Villages of the Rother Valley

Whitewash and brass

The historic highlight of this walk is the interior of St George’s Church in Trotton, adorned with fascinating 14th-century wall paintings. These had been preserved by Protestant whitewash, which was removed in a 1904 restoration. The west wall of the nave shows a vast Last Judgement, with Christ in Majesty at the top and a horned Moses below. To the right is the Good Man surrounded by the Seven Acts of Mercy; it’s much clearer than the left side, where a fading Evil Man is surrounded by the Seven Deadly Sins. There are also other figures and unclear paintings on the north and south walls. Those above the south door appear to be members of the Camoys family, who held the manor in the 14th century.

A famous brass to Thomas, Lord Camoys, and his wife survives in the chancel, one of the biggest and best-preserved in England. Affixed to one of the three table tombs at the east end, and now protected by a disappointingly reflective perspex sheet, the brass dates to 1419. It shows Lord Camoys in full armour holding hands with Elizabeth, his second wife. Thomas led the left wing of Henry V’s army at the great victory of Agincourt 1415. He was made a Knight of the Garter soon after, and you can see the garter just below his left knee on the brass. The brass to Margaret, Lady Camoys, who died in 1310, is the earliest such memorial to a woman.

Iping and Trotton commons

These sandy heaths were used in the past for furze, firewood and grazing by the villagers, but after this stopped in the 1930s scrub, birch and bracken took over. Gradually the traditional heathland is being restored and grazed by a small number of cattle and there is now more heather and less bracken. Nightjars have returned, and with luck you might see these birds sweeping the skies for insects at dusk.

From the car park bear left along the lane, cross the A272 and follow the lane downhill into Iping. Cross the River Rother for the first time over the partly 17th-century bridge and go left into the churchyard via a gate.

Leave the churchyard at its far corner and follow an enclosed path to a stile. Continue half left across pasture towards a stile by a field gate. Continue along the field-edge until a marker post indicates a turn to the left, then through a tree belt with a stream via an elegant metal footbridge, a chain at each end, to continue ahead to a stile to the left of a stone field barn. Over this continue into the far corner of a tapering field. Carry on over a stile by a gate, through another gate, past farm buildings, then bear left onto a track and reach a lane.

Bear right to visit the unspoiled and simple 11th-century Chithurst church on its mound overlooking the Rother. Then cross the Rother on a mossy stone bridge to follow the lane to turn right at a footpath post just past White’s Farm. Follow a path between hedges and cross a stile and continue ahead to another stile, a view of Trotton Place beyond the river. Over it bear left alongside the fence, descending to a stile to the left of a rectangular pond. Through a copse and out over a stile cross to another and out onto the A272.

Turn right along the main road and cross the Rother over the mainly 15th-century five-arched bridge. Bear right to visit St George’s Church with its fine wall paintings and brass memorials. Back to the main road, cross to the telephone kiosk and walk along a gravelled lane. Through a metal kissing gate the lane bears right, by outbuildings, then ahead alongside a post and wire fence. Turn left along an unmade lane, past Terwick Mill Cottages, then through a field gate bear half right across two fields to a footbridge, bearing left to a bridle gate near Terwick Mill.

Cross the Rother weir on a footbridge and, past the mill buildings, bear left along a lane, passing cottages, to a T-junction. Here bear left and follow the lane and just before the 'give way' sign before the main road (where the Keepers Arms is a few paces on), turn sharp right on a track, onto the Serpent Trail.

Almost immediately, bear left at a track fork and ascend a sunken lane, then continue onto Trotton Common, ignoring the first left turn at a signpost where the view opens out. At the crest by the next signpost and a group of pine trees bear left at a footpath post, still on the Serpent Trail. At a path junction 100yds (91m) later bear right and descend along the track, now on Iping Common. Converging with a track from the right continue ahead, then converge with another track to follow the Serpent Trail back to the car park.