Additional information
Terrain
- Field paths, woodland tracks, country lanes, many stiles
Landscape
- Gently undulating farmland and woodland
Dog friendliness
- Keep dogs under control across farmland
Parking
- Considerate roadside parking in Pitton
Toilets en route
- None on route
About the walk
The parish of Pitton and Farley lies on the boundary of a vast estate, Clarendon Park, which occupies a wide arc of country due east of Salisbury. In Saxon times the area was covered with an ancient forest and within its bounds are the remains of the once magnificent Clarendon Palace, which began... its life as a Saxon hunting lodge. It was expanded by the Plantagenets into a great country house becoming, in the 14th century, second only to the Palace of Westminster in size and importance. Royal residence Henry II and Henry III were both responsible for creating this grand building with its great hall, lavish apartments, council chambers and chapels, all beautifully adorned with wall-paintings and floor tiles. Many great names in history visited the palace as a place of retreat and pleasure, notably Thomas Beckett and the captive kings, John of France and David of Scotland, who hunted with their captor, King Edward III, in the surrounding forests. The palace continued to be an occasional residence of the royal family until the outbreak of the War of the Roses in 1455. At the end of the conflict in 1485, although in decline, the palace was sustained and occasionally visited by Yorkist, Tudor and Stuart monarchs until the land and the now almost ruined building were confiscated by Parliament in the wake of the execution of Charles I in 1649. The archaeologist Dr Tancred Borenius excavated the site during the 1930s, revealing evidence of a Saxon building below Norman foundations. He also identified the great hall, the kitchens, the royal quarters and several council chambers. Until recently, very little could be seen, except for a few ruined walls and broken floors. You can now view the results of the ongoing excavations that are beginning to reveal the hidden history and glory of this once magnificent palace. Just south of Pitton is the village of Farley, a fragmented settlement built around a triangle of lanes with a pleasant assortment of buildings. It is known for its classical church, built of country brick in a style influenced by Sir Christopher Wren. The church was built for Sir Stephen Fox who was born in the village of poor parentage, but being an able and intelligent man he served Charles II, eventually rising to the post of Paymaster General. He later contributed £13,000 (then a huge sum of money) to the building of Chelsea Hospital and in doing so became a friend of Wren. Fox later bought Farley Manor and employed Alexander Fort, an architect who had worked with Wren, to build the handsome village church between 1689 and 1690. The interior has simple panelling and pews, a broad central aisle, some fine monuments and classical-style window glass.
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