This is a short family-friendly route around the heart of Sutton Benger village, pointing out places of historical interest.
This trail provides more information about places that are listed on the two 'Welcome' signs, one located on the Village Hall and one in Draycot Cerne.
This is a circular cross-country walk from the Village Hall, to Gate Farm and then to Chissell Brook, and back via Sutton Lane Meadows to the Village Hall.
This is a walk from the Village Hall, to the Draycot Park entrance, to Draycot Cerne, and return.
This is a walk from the Village Hall, to Sutton Lane, back along the High Street and Seagry Road to La Flambé, then along the footpath (the old Barrett Lane) to the B4069 bridge over the River Avon, and then into Christian Malford. Return via the Christian Malford meadows to the Avon Weir, back across the Avon to Sutton Lane, and along Sutton Lane to return to the Village Hall.
This walk takes you past various locations associated with the Romano-Saxon history of Sutton Benger; but note that there is no visible evidence of this history. Also, close to the walk, are remains of pillboxes from World War II; but please remember to stay on Public Rights of Way at all times.
This a long walk, uphill from Sutton Benger along Seagry Road, to cross the M4, left along the footpaths to Harding's Farm, into Upper Seagry along Scotland Road and Henn Lane, to Goss Croft Hall, then back through Upper Seagry along the roads to Seagry Hill, returning to Sutton Benger Village Hall.
If you would like to see some autumn colours, take the optional loop through Seagry Woods; follow the optional directions from Scotland Road, after leaving Harding's Farm.
As another alternative, you could start this entire walk from Goss Croft Hall, to Sutton Benger, returning to Upper Seagry via Harding's Farm.
This is a circular cross-country walk from the Village Hall, to Gate Farm and then to Kington Langley, stopping for a cup of tea or coffee at the Workshop Cafe at Kington Langley's Church Farm.
Return to Sutton Benger via the 'old road' from Kington Langley to Draycot Cerne - the 'road' that was replaced by the 'Draycot Straight' in the 1700s and is now just footpaths / bridleways. (Caution! - it can get muddy.)
If starting from the eastern end of Sutton Benger (from the Village Hall), you could take an alternate route, either from Queens Close alongside the Big Field, or via Sutton Lane, to Sutton Lane Meadows; then pick up the old bridleway west to Kington Langley.
An anti-clockwise cycle route from Sutton Benger Village Hall, north across the M4, past Lower Seagry to Great Somerford, left to Startley, then left to Upper Seagry and back to Sutton Benger.
Enjoy the Wiltshire Countryside on this scenic circular walk. Apart from a few hundred yards along Sutton Lane, the route is along public rights of way (PRoW) footpaths and bridleways across fields and tracks. The trail includes Avon Weir and Sutton Lane Meadows.
NOTE: As the Ordnance Survey notes, meadows near the River Avon are 'liable to floods'. If the weather has been exceedingly wet recently, some of the fields may be too flooded to walk through safely, and you are advised to re-route via Sutton Lane and then along the bridleway to Sutton Lane Meadows. Although note that the bridleway may also be flooded at times.
A Sutton Benger Christmas Trail
This Christmas Trail follows a route around Sutton Benger, starting at the Village Hall there is a pictorial clue to find at the 12 locations. You can wander the route in any direction, solving the clues in any order that you want. Email the answer to hello@bengertrails.co.uk
Heath Avenue used to be at the entrance to a factory.
About 50 years ago, most of Manor Farm on the north of the High Street was sold off to build a factory which processed chickens for selling in supermarkets. Then the chicken factory was sold, at about the same time as Hazelwood Farm was sold, and all the houses known as The Park were built.
The large building on the left is the only old building on The Park, and is over 100 years old. When it was built it was known as 'Park View', and during the early 1800s was the home of Major General George Bowness, an Indian Army officer who retired to Sutton Benger. Later it was the home of Joseph Hull, a Grocer and Wine Merchant with a shop where La Flambé dining room is now. It was then the home of Henry Beauchamp Harrison, the Land Agent or manager of the Draycot Estate. After the Estate Sale in 1920 it was sold as one of the biggest houses in the village, and became known as ‘Stoneleigh’. It was divided into flats in about 1950, and then became the offices for the chicken factory. It has now been renamed as 'The Old Gatehouse' and is a family home once again.
Most villages in the 1800s and early 1900s had their own village policeman. The first one recorded in Sutton Benger was Constable Richard Ellery, in 1820. He was a part-time policeman, who combined the job with his normal profession as a baker. The role became more professional from around the 1840s, and the Censuses show that there were policemen in the village throughout the 1800s, but at a number of different locations. Wherever the policeman lived, with his family, was effectively 'the police station'.
From about 1915 the situation became more formal, and there was a more permanent police station established; it was on the south side of the road at the house now known as The Old Police House. Different police constables lived there with their families for over 50 years until 1975, when the last village policeman moved to Chippenham and the house was sold.
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