Lamberhurst, Owls Castle, The Down and Scotney Castle

The Teise once powered the Gloucester Furnaces (one of England's largest foundries), which produced cannons and provided iron railings for St Paul's Cathedral in 1710. Following the River Teise from Lamberhurst past the foundry site, the route leads through bluebell woods past Owls Castle and into Scotney Park.

Here you will find both the 'new' Scotney Castle and the romantically situated moated ruins of the 'old' Scotney Castle (built by Roger de Ashburnham in 1378–80). The old castle provided a secret refuge for a hunted Jesuit priest during late Tudor religious persecution.

In the 1830s, the Hussey family built a new mansion higher up the hill and landscaped the gardens with rhododendrons and azaleas. The return path passes Lamberhurst Church and rural field paths back to the start.

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