Summary
The short walk that starts off a bit dull, passing through some uninspiring fields, but did turn interesting as it went on. Both Grendon and Easton Maudit are worth looking round if you have time.
Statistics
Start: Manor Road, Grendon, Northants
Map: OS Explorer OL207: Newport Pagnell and Northampton South
Parking: Road parking
Distance: 7.1km (about 4.4 miles)
Refreshments: The Half Moon at Grendon (although currently closed)
The Walk
Park in Manor Road, just off the Main Road and walked
down the hill. Just as the road veers to the right you will see a sign
indicating a footpath on the left hand side of the road, between two buildings.
Take this and walk through the kissing gate at the end. Turn left towards a
stile and then a path diagonally across the next field. This brings you to a
small footbridge and the path continues through the next field; there is a
small spinney on your right and beyond that, the waters of Grendon Quarter
Pond. At the end of this path is a gate and a road. In front of you are the
grounds of Castle Ashby House.
Turn left at the road and head up the hill until you reach Yardley Road.
Turn right here and after about 200 yards you'll find a bridleway sign on your
left. This takes you across a field, over a small bridge and past some lime
trees on your left. You'll get to a small road but the path continues straight
ahead, turning slightly left and passing a cottage on the right before emerging
onto a road. Turn left here and head into the village of Easton Maudit.
Straight ahead of you is the Church of St Peter and St Paul.The path is to the left of the church and passes some cedar trees and
through a gate towards some old buildings. One of these had the words
"Welcome to Hell" painted on the outside and I was reminded of the
end of "The Blair Witch Project"! Swiftly passing these buildings, we
continued along the path with the hedges to our right. There will be a
footbridge over a stream on your right but don't take this; take the obvious
path on the left, diagonally over the field towards another deserted building.
Pass this, across the field and you'll get to a footbridge which takes you over
a stream and another diagonal field crossing. Walking through a couple of gates
and crossing a stile brings you to a road; Chequers Lane in Grendon.
Turn left and walk up the road, passing several houses; Grendon Church is right in front of you. You will eventually reach Main Road where you can either turn right for a pint at the Half Moon (if it's open) or turn left and walk past the school until you get to Manor Road, where you will hopefully find your car where you left it.
Notes and musings
Grendon literally means "green hill" and is mentioned in the Domesday Book - in fact it was once owned by the niece of William the Conqueror. The village had its very own battle in 1876 over water and turf rights and this is even commemorated in a poem called, perhaps unsurprisingly, the Battle of Grendon. Grendon Hall was a once a council owned activity centre and was a place I visited many times as a youngster.Sadly it was sold off in 2019 to help meet council debts. The village's pub, The Half Moon, was another place I remember visiting but this, too, has closed and gone the way of many other village inns.
The church of Easton Maudit - St Peter and St Paul - is where the actor and author, Derek Nimmo, is buried. I have very vague memories of watching a comedy show called Oh Brother! as a child in the late 1960s, in which he played a bumbling monk but perhaps he is best known to those of a certain age as the voice of the "p-p-p-pick up a Penguin!" adverts! In front of the church is the trunk of an old oak tree, long since dead. Rumour has it that both John Bunyan and Charles Wesley preached under here.
