On Thursday the 1st of October 2020 I drove for just over an hour to All Saints Church in St Pauls Walden Hertfordshire SG4 8DN, where I could park for free.
GPX file here
Viewranger file here
I walked through the churchyard and out to the other side, I'll be visiting the church at the end of the walk.
St Paul's Walden has two 18th-century mansions, both standing in parks of great beauty: Stagenhoe (once owned by the Earls of Caithness) and St Paul's Walden Bury (owned by the Bowes-Lyon family), which some say was the birthplace of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. Indeed, she was baptised in the All Saints church in St Paul's Walden.
I walk down a track towards St Pauls Walden Bury. Autumn is on its way, the leaves are turning colour and there is that Autumnal smell in the air.
I pass a beautiful house on the track and was greeted by a happy Whippet.
I can now see St Pauls Walden Bury.
Garden open for visits
Come and enjoy a visit to the spectacular 50 acre garden
Open 9am - 7pm every day by arrangement
Contact through link on left with choice of times to arrange
No house visits at present.
£7.50 adults, £1 children
Garden quiz for children
St. Paul's Walden Bury is an English country house and surrounding gardens in the village of St Paul's Walden in Hertfordshire. The house is a Grade II* listed, and the gardens Grade I.
A home of the Bowes-Lyon family, it is possibly the site of the birth of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother.
The house, of red brick with stone dressings and slate roofs, was built in the early 18th century for Edward Gilbert (1680-1762). His daughter Mary married George Bowes of Gibside, Durham, and the estate has been in the possession of the Bowes-Lyon family since 1720. James Paine made alterations to the house in the 1770s, which was also extended to the rear in the late nineteenth century.
There's a sign Private, invited visitors only, but I ignored this and risked a closer look.
The St Paul's Walden Bury gardens' landscape design, which contains areas of woodland, is largely contemporary with the house. Geoffrey Jellicoe (1900 - 1996), the landscape designer, restored and "improved" the 18th-century work. There are three straight grassed allées radiating in patte d'oie formation from the frontage of the house. Each allée is flanked by clipped beech hedges. In the 1950s a circular temple designed by James Wyatt was rescued and brought here from Copped Hall, Essex, when that house burned down.
In 1987 the gardens were designated Grade I on the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England.
Before he became King, on 23 January 1923, George VI drove up to St Paul's Walden in his sports car, and proposed to the Queen Mother in the woods at the Bury.
I walk back down the track and take a footpath that crosses the fine driveway to Bury and I have views across to the Walled Garden.
A beautiful Victorian walled garden now being used as a community space. There's always something going on - growing fruit and vegetables for local food banks, running courses on rural skills, activities for children.
I walk out onto a road and cross over almost immediately to a footpath that now starts climbing uphill.
At the top of the hill ,I enter Reynolds Woods.
As I leave the woods I can now see East Hall Farm.
A mixed farm of cereal crops and beef cattle, located on a historic estate.
A walled garden contains an old fruit orchard and commercial vegetable production.
Woodlands offer an opportunity to teach about conservation, wildlife, tree and hedgerow planting, and woodland management.
Visits are run by a trained leader, and the farm meets appropriate health and safety guidelines for hosting visits from school children.
Leaving the farm the walk now involves some road walking, in fact three quarters of a miles worth. But it is a quiet road so wasn't that bad.
I stopped and watched some pheasants beside a field of corn before walking on.
Views across to Stevenage.
I now take a path to my left into Graffidge Woods. Wrong time of year for me, but I'm told this is good for Bluebells in Spring.
As you enter there's a sign telling you to stick to the paths as the woods are used for shooting.
The woods are full of Pheasants and other birdlife too.
I leave the woods cross the road and onto a path opposite.
The path isn't clear after you enter, you don't walk up to the houses, there is a thin path that leads off, and up to the gate to the Grounds of Knebworth House.
The park is full of deer and you can hear them bellowing.
