This is a short family-friendly route around the heart of Sutton Benger village, pointing out places of historical interest.
This trail provides more information about places that are listed on the two 'Welcome' signs, one located on the Village Hall and one in Draycot Cerne.
This is a circular cross-country walk from the Village Hall, to Gate Farm and then to Chissell Brook, and back via Sutton Lane Meadows to the Village Hall.
This is a walk from the Village Hall, to the Draycot Park entrance, to Draycot Cerne, and return.
This is a walk from the Village Hall, to Sutton Lane, back along the High Street and Seagry Road to La Flambé, then along the footpath (the old Barrett Lane) to the B4069 bridge over the River Avon, and then into Christian Malford. Return via the Christian Malford meadows to the Avon Weir, back across the Avon to Sutton Lane, and along Sutton Lane to return to the Village Hall.
This walk takes you past various locations associated with the Romano-Saxon history of Sutton Benger; but note that there is no visible evidence of this history. Also, close to the walk, are remains of pillboxes from World War II; but please remember to stay on Public Rights of Way at all times.
This a long walk, uphill from Sutton Benger along Seagry Road, to cross the M4, left along the footpaths to Harding's Farm, into Upper Seagry along Scotland Road and Henn Lane, to Goss Croft Hall, then back through Upper Seagry along the roads to Seagry Hill, returning to Sutton Benger Village Hall.
As an alternative, you could start this walk from Goss Croft Hall, to Sutton Benger, returning to Upper Seagry via Harding's Farm.
In the 1700s and early 1800s Gate Farm and Arms Farm were two small unnamed farms, but were farmed together from about 1830. The farm was called Sutton Farm and the farmer in 1840 was John Lea. It was not until about 1880 that they were split up again, and the farm here became known as Gate Farm.
Gate Farm Barn, seen in the 1984 photos, is now a house.
Gate Farm, Gate Court and Gate Cottage get their names from the fact that there was a Toll Gate to the west of the village during the 1800s, when the High Street was part of a Turnpike road from Bristol to Oxford. Throughout that time there was a small Toll House on the north side of the road. The house, in the field immediately west of 2-4 High Street (Box Cottages), was demolished in the 1880s when the Turnpike system ended.
The toll gate can be seen on the 1839 map as a line across the road between #45 (now Gate Cottage) and #46 (the Toll House).
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