Aim – To protect and preserve this ancient Parish of Ifield for present and future generations to enjoy – especially Ifield Brook Meadows
JANUARY 20 2024AD [THIS SATURDAY] – “WE WUNT BE DRUV” – HISTORIC ‘BEATING THE BOUNDS’ WALK FROM THE [PROPOSED] KINGFISHER NATURE AND HERITAGE PARK/MILLERS TRAIL TO THE ANCIENT PARISH OF IFIELD BOUNDARY AT KILNWOOD VALE – 11AM FROM THE PLOUGH IN IFIELD VILLAGE [RETURN BY 1.30PM]
“WE WUNT BE DRUV” – HISTORIC ‘BEATING THE BOUNDS’ WALK FROM THE [PROPOSED] KINGFISHER NATURE AND HERITAGE PARK/MILLERS TRAIL TO THE ANCIENT PARISH OF IFIELD BOUNDARY AT KILNWOOD VALE – 11AM FROM THE PLOUGH IN IFIELD VILLAGE [RETURN BY 1.30PM]
Ancient Parish Boundary of Ifield [in red]Ancient Parish Boundary of Ifield [in black]Ancient Parish of Ifield Boundary [in dark red]. Proposed Kingfisher Nature and Heritage Park [in light green].
Proposed Kingfisher Nature and Heritage Park – Ifield
“Fantastic,…I love a Beating of the Bounds, we did it 2 years runnig here in Brighton when a Nature Reserve was threatened. We’ll share this soon. More power to you.
New year archaeological excitement is growing after a serendipitous Christmas discovery of a short extract written nearly 70 years ago by W. G. Hoskins in his 1955 book ‘The Making of the English Landscape’ [page 20]:
“I believe…that boundaries are one of the most ancient features in the English landscape…This speculation…leads us on to the conjunction of place names ending in -field and their relationship to known (and unknown) Romano-British sites. I think it probable that the word ‘field’ carries this ancient meaning and should be explored accordingly”
Exploration is now taking place within and around the ancient boundary of the Parish of Ifield – searching for evidence of a Roman villa estate.
The red Line denotes the parish boundary and the green line the walk route. This route attempts to follow the boundary of the Ancient Parish of Ifield as closely as public rights of way allow. This walk is approximately FIFTEEN MILES
PART ONE
1. START at the footbridge over Bewbush Brook at the point where it opens out into the Water Gardens and when you reach the bridleway t-junction close to the site of Bewbush Mill turn right towards the crossing of the Arun Valley railway line. Once across the railway follow Mill Lane up the hill until you reach the level ground. To your right is an open meadow with a goal post at one end and you should walk across the near end of this meadow hugging the hedgerow to stay as true to the boundary line as possible.
2. HAVING CROSSED THE MEADOW you will reach Stoneycroft Path where you should turn left towards Lambs Green as the Parish boundary from this point does not constitute a right of way (though it isn’t difficult to follow). Continue on the public footpath out into the open crop fields, crossing them both diagonally.
PART TWO
1. HAVING CROSSED THE CROP FIELDS continue on the public footpath until you emerge next to the (now closed) Lamb Inn in Lambs Green.
2. ON REACHING THE LAMB you should turn right and walk along the road towards the junction with East Street/Burnt House Lane, turning right again and carefully navigating yourself around the bends to the bottom of Langhurst Lane.
3. IT MAY BE SAFER turning left out of Lambs Green and using the public footpath a short way up on the right, marked in blue on the map below.
PART THREE
1. ASCEND THE HILL of Langhurst Lane and at the summit turn right into The Mount.
2. JUST BEFORE THE ENTRANCE TO KEEPERS MOUNT you will meet the Parish boundary and then follow it for some 350 metres until…
3. …THE ROAD BENDS SHARPLY TO THE RIGHT when it continues due north across a private field and woodland. You should continue following the road and at the T junction turn left into Prestwood Lane and descend to Lower Prestwood Farm (marked as Manor Farm on this map)
PART FOUR
1. FOLLOW PRESTWOOD LANE
2. AT THE 90 DEGREE BEND take the public footpath immediately in front of you and follow this to Upper Prestwood Farm (one of the oldest domestic buildings within the boundaries of Crawley Borough, dating back to the early 1400s. This was NOT however, in the Ancient Parish of Ifield, being a short stones throw over the boundary)
3. AT UPPER PRESTWOOD FARM turn right and follow their driveway back to Ifield Road. At this point you are once again treading the boundary
4. AT IFIELD ROAD turn right and follow the road back to Bonnets Lane. Unfortunately we stray some distance from the Parish boundary here, but with no public rights of way available we have little choice.
PART FIVE
1. AT THE RUGBY CLUB turn left into the car park and make your way through Willoughby Fields whichever way you see fit until you reach…
2. …THE FORMAL PUBLIC FOOTPATH at the rear of Cherry Lane playing fields which you should join and follow until you cross the parish boundary and reach the tarmacked end of Poles Lane.