Knebworth House is an English country house in the parish of Knebworth in Hertfordshire. It is best known for being a rock concert venue, particularly between the 1970s-1990s. It is a Grade II* listed building. Its gardens are also listed Grade II* on the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens. In its surrounding park is the medieval St. Mary's Church and the Lytton family mausoleum.
The home of the Lytton family since 1490, when Thomas Bourchier sold the reversion of the manor to Sir Robert Lytton, Knebworth House was originally a red-brick Late Gothic manor house, built round a central court as an open square. In 1813-16 the house was reduced to its west wing, which was remodelled in a Tudor Gothic style by John Biagio Rebecca for Mrs Bulwer-Lytton, and then was transformed in 1843-45 by Henry Edward Kendall Jr. into the present Tudor Gothic structure.
Knebworth's most famous resident was Edward Bulwer-Lytton (1803-1873), the Victorian author, dramatist and statesman, who embellished the gardens in a formal Italianate fashion. The 1st Baron's great-grandson Neville (1879-1951) married Judith Blunt, a well known horse breeder who inherited Crabbet Arabian Stud in 1917 and devoted her life to it. In 1913-1914 the house was leased for £3,000 per year by Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich of Russia and his morganatic wife Natalia Brasova.
Much of the interior of Knebworth House was redesigned by Sir Edwin Lutyens, who married Lady Emily Bulwer-Lytton (1874-1964) - he simplified the main parterre. Lady Emily was the daughter of The 1st Earl of Lytton, who served as Viceroy of India between 1876 and 1880. A herb garden, with an interlaced quincunx design, was drawn by Gertrude Jekyll in 1907, although not planted until 1982.
As of 2019, its residents are Henry Lytton-Cobbold and his family. He had a career in the film industry, living for some years in Los Angeles, and so the house and gardens are frequently used for filming.
They are also open to the public. The grounds include tourist attractions such as an adventure playground and dinosaur park and host various events including classic car rallies. Since 1974, concerts at Knebworth House have featured the likes of Robbie Williams, Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Queen, Paul McCartney, Genesis, Mike Oldfield, The Beach Boys, Deep Purple, Eric Clapton, Elton John, Dire Straits, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Iron Maiden and Oasis.
Today a TV show was being filmed here, but they wasn't allowed to tell me what. A google search didn't show anything but the following was filmed here;
Anastasia (1956) - palace of the Empress
Danger Man - "The Sanctuary" (1959)
The Champions - "The Night People" (1967)
The Avengers - "Invasion of the Earthmen" (1967/68)
Carry On Henry - Exterior shots (1970)
The Persuaders! - opening credits (1970/71)
The Adventurer - "Action!" (1972)
Horror Hospital (1973)
Keep It Up Downstairs (1976) - filmed entirely on location as the fictitious 'Cockshute Towers'
The Big Sleep (1978) - General Sternwood's country mansion
The Great Muppet Caper (1981) - exterior of the Mallory Gallery
Sir Henry at Rawlinson End (1980) - interior and exterior
The Shooting Party (1985) - filmed entirely on location
Haunted Honeymoon (1986) - exterior of the home
Porterhouse Blue (1987) - interior and exterior of the home of Sir Cathcart D'Eath
The Lair of the White Worm (1988) - exterior of the D'Ampton mansion
Batman (1989) - exterior scenes of Bruce Wayne's manor
A Bit of Fry & Laurie - Season Four, Episode 6 ("The Duke of Northhampton") (1995) - sketch
The Canterville Ghost (1996)
Sacred Flesh (1999) - exterior scenes of the convent
Jane Eyre (1997) - Thornfield Hall
Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London (2004) - some scenes in and around the grounds
Foyle's War Series 3 Episode 2 ("Enemy Fire") (2004) - as the fictional Digby Manor
St Trinian's 2: The Legend of Fritton's Gold (2009) - used as the St. Trinian's all girl school
Jonathan Creek - provided the location of Metropolis (2008 Christmas Special)
The King's Speech (2010) - Balmoral Party and other scenes
Agatha Christie's Marple (2010) - significant interior and exterior scenes, including in Season 1, Episode 3, "4.50 from Paddington," with Knebworth House and estate standing in for the fictional Rutherford Hall
The Hour (2011) - Lord Elms residence
The Scapegoat (2012) - significant interior and exterior scenes
Midsomer Murders Series 15 Episode 1 ("The Dark Rider") - significant exterior scenes
Woman Like Me (2018 music video) - Little Mix
Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga (2020) - exterior shots of Alexander Lemtov's British house
Meerkat Music Presents: Little Mix Uncancelled (2020 Virtual Concert).
