Sherston - Easton Grey - Sherston

Sean Meek

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Sherston is an attractive village with a wide High Street lined with some interesting 17th and 18th Century buildings. It prospered as a result of the flourishing wool trade and still has the feel of a market town, with narrow back streets and alleys.

Edmund Ironside won a battle here in 1016 against the Danes, who were led by King Canute. John Rattlebone fought in the battle and his legend is kept alive by The Rattlebone Inn opposite the church in the village, its sign showing Rattlebone in action. He was a local farmer, who was promised land in return for service against the Danes. Sadly, he was terribly wounded in battle and although he staunched his bleeding with a stone tile and continued fighting, he reputedly died as Canute's army withdrew. Other traditions say Rattlebone survived to claim his reward. Later traditions tell us that the small stone effigy on the south side of the porch outside the parish church is that of Rattlebone and that an ancient timber chest in the church, marked with the initials R B, is supposed to be where Rattlebone kept his armour.

The walk follows the River Avon downstream through parkland to the picturesque small village of Easton Grey, which is set around a 16th Century stone bridge over the river. Just before the village you will pass Easton Grey House, a handsome 18th Century manor-house which was the summer retreat of Herbert Asquith, the Prime Minister between 1908 and 1916. The walk joins the Fosse Way and follows it back towards Sherston, which is an old Roman road that once connected Lincoln and Exeter.

England - South England - Wiltshire - Cotswolds

Features

Church, Food Shop, Good for Kids, Mostly Flat, Pub, Public Transport, River, Stately Home

5/6/2014 - Jane Lewis

Beware - in 2013 the footpath was diverted between points 24 and 26 around the horse training facilities, which have been built up. It is not well signed and it is easy to stray into the equestrian premises, from which it is even harder to rediscover the footpath.

5/6/2013 - Roger Stevenson

Lovely walk, great directions - very easy to follow and no problem for dogs. Be warned at the start you want 'Gaston Lane' and not 'Gaston Street'. At point 16, the floods of 2012 have destroyed the bridge. You can get across but it takes a bit of clambering over broken concrete and a rusty metal gate lying in the water.