Elmley Castle and Bredon Hill

Climb to a hilltop viewpoint celebrated in a famous poem. This walk takes in one of the most celebrated views in southern or central England, so choose a fine day to be sure to see it at its best. The Clent Hills and the Lickey Hills lie due north; to the east is the long Cotswold escarpment; the rivers Severn and Avon meander and gleam across ancient floodplains to the south and west, with the Malvern Hills and the Forest of Dean beyond. Brown Clee and Abdon Burf stand out in the northwest with the Wrekin in the far distance.

You start in the picturesque thatched and half-timbered village of Elmley Castle. The name comes from the ancient manor of Elmley, a stretch of land cleared by Saxons around AD 600, and a Norman keep. The overgrown remains of Elmley Castle overlook the village from Castle Hill. Its stones were plundered for garden walls, a bridge over the Avon, and extensions to the Church of St Mary's. The church has herringbone-pattern Saxon walls, a Norman tower, a 13th-century font, superb carvings, and sundials set into medieval crosses.

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Start Point

Elmley Castle

Grid Ref: SO 98233 41128

Total Distance

5.2 miles (8.3 km)

Total Climbing

273 metres

Estimated Time

2–3 hours

Difficulty Grade

Moderate

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Ordnance Survey Explorer Map (1:25,000)

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A pond and line of mature trees separate the church from the castle's main contribution to the village; the deer park was enclosed in 1234 when Sir William Beauchamp received a gift of ten does and three stags from the king. Their descendants can still be seen in the splendid parkland.

A long climb leads to the top of Bredon Hill. This strategic point was the junction of ancient trackways and the site of several fortresses. From its height, you can see eight old counties and feel on top of everything for many miles around.

For many, its fame rests on "Bredon Hill", a poem by A.E. Housman, which captures the timelessness of the place, from which the bells of 15 churches can be heard.

On the northwestern edge of the hill is Kemerton Camp, a hillfort of around 200 BC. Its row of double ditches crests the steep escarpment and encloses 22 acres.

Nearby is a local landmark, the Banbury Stone. It is not a standing stone, but a huge boulder of the Cotswold stone which covers the upper part of Bredon Hill. In the 18th century it stood near a cave. This was destroyed by a landslip and the Banbury Stone split into several pieces. From one angle, it resembles a kneeling elephant complete with tusks and trunk, and is alternatively known as the "Elephant Stone".

Elizabeth Queen of England, Elmley Castle

A charter dated AD 779 mentions a city with the ancient name of Baenintes Burh on top of the hill. By the time of the Domesday Book it had vanished, and there is no sign of it today. Quantities of imported iron ore have been found, which indicate a trading settlement, but there have been no archaeological excavations beyond the Iron Age fort.

A stone tower within Kemerton Camp, known as "Parson's Folly", was erected by a Mr Parsons as a summer house with unbeatable views. As the hill here is 961 feet above sea level, he built his tower to be 39 feet exactly, so the view from the roof would be from an altitude of exactly 1,000 feet.

The route back from Bredon Hill to the village of Elmley Castle is through fields and woods, with long views ahead over the fertile valley of the River Avon.

Acknowledgment: Text derived from the Out and Out Series; Discovering the Countryside on Foot. Pictures courtesy of Wikipedia.

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Elmley Castle and Bredon Hill

Ordnance Survey Explorer Map (1:25,000)

The Walk Report

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