Fortunately a pretty shady walk, so just a few pretty shady pictures.
In Nettlebed Common
Cows (or lions?) in the shade
Near Soundess House, dropping down to the Warburg Reserve
On the lane to/from the Warburg Reserve parking
Oak tree (Quercus robur), near Soundess House
Soundess House. In 1665 John Taverner was taxed on 12 hearths at Soundess, the highest assessment in the parish. A bower in the garden was named after Charles II’s mistress Nell Gwynne (1650-1687), who reputedly stayed there.
Recalibrated the route map, and it plots out at 4.82 miles
While trying to find Heidi’s mistress (well, the name of the mistress that she thought used to live in Soundess house) I found a few interesting maps of Nettlebed, and lots and lots of words to read. (source) But I’ve failed to confirm the name of the estate that we naughtily walked through. However I found a walk similar to ours which talks about crossing the land owned by Lord Alvingham so I’m going to suggest it is the Alvingham estate. Lord and Lady Alvingham lived in Bix House. He died in 2020, but his wife is still listed (in companies House) as living there. There’s another Lord Alvingham, presumably a son, who appears to live in Soundess House.
Nettlebed parish in 1840.
We started by walking trough Nettlebed Common. Next time we must look for signs of the old tramway.
Brick and pottery workings on Nettlebed common in 1918, showing the tramway running to the Nettlebed Pottery near the village (to the south). The recreation ground was laid out by Robert Fleming c. 1904–5 in a heavily quarried area.
(the Fleming Family own the Nettlebed estate, and the cheese shed, and ultimately provided our lunch!!)
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