Historic Chipstead

The magnificent seven walkers struck west on March 24 from the Ramblers Rest up towards Banstead Woods, then descended back to Outwood Lane and School House, once a Dame School, now the home of our former chorister and proud North Welshman Ernest Williams. He was delighted to see us and joined in our rendition of Gwahoddiad in his native language.

Ernest greets the choir walkers

We then entered the meadow behind his house and climbed into the Long Plantation, where the spring sunshine had started to awaken the woodland flowers. The rurality was enhanced by the sight of shepherds and sheepdogs practising their craft across the valley.

We encountered more sheep as we headed up to Shabden Farm, one of them nursing the newest of new born lambs, all the more cute because both mum and lamb were jet-black.

Black sheep with new-born lamb (photo George T)

In The Grove we followed the “coffin path” through The Grove, so named as it was once the funeral route towards Chipstead Church. Then came more open downland leading to our halfway break at Starbucks in Hooley. Even this commercial outlet was of interest as we viewed the railway bridge behind it - surely one of the oldest in the world as it spanned the Croydon, Merstham and Godstone branch of the Surrey Iron Railway, opened in 1805.

Six of the seven pose by St Margaret's Lych gate (Photo George T)

After crossing  the busy A23, we ascended to the aforementioned St Margaret’s Church. Here JP added to our historical knowledge by indicating three “Dole Tables” in the churchyard where affluent locals used to leave offerings of food for those less fortunate. We now realised the derivation of phrases like “dole out” and “on the dole”.

Shortly afterwards we had another etymological discussion on the meaning of "Lych", as in Lychgate (see photo).  Having established that lych means corpse, Peter G sang the opening verse of the Lyke-Gate Dirge ("Fire fleet and candlelight and Christ receive thy soul") and was astonished that no-one knew the piece or joined in.

We carried on past Church Pond and through a woodland shaw up to Chipstead High Road and entered the sheep meadow near a curious structure. This appeared to be the local water hand pump, once so precious that it was enclosed in a small shelter with caged sides and pitched roof. Another early lamb was spotted trotting behind mum as we descended the meadow back to the Ramblers Rest for supper.

Our route (Courtesy Dick Jones)