From the lay-by on the B656 walk south for 50yds (46m) to the footpath sign. Turn left on to the hedged farm access road to Burleigh Farm, a rambling, 16th-century, timber-framed house with massive chimneystacks.
Before its yard go through a kissing gate into sheep pasture and continue past a copse to a stile. A grass path crosses arable land to a hornbeam and oak wood. Turn left to follow the wood to the road, reached via steps. Cross the road and descend to go through a kissing gate, then head towards another gate, skirting the edge of a copse.
In front of the gate go left, around a pond and head across pasture (hornbeam woods to your left) to a kissing gate. Walk alongside some arable land to a lane by the 18th-century Rustling End Cottage and turn left along the lane to a wood.
Go left at the footpath sign to follow the track into the woods. On reaching a footpath post go right to leave the track. Occasional footpath posts guide you through the woods, eventually joining a track that leads out, over a footbridge, to the B656. Cross the road to a kissing gate and into Knebworth Park. Over a stream go straight on uphill alongside a deer fence. Cross the drive and go through another gate. Head diagonally left to pass to the right of the Cenotaph column. An avenue of lime trees frames views of the mansion. Continue downhill to another two kissing gates and follow the path to a road.
Cross into Slip Lane, go past Slip Cottage, turn left at a footpath sign. Walk across cultivated land, heading for two oak trees to the right of a close of modern vernacular-style houses. Continue along their rear boundary, then proceed straight on, through an orchard garden, then left along a narrow path to the road. Turn right and at the small, triangular green, turn right into Park Lane. Just before some housing go left, passing a children’s playground, then through a kissing gate into horse paddocks. Leave through a kissing gate and turn left, still with woodland to your left. Cross a dry valley to a road. Once over this go through a high kissing gate, beside a lodge, back into Knebworth Park. Head for the parish church and from the churchyard walk towards the Barns Banqueting Centre.
Turn right at a crossroads into an avenue of lime trees to descend to the valley floor. At the T-junction go straight on to some woods, then turn left along their edge. At a footpath post go right, still alongside the deer fence. Cross a dam and go out through a tall kissing gate. Bear right with footpath posts guiding you out of the woods, then go straight on, along a grassy path between arable fields. At a kissing gate go left around two sides of a paddock on a permissive path, bypassing Burleigh Farm. When you reach the farm access road turn left to walk back to the main road and the lay-by.
Knebworth is well known for its open-air rock concerts and for its country house, decked out in the 19th century with a profuse Gothic and mock Tudor-style re-working. This walk takes in the house, together with the parkland, roamed by herds of deer, and is particularly atmospheric during early... evening when visitors have long gone. Gothic film location Knebworth House was first built in the 15th century by Sir Robert Lytton and although it was partly demolished in 1812 the Tudor great hall survives. Sir Edward Bulwer-Lytton, who was a Victorian statesman and author of The Last Days of Pompeii, inherited the house in 1843. He became Lord Lytton of Knebworth and lived here until his death 30 years later. Among his high-flying guests were Charles Dickens and Disraeli and it was around this time that the house was redecorated in the Gothic style we see today. The northeast front of Knebworth House was built as a courtyard house, probably around 1500, by William Lytton, who was sheriff of Hertfordshire and Essex in 1511. A confusion of turrets and battlements, all in Tudor style, decidedly un-academic but tremendous fun. In the last 40 years it has also been used as a film location for The King’s Speech, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, and The Shooting Party which was filmed entirely on location in Knebworth’s house and parkland. Lytton legacy Two hundred yards from the church is the family mausoleum, first commissioned by Elizabeth Bulwer-Lytton in memory of her parents and where Lady Constance Lytton, granddaughter of Sir Edward, lies. As a militant suffragette activist she was imprisoned four times and died at home in Knebworth at the age of 54. She was buried with the purple, green and white suffragette colours on her coffin, and her epitaph states “sacrificed her health and talents in helping to bring victory to this cause”. The very worthwhile and interesting parish church is basically Norman with a west tower built in 1420 for Sir John Hotoft. Inside, its chief glories are the monuments in the Lytton Chapel, including two by the great sculptor Edward Stanton commemorating William Lytton (1705) and Sir George Strode (1710).
As Hertfordshire is so close to London, many of its towns have become commuter havens. St Albans, less than 19 miles (30km) from the capital, has retained its distinctive character, along with many historic remains.
