Tichborne and the Wayfarer's Walk

Tiny Tichborne is idyllic. Thatched and timber-framed cottages line the lane that winds up to St Andrew’s Church, handsome farms and the magnificent manor house nestle close to the infant River Itchen. This gentle ramble incorporates two of Hampshire’s long-distance trails, the Itchen Way and the Wayfarer’s Walk, on its way to the unspoilt and intriguing estate village.

Oldest Seat

The manor has been the seat of the Tichbornes since 1135, although the present building dates from 1803. The Tichborne Dole is one of the oldest surviving traditions in Britain. It’s said that, in the 13th century, Lady Mabella Tichborne, wife of Sir Roger Tichborne, decided on her deathbed to provide a ‘dole’ of bread for the poor of the parish on Lady Day, 25 March. Sir Roger, who was not a charitable man, reluctantly granted her request for a piece of land to ensure that the dole would continue after her death, on one condition. She could have as much land as she could get around unaided, while a firebrand stayed alight. Although weak and unable to walk, she managed to crawl around 23 acres (9.3ha) of land which is still known as ‘The Crawls’. To this day every parishioner of Tichborne and Cheriton receives a gallon of flour when they assemble at Tichborne House on Lady Day.

The Tichborne family was also involved in the controversy of the Tichborne Claimant. Another Roger Tichborne was presumed lost at sea in 1854, but his mother placed adverts in the press offering a reward for the discovery of her missing son. In 1872, a man arrived from Australia claiming to be her son. Even at 24 stone (152kg) and in middle age (Roger was younger and slim), he convinced the mother that he was her son and they swore affidavits before she died. The family contested his claim to the family fortune and the ensuing Tichborne Claimant case lasted ten months. Eventually Arthur Orton, a Wapping butcher, was jailed for 14 years but the action cost the family £80,000.

From the village lane, cross the small brick bridge opposite Old Kennetts Cottage and bear right in front of the school. Just beyond a house (Martyrwell), turn left along a narrow fenced path (signed Wayfarers Walk) and climb out of the village. Turn right and then left around the field edge to a stile and crossing of paths.

Proceed straight ahead along the grassy track to a crossing of routes. Turn left downhill. The fields to your right were the site of the Battle of Cheriton in 1644. Keep to the track to a lane beside a pair of barns.

Cross the lane and walk along the farm track. A track merges from the left, beyond which you climb to a junction of paths. Enjoying lovely views across the Itchen Valley, turn left downhill, following the track to the B3046, heading towards a cluster of buildings.

Turn right and, after 70yds (64m), cross the road and take the path left, across the field and at the field boundary turn slightly right across the second field, parallel with the river, to a narrow belt of trees. Walk through the trees, cross the stile and keep to the left-hand edge of pasture (Tichborne House is to the left) to a stile by the drive entrance.

Turn right and keep ahead, then, where the metalled estate road curves left, proceed along a track. Just before you reach some woodland, bear off right along a grassy track through a line of trees into a field. Take the permissive path left along the field edge.

Turn left onto the lane, pass Vernal Farm, then cross the infant River Itchen to a lane. Take the path opposite, uphill along the field edge. In the top lefthand corner, passing a bench, follow the track left into a second field. Turn left along the field edge, downhill towards St Andrew’s church. Ignore tracks right and left and continue to the village (The Tichborne Arms is to the left).

Just before the road, take the path right uphill to the church. On leaving the church, follow the access lane downhill to a T-junction. Turn right and follow the quiet road for a mile (1.6km), close to Tichborne Park and the river, to Cheriton Mill.

Follow the Wayfarer’s Walk right, beside the mill to a gate. Walk in front of a neat cottage to a kissing gate and continue ahead, parallel with the river. Go through two gates very close together and maintain your direction over stiles by gates. Continue to an angled gap in the fence and turn left along the lane to the B3046 in Cheriton. Cross over to reach the village lane and your car.