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I once saw a picture of a superbly curved roof on the lych gate of Kelsale church and determined to go and investigate. My travels were well rewarded, this charming little village is tucked away from the main road with the church of St Mary and St. Peter standing on a hill above the village centre. There I found a wealth of old fashioned village buildings to explore and a network of lanes and footpaths to provide a nice walk around the outer edges of this community. At the cross roads in the centre of the village stands the imposing structure of the former Eight Bells pub and across the road there is large car park, an ideal place for us to start our tour. Walk along Bridge Street past the former Church House on the right, now the village hall and social club, and over the bridge across the often dried up Brook. Take note of the old buildings and cottages lining the way here, including the former post office, a Methodist Chapel and the farriers forge. Turn left along Denny's Lane past the Church Cottages and up the lane leading directly to the church lych gate. This splendid red tile and oak structure was given by Rector George Davies in 1891 in memory of his wife and was designed by E S Prior. Carved on the front beam are the words Come Unto Me Ye Weary And I Will Give You Rest. Follow the lime tree lined avenue up to the door of the church and bear left on the path past the end of the massive flint tower. The church is well worth a visit and dates back nearly a thousand years, but the present interior reflects Victorian restorations. One item of note is a tablet over the priest's door commemorating Lancelot Brown, Rector for 58 years and the Grandson of Lancelot "Capability" Brown the landscape gardener. Continue on the surfaced path past the graveyard and down a pleasant natural tunnel through the trees to the road. Turn right for about 150 metres past Kelsale Manor and left over a footbridge to a field edge path, following this to the other end of the field and emerging out onto Main Road at Dorley's Corner. Cross to the lane opposite, to the right of a pink cottage, walking for about 150 metres to a path on the left, marked with a footpath sign. Pass through the wicket gate to the left of the main gate and walk up the left edge of this pleasant buttercup filled meadow. At the top corner walk through the trees and bushes into the next field and on, still with the hedge on the left to emerge out onto the road at Curlew Green Farm. Cross to the footpath marked with a sign in the hedge opposite, walking through a sunlight dappled tunnel in the trees, across a footbridge to emerge into a field. Turn right and walk to the end of the hedge at the corner of the field and then left downhill on a wide grassy track. Near the bottom of the dip the path bears right and then left, still on the wide grass track, but now with the hedge and ditch on the left. Emerge onto Rosemary Lane by the Mill House. There have been three mills on this site, the remaining tower windmill was built in 1856 by John Whitmore and was worked by wind until about 1905 when a steam driven roller plant was installed. The mill was originally worked as a group of three with a nearby large post mill and a steam mill housed in the building adjoining the tower. To visit the Poacher's Pocket pub at Carlton, turn right along the lane past the mill tower, now a nurseries and open to the public, the pub is about 500 metres further on around the bends. Otherwise continue the walk by turning left down Rosemary Lane to reach Main Road by the village sign. This depicts the Eights Bells of the church (and the former village pub) and a bunch of grapes representing the vineyards of the village. Cross Main Road and continue on to the start of the walk at the village centre. Fact FileLocation: Kelsale is 24 miles north east of Ipswich and 1 mile north of SaxmundhamStart: Kelsale Village Centre, Ordnance Survey map reference TM386649 Length: 2½ miles Conditions: Country paths and lanes, no stiles How to get there: - Public Transport: For details telephone Suffolk County Council's Public Transport Information TraveLine - 08459 583358 By Road: A12 north from Ipswich, turn right off Saxmundham bypass and follow signs for Kelsale Village Centre Car Parking: Free car park in centre of village Refreshments: Poacher's Pocket pub otherwise the nearest is in Saxmundham Public Toilets: None (nearest Saxmundham) Map: Ordnance Survey Explorer sheet 212 Woodbridge and Saxmundham Walking on the web: http://www.anderton.btinternet.co.uk
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