I walked over to St Marys Church, but the door was locked.
The Parish Church of St Mary and St Thomas of Canterbury
The ancient parish church of Knebworth, dedicated to The Virgin Mary and St Thomas of Canterbury (Thomas á Becket) is known generally as St Mary’s. Both St Mary and St Thomas are commemorated in the West window. Originally St Mary’s stood at the heart of the mediaeval village of Knebworth, the earliest record of which is in the Domesday Book, where it is among the lands of Eudo Dapifer, son of Hubert de Rye, sublet to Hunfrid de Anderville. When Knebworth Park was created, most probably in the late 13th century, the former settlement was relocated about ½ kilometre to the south, leaving only the church and some earthworks as evidence for the mediaeval village.
The nave and chancel are the oldest parts of the church, dating from 1120 (the reign of Henry I, son of William the Conqueror), but the chancel was rebuilt during the last century. The porch, on the South side of the church, dates from the early 18th century (reign of Queen Anne) but the doorway is much older: 1380 (Richard II, son of the Black Prince). The pulpit is of 18th century oak, but it has on it four Flemish carved panels depicting the Annunciation, the Circumcision, the Adoration of the Magi, and the Nativity. These date from about 1567 (the reign of Elizabeth I).
The tower was built by Sir John Hotoft, owner of Knebworth in 1420. Sir John was Treasurer to the Household of Henry VI. Part of his tomb can be seen in the entrance to the Lytton Chapel. Dating from 1480 (Edward IV and the Wars of the Roses) in the base of the tower stands the font. Here, through the centuries, literally thousands of people have been baptised into the Christian faith.
Also in the tower are two panels giving the names of the Rectors and Patrons from 1294 (the time of Edward I) to the present day. The first recorded Rector is Richard de Andaville who died in 1294, at which time the Patron was Sir Robert de Hoo.
The list also includes Simon Bache who was priest at Knebworth from 1405 to 1414. A fine brass mounted on the Chancel wall commemorates him and the inscription translates as follows:
" Here lies Lord Simon Bache, priest, formerly Treasurer of the household of the most illustrious Prince Henry V, King of England, and Canon of the Cathedral Church of St Paul’s in London, who died on the 19th of May in the year of our Lord 1414."
In the Chancel, the altar is of 18th century oak inlaid with mahogany. Above it is a 17th century Italian painting of The Last Supper. On the North side of the Chancel is the Lytton Family Chapel, first built about 1520 (reign of Henry VIII) and rebuilt some 200 years later. The sculpturing in the Lytton Chapel is amongst some of the finest in the country.
I walk away from the House down their long driveway down to the lake.
I take the footpath beside the lake, I go right but should have gone left. So go left to avoid walking through private land to re-reach the footpath.
After re-joining the path and leaving the Wintergreen Wood I walk out into a field and take the path across to Burleigh Farm.
As I cross a donkey walked over to greet me, a quick stroke I walk on.
I now walk across Farmland towards Langley.
I now walk through the pretty Hamlet of Langley.
A house in Langley formerly the Farmers Boy Public House.
I walk across more Farmland and out onto a very busy road, care is needed here. Cars come around the bends at high speeds!
I leave the busy road and up a track towards Shilley Green Farm.
I pas the farm and out onto a quiet road walking up to East Hall.
The Trigpoint at the top of East hall.
I walk along the road a bit further.