3. Here, you should go STRAIGHT AHEAD along a narrow bridle way which will take you to the London Road where I would recommend crossing to the eastern side.
4. FOLLOW LONDON ROAD southwards towards Tushmore. As you reach ‘First Choice House’ you are now on the path of the boundary and will remain so until you reach Haslett Avenue at the southern end of Crawley High Street.
PART SIX
1. FOLLOW LONDON ROAD and Crawley High Street all the way to the Haslett Avenue junction near Asda
PART SEVEN
1. FOLLOW HASLETT AVENUE to the bus station and then turn south towards the railway station, using the lights to cross station Way.
2. HEAD EASTWARDS towards Southgate Avenue and pause by a short line of trees aligned north/south between the old nightclub site and Belmont House. This line of trees marks the parish boundary and is all that remains of Malthouse Lane (on the eastern side of the track) which formerly linked Malthouse Farm with Three Bridges Road. Unfortunately we are unable to follow the boundary again here so continue eastwards to Southgate Avenue and turn right
3. ON REACHING SOUTHGATE DRIVE turn right. The line of trees in front of the school marks the parish boundary.
4. AT THE WESTERN END of Southgate Drive turn right and then take an almost immediate left into Chanctonbury Way. As you pass Kithurst Close, observe the line of trees running behind the houses at the far (northern) end which continues behind the houses of Chanctonbury way and then appears next to the road after the ‘S’ bend. This marks the parish boundary.
5. WHEN YOU REACH Holmbury Close turn left into the close and take the path at the end into the copse and follow it throug the flats of Caburn Court and on to Downland Drive where you should cross and turn right.
6. TURN LEFT INTO DOVEDALE CRESENT and then take the second left into Patterdale Close. When you reach the footpath which runs parallel with the A23 turn right and head towards the light controlled crossing east of Cheals roundabout.
PART EIGHT
1. CROSS THE A23 at the lights and continue straight ahead into the Broadfield Brook Wetlands. On reaching the path alongside Broadfield Brook turn left and follow until the south eastern end of the pond.
2. TURN RIGHT into Arran Close, right again into Colonsay Road and then left into Lismore Cresent. Finally take the second right to access Broadfield Drive.
3. CROSS BROADFIELD DRIVE and cut through the hedge into Fennel Crescent using the path behind the bus stop. Cross Fennel Crescent and continue straight ahead down Heather Walk. The line of trees in Heather Walk is the parish boundary and you should follow this until you reach Seymour Primary School. You’ll see the line of trees continuing, but with no access you will need to…
4. …TURN RIGHT onto Seymour Road and then left at the mini roundabout into Trefoil Crescent. Just after the road bends round to the right there is a pathway with a green area in the middle which two rows of house front onto; this is to your left. Turn up here and at the end cross Pelham Drive and climb the zig zag path to Selsey Road.
5. AT SELSEY ROAD turn left and then immediately right into Beachy Road. After 75 metres turn right into another green area with two rows of houses and after another 75 metres turn right into a similar green. This ends with a dead end after 75 metres (seems to be the measurement of the moment here!) and you should turn right along a narrower path
6. AT THE END of the narrow path when woodland prevents you from going any further you should turn right and follow the path. After 200 metres the woodland opens out a little and there is a path to your left which cuts through the woodland, crosses Creaseys Brook and takes you to Broadwood Rise. Cross here and walk to the end of Hobbs Road, opposite.
7. AT THE END of Hobbs Road enter the nature reserve via the gate and turn right. Follow the path (including a 90 degree left turn) until you find a right turn. Take this and follow back to Jersey Road, which you should cross and take the bridle way to Pelham Drive which you should cross immediately and take the first walkway into Plantain Crescent before making your way to the subway into Bewbush.
8. AS YOU EMERGE from the subway turn left into Kingsley Road and then second right into Gunning Close. At the end of the close take the alley way between the houses into Curteys Walk and turn left. After 50 metres, as the area opens up, turn right. You can now follow this path all the way to Bewbush Drive where you should turn left.
9. THERE ARE TWO lines of trees here that mark the parish boundary; 130m worth opposite Mowbray Drive and a small 50 metre line opposite Ellman Road
PART NINE
1. JUST BEFORE the roundabout at Bewbush shops, cross Bewbush Drive and turn right onto the path alongside the Douster Brook. After the first block of flats turn left into Vanbrugh Close and then right into Ivory Walk
2. AFTER THE FIRST block of flats turn left and cut across the grass to Gasson Wood Road and onwards across the cricket field, heading to the far corner
3. MAKE YOUR WAY into Hyperion Close and onto Gasson Wood Road which you should cross.
4. ENTER ANDROMEDA CLOSE and as the road turns 90 degrees to the right there is a path at 45 degrees which takes
you back to your starting point at the Watergardens
