Tollhouse at Avoncroft Museum: one of fascinating buildings on this walk.

This walk starts near Avoncroft Museum, which rescues and re-erects threatened or demolished buildings of architectural and social interest.

It's a fascinating place to visit, and there are glimpses of some of the buildings from a footpath which skirts the museum.

Towards the end of the walk there's another notable building, Grafton Manor Hotel, which stands in beautiful grounds, with a chapel and a lake.

The Saxon manor of Grafton was given by William I to Urso d'Abitot after 1066 and the estate was later owned by two of the most influential families in English history, the Staffords and the Talbots.

In 1450 it was Sir Humphrey Stafford who led Henry VI's army against rebel forces at Blackheath.

Humphrey died in the battle but achieved a sort of immortality when Shakespeare wrote about him. His effigy is in Bromsgrove church, together with that of his wife.

Their son, another Humphrey, was a supporter of Richard III and so found himself on the losing side at Bosworth in 1485. He survived the battle, only to be executed for treason by the new king, Henry VII, who gave Grafton Manor to Sir Gilbert Talbot, one of his commanders at Bosworth.

The manor house has been rebuilt several times and most of the present building dates from the 1860s, but it does incorporate part of a house built in 1567 by John Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury.

The Talbots were one of several notable Worcestershire families to remain Roman Catholic after Henry VIII's break with Rome, and John Talbot's daughter Gertrude married another Catholic, Thomas Wyntour of Huddington Court.

In 1605, Catholic frustration culminated in the Gunpowder Plot, of which Wintour was a ringleader. But Talbot refused to help his son-in-law when he was on the run after the failure of the plot, and Thomas was caught and executed.

John Talbot's grandson Charles converted to Protestantism, and was rewarded with a dukedom. He was involved with the Glorious Revolution of 1688 when he was one of seven lords who invited the Protestant William of Orange to take the English crown from the Catholic James II.

The walk isn't all about architecture and history - if you're into birdwatching you'll enjoy the path which passes the wetland nature reserve at Upton Warren, with good views of the pools.

Worcester News recommends the use of OS Explorer Maps, your ideal passport to navigating the countryside. This walk is based on OS Explorer 204 or 219.

DIRECTIONS

1 If starting from the picnic place, walk back to the entrance and turn right along the road. After 120m, turn right on a footpath at Westcroft Farm. It's waymarked in places but if in doubt at any point just keep roughly straight on until the path enters a field. Cross to a gate to the left of a windmill. Take a fenced path which leads past the windmill and then along two sides of a meadow before turning left to meet Hanbury Road.

2 Cross to Brickhouse Lane, walk to the very end of it then continue straight on along a path by the river Salwarpe. Cross the river at a footbridge and follow it to Worcester Road at Upton Warren. Cross over and walk along Swan Lane then take a footpath on the right after 300m. Cross two fields to a lane and turn right. At Rectory Farm the lane becomes a bridleway which takes you across the M5 on a bridge.

3 Take a footpath on the left just after the bridge and cross a field to the far side, keeping to the left of power-lines and aiming for a fallen tree. Climb a stile hidden behind the tree, cross a field to a footbridge then keep straight on through more fields to Swan Lane. Turn right, then take a footpath on the left after 200m and follow it through pastures to Berry Lane. Cross to Dog Lane opposite.

4 Take a path on the right after 300m. Walk the length of two long narrow fields, ignoring a path branching left in the second. Continue along the edge of a third field then turn left on entering another and walk to Berry Lane. Take Timberhonger Lane opposite and follow it to Cobbler's Coppice. Join a bridleway on the right, walk to Swan Lane and turn left.

5 Take a track on the left after 300m. Keep straight on past West Lodge and ignore a branching footpath, staying on the track until it leads you into a field. Turn right to a hedge corner then strike out left across the field, passing a pylon and then proceeding to meet a track which takes you to a bridge across the M5. Pass Grafton Manor and the Priest's House then take a path on the right. Follow it to Worcester Road and turn right.

6 Cross to a footpath which goes through the yard of Bromsgrove Guild, then between houses to a road. Cross over, turn right and then go left on Ploughmans Walk. Continue along a footpath at the end of the street, then along a field edge before turning left past wooden bollards. Walk to another street and turn right, then right again at Heath Close. Go left past a playground to Redditch Road. Turn left on a footway then cross the road when you see a row of bollards opposite. Walk down a lane to Avoncroft.

FACT FILE

Start: Avoncroft Museum, Stoke Heath, grid ref SO952684.

Length: 7 miles/12km.

Maps: OS Explorer 219 or 204, OS Landrangers 139/150.

Terrain: Flat farmland; mostly pasture, with some arable.

Footpaths: Slightly neglected in places but no problems.

Stiles: 11.

Parking: Avoncroft picnic place.

Buses: The 144 to Birmingham runs along Worcester Road. Get off at Upton Warren or Stoke Heath; www.worcestershire.gov.uk/bustimetables or Worcestershire Hub 01905 765765.

Refreshments: Café at Avoncroft Museum, the Ewe and Lamb near Brickhouse Lane (point two), the Swan at Upton Warren.

Please note this walk has been carefully checked and the directions are believed to be accurate at the time of publication. No responsibility is accepted by either the author or publisher for errors or omissions, or for any loss, accident or injury, however caused.

9:21am Tuesday 25th March 2008

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