After a bit of looking around for the footpath (No Signs) I find it after walking through the grounds of a house and take the footpaths back to St Pauls Walden.
Back at the car, I walk through to take a look at the church there.
The village seems much too small for the impressive 14th/15th-century parish church, which is not, as you might expect, dedicated to St Paul, but to All Saints.
The reason for the oddity is that until the Dissolution of the Monasteries the manor of what was then Abbots Walden was owned by the Abbey of St Albans. When the Abbey was dissolved by Henry VIII the manor was granted to the Dean and Chapter of St Paul's Cathedral in London. The Dean and Chapter renamed the estate 'St Pauls Walden'.
The history of the parish goes back to at least the 9th century; in AD 888 Ethelred, the procurator of St Pauls Walden, granted land here to his servant Wulfgar, who in turn granted it to the Abbey of St Albans.
The most striking feature of All Saints is the embattled west tower, with its massive corner buttresses and stair turret rising from a 14th-century base to a 15th-century upper stages. There are Early English lancet windows in the west wall.
The nave is 14th century, with windows installed around 1320, and there is a 16th-century south chapel. In the nave aisle window is a small fragment of original 14th-century stained glass depicting the Virgin and Child.
In the Hoo Chapel is a memorial to Henry and Dorothy Stapleford (d 1631 and 1620 respectively), in a traditional early Stuart design showing kneeling figures facing each other across a prayer desk. A child holding a skull is half-hidden in its mother's skirts. The skull probably indicates a child that died at a young age.
The 13th-century chancel was remodelled in Georgian style in 1727, perhaps by James Paine. The chancel is decorated with elaborate stucco on the walls and barrel-vaulted ceiling. Unfortunately, many of the original Georgian furnishings have been lost but the chancel is still a delight, so light and delicate compared to the earlier medieval fittings throughout the rest of the church.
The chancel is separated from the nave by a stunning screen installed by Edward Gilbert of The Bury. Gilbert was an ancestor of the Bowes-Lyon family, of whom more below.
The screen may have been designed by Nicholas Hawksmoor, who was responsible for many of London's most impressive 18th-century churches. Another historical feature is a font dating to the 15th century.
At the west end of the nave is a 14th-century grave slab with the inscription 'Willem de . . . gist ici deu de sa alme eit merci'. In the south chapel is marble slab showing the indents of an inscription plate, now lost.
At the west end of the south aisle is a table tomb topped with a black marble slab, commemorating Peter Nicol, who died in 1798.
THE BOWES-LYON CONNECTION
The Bowes-Lyon family, Earls of Strathmore and Lords of Glamis, owned the mansion of St Paul's Walden Bury in St Pauls Walden. The most famous member of the family was Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (1900-2002), better known as Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, wife of George VI.
Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon's birthplace is subject to some debate. Stories suggest that she was born in Westminster at her parent's home or in an ambulance on the way to the hospital, but a third tale suggests that she was born in the Strathmore's country house at St Pauls Walden. We do know that when her birth was recorded in the national census of 1901 it was recorded as St Pauls Walden Bury.
While the Queen Mum's birthplace is a subject of debate there is no doubt that she was baptised at All Saints church in St Pauls Walden on 23 September 1900, and that her childhood was divided between St Pauls Walden and Glamis Castle in Angus.
A wall tablet commemorates Queen Elizabeth's baptism, but another tablet marks a much sadder family event; the death in 1893 of Violet Hyacinth Bowes-Lyon, eldest daughter of Lord and Lady Glamis, who died at the age of 11.
In the churchyard is a commemorative column emphasising the village's association with the Bowes-Lyon family.
Almost lost amidst the church's links to the Bowe-Lyon family is the fact that novelist Jane Austen also has associations with St Pauls Walden and is thought to have visited the church.
Aside from the Bowes-Lyon monument in the churchyard, there are also several medieval coffin lids, now broken. (Info used from Britainexpress.com)
So after just over 8.5 miles I am now driving home, I was going to visit the pub but decided against it.
