31 years and founded the village school.
The largest tree in the churchyard is a fine Wellingtonia (a giant redwood), a seedling from a cone Kingsley picked up in California, in what became the Yosemite National Park, in 1874. After his death in 1875 it was planted in the churchyard. To the south side of the church path, adjacent to the wall of the Old Rectory, there is a white marble cross where Charles Kingsley and his wife Fanny are buried.
It is believed that the church tower is the work of John James, who worked with Sir Christopher Wren, succeeded him as Surveyor to St Paul's Cathedral and built many churches and fine houses. It is also thought that he extended and re-fronted Firgrove Manor, which this route passes, in 1736.
The route follows at one point a long-distance drove road across Eversley, known as the Welsh Drive, along which cattle from Wales were herded to the markets south of London. Eversley's Cattle Fair continued well into the 19th Century.
Castle Bottom National Nature Reserve (despite the name there is unfortunately no evidence of a castle!) lies between the farmland and urban development to the north and east and the forestry and sand workings to the south and west.
It is a small fragment of what was once a very much more extensive system of heath and mire with some wood pasture. It is managed as part of a larger SSSI complex.
For birdwatchers, recent records include tree pipits, goldcrests, linnets, woodlarks (all breeding here), the occasional hobby as a summer visitor and there are apparently woodcock and nightjar to be found by the more determined and persistent among you! There are roe deer in and around the reserve.
The walk almost touches Blackbushe Airport as you leave the nature reserve and there will be light aircraft overhead. Opened in late 1942, RAF Hartfordbridge, as it was then, provided a base for squadrons of Spitfires and Mosquitos as well as a home for a Free French Squadron. At the end of the War, newly renamed RAF Blackbushe was transferred to RAF Transport Command and was used as a base for many Dakotas involved in the 1948 Berlin Airlift, as well as flight training purposes, listing HRH The Duke of Edinburgh as a successful student. In 1960 Blackbushe passed into civilian ownership.
Between WPs 20 and 21 you pass Lower Eversley Copse, which in May has a fantastic carpet of bluebells!
The walk can also start and finish at either the Chequers or Frog and Wicket pubs at Eversley Cross - see Access Info.
England - South England - Hampshire - Countryside
Features
Ancient Monument, Birds, Butterflies, Church, Flowers, Good for Kids, Great Views, Industrial Archaeology, Wildlife, Woodland
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