Radwinter to Beeleigh Abbey: A long-distance walk following a medieval route-way through the heart of Essex

This publication on Essex can be described as a book on local history combined with a long-distance walk and is summarised below: A local historian, William Harrison, recorded that in the Middle Ages corn was transported by water from the village of Radwinter (near Saffron Walden) to Beeleigh Abbey, at Maldon, via the Rivers Pant and Blackwater (actually one and the same river). In the present day it is not possible to make this journey by boat, but this entire stretch of river valley can be walked, following mainly public footpaths and minor roads. Sometimes the path goes alongside the riverbank, but often takes a route well away from the valley bottom, making for a varied journey, across meadows, fields and farmyards, through churchyards, past watermills and into some of the most attractive small towns and villages in Essex each with its own distinct character. The main aim of this book is to create an enjoyable walk, but it also tries to convey something of what it must have been like to make this journey in the medieval period either by river or on foot. There is also much to see of the county's industrial heritage of the 18th and 19th centuries, especially on the final section of the walk. The book is in A5 format and is fifty pages long. It begins with sections on the historical background and practical details for the walk. This is followed by a route narrative giving detailed instructions interspersed with observations on what the medieval traveller may have encountered and what can be seen in the present day. For example, there are paragraphs on windmills and watermills, standing stones, medieval bridges and parish boundaries. There are also descriptions of the various towns and villages the route passes through. Sketch maps are included to help the reader navigate, There is also an extensive bibliography should the reader wish to delve further. The armchair explorer can dispense with the route narrative and just read the historical sections. The route is 40 miles long (64km) and is divided into four stages of roughly equal length, all accessible by public transport. The first stage is Radwinter to Great Bardfield, then to Bocking and Braintree, then Kelvedon and finishes at the medieval port of Maldon on the Blackwater estuary. The Bocking stage ends at a watermill, but the other three stages end at pubs for a well-deserved drink.

Table of Contents:
Introduction Historical background Practical details Journey planning Hazards and when to go Navigation and mapping Abbreviations and explanations Section 1: Radwinter to Great Bardfield Section 2: Great Bardfield to Bocking and Braintree Section 3: Bocking to Kelvedon Section 4: Kelvedon to Beeleigh Abbey and Maldon Acknowledgements Bibliography, sources and further reading Sketch maps 1 - 13 Overview map

About the Author :
Davey, W. and Walker, H. 2009, The Harlow Pottery Industries, Medieval Pottery Research Group Occasional Paper 3 Walker, H. 2011, The Hedingham Medieval Pottery Industry Braintree District Museum Walker, H. 2012, Hedingham Ware: a medieval pottery industry in North Essex; its production and distribution, East Anglian Archaeology Volume 148

Review :
No reviews yet, but 'Radwinter to Beeleigh Abbey' gets several mentions on the Long Distance Walkers Association website. A copy has also been submitted to 'Essex Journal' for review.