From the lay-by on the B656 walk south for 50yds (46m) to the footpath sign. Turn left on to the hedged farm access road to Burleigh Farm, a rambling, 16th-century, timber-framed house with massive chimneystacks.
1 of 6
Before its yard go through a kissing gate into sheep pasture and continue past a copse to a stile. A grass path crosses arable land to a hornbeam and oak wood. Turn left to follow the wood to the road, reached via steps. Cross the road and descend to go through a kissing gate, then head towards another gate, skirting the edge of a copse.
2 of 6
In front of the gate go left, around a pond and head across pasture (hornbeam woods to your left) to a kissing gate. Walk alongside some arable land to a lane by the 18th-century Rustling End Cottage and turn left along the lane to a wood.
3 of 6
Go left at the footpath sign to follow the track into the woods. On reaching a footpath post go right to leave the track. Occasional footpath posts guide you through the woods, eventually joining a track that leads out, over a footbridge, to the B656. Cross the road to a kissing gate and into Knebworth Park. Over a stream go straight on uphill alongside a deer fence. Cross the drive and go through another gate. Head diagonally left to pass to the right of the Cenotaph column. An avenue of lime trees frames views of the mansion. Continue downhill to another two kissing gates and follow the path to a road.
4 of 6
Cross into Slip Lane, go past Slip Cottage, turn left at a footpath sign. Walk across cultivated land, heading for two oak trees to the right of a close of modern vernacular-style houses. Continue along their rear boundary, then proceed straight on, through an orchard garden, then left along a narrow path to the road. Turn right and at the small, triangular green, turn right into Park Lane. Just before some housing go left, passing a children’s playground, then through a kissing gate into horse paddocks. Leave through a kissing gate and turn left, still with woodland to your left. Cross a dry valley to a road. Once over this go through a high kissing gate, beside a lodge, back into Knebworth Park. Head for the parish church and from the churchyard walk towards the Barns Banqueting Centre.
5 of 6
Turn right at a crossroads into an avenue of lime trees to descend to the valley floor. At the T-junction go straight on to some woods, then turn left along their edge. At a footpath post go right, still alongside the deer fence. Cross a dam and go out through a tall kissing gate. Bear right with footpath posts guiding you out of the woods, then go straight on, along a grassy path between arable fields. At a kissing gate go left around two sides of a paddock on a permissive path, bypassing Burleigh Farm. When you reach the farm access road turn left to walk back to the main road and the lay-by.
Knebworth is well known for its open-air rock concerts and for its country house, decked out in the 19th century with a profuse Gothic and mock Tudor-style re-working. This walk takes in the house, together with the parkland, roamed by herds of deer, and is particularly atmospheric during early... evening when visitors have long gone. Gothic film location Knebworth House was first built in the 15th century by Sir Robert Lytton and although it was partly demolished in 1812 the Tudor great hall survives. Sir Edward Bulwer-Lytton, who was a Victorian statesman and author of The Last Days of Pompeii, inherited the house in 1843. He became Lord Lytton of Knebworth and lived here until his death 30 years later. Among his high-flying guests were Charles Dickens and Disraeli and it was around this time that the house was redecorated in the Gothic style we see today. The northeast front of Knebworth House was built as a courtyard house, probably around 1500, by William Lytton, who was sheriff of Hertfordshire and Essex in 1511. A confusion of turrets and battlements, all in Tudor style, decidedly un-academic but tremendous fun. In the last 40 years it has also been used as a film location for The King’s Speech, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, and The Shooting Party which was filmed entirely on location in Knebworth’s house and parkland. Lytton legacy Two hundred yards from the church is the family mausoleum, first commissioned by Elizabeth Bulwer-Lytton in memory of her parents and where Lady Constance Lytton, granddaughter of Sir Edward, lies. As a militant suffragette activist she was imprisoned four times and died at home in Knebworth at the age of 54. She was buried with the purple, green and white suffragette colours on her coffin, and her epitaph states “sacrificed her health and talents in helping to bring victory to this cause”. The very worthwhile and interesting parish church is basically Norman with a west tower built in 1420 for Sir John Hotoft. Inside, its chief glories are the monuments in the Lytton Chapel, including two by the great sculptor Edward Stanton commemorating William Lytton (1705) and Sir George Strode (1710).
As Hertfordshire is so close to London, many of its towns have become commuter havens. St Albans, less than 19 miles (30km) from the capital, has retained its distinctive character, along with many historic remains.
