Sherston - Luckington Court - Macmillan Way

Peter Salenieks

You need to log in as a member of Walkingworld to access the details for this walk and have an active subscription. Please join, or log in above if you are already a member.

The village of Sherston dates back to at least 896, when there is written record of a Saxon settlement named Scorranston. Situated opposite the Church of the Holy Cross, the Rattlebone Inn celebrates the story of John Rattlebone, whom local folklore credits with fighting for King Edmund Ironside against the Danish Canute during a two-day battle that took place on the hills around Sherston in 1016. The Wiltshire Community History (http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/community/) recounts that John Aubrey recorded a piece of doggerel verse from Sherston circa 1660:

'Fight well Rattlebone,
Thou shalt have Sherston.
What shall I with Sherston doe,
Without I have all belongs thereto?
Thou shalt have Wych and Willesley
Easton towne and Pinkeney'.

Nowadays, the Rattlebone Inn stages an annual carnival on the Saturday closest to 14th July. The main attraction is the boules tournament and music evening, featuring local bands.

Walking south-west across gently rolling hills, a short detour brings you to the small village of Luckington, where refreshments are available at the Old Royal Ship. This is the first main settlement below the source of the River Avon. John Thaw, the actor known to many as Inspector Morse, owned a house in Luckington and died there in February 2002.

Picking up the Macmillan Trail on the way back to Sherston, the route leads past Luckington Court. The Queen Anne-style house at the centre was used as the location for Longbourn, the home of the Bennet family in the critically acclaimed and popular BBC production of Pride and Prejudice, which starred Jennifer Ehle (Elizabeth Bennet) and Colin Firth (Mr Darcy) and was filmed in the village during 1996-97. The key to Luckington Parish Church of St Mary & St Ethelbert may be obtained from the key-holders listed on a sign in the entrance.

England - South England - Wiltshire - Canal Walk