May 22, 2004

Most of the paths on this nice five-and-a-half mile walk were in good order. After going along Bulls Hall Road, a “No Through Road”, we found a parking place on the verge on the left-hand bend. Occold is situated on a minor road off the B1077, two miles south of Eye.

Points of interest

Cowslips were growing in profusion. According to legend, St Peter dropped his keys to Heaven when he learnt that a duplicate set had been made. The keys landed on earth and cowslips sprang from the spot! Cowslips have been used to make a powerful country wine. We also saw several hares on this walk.

1 The 14th century church of St Mary’s, Bedingfield, is a gem with its 14th century porch and, inside, the fine hammer beamed roof, 14th century font and stained glass windows. The clock is a memorial to those who lost their lives in the first world war. The Bedingfields of Flemings Hall were the benefactors of the church.

2 Benningham Hall was built between 1700 and 1800, but an older house stood further back surrounded by a moat and drawbridge before that.

3 In Domesday times, Occold was known as “Acholt” – “Arc” old English name for an oak tree and “Holt”, Old English and old Norse for a wood or thicket. At one time there were three halls and a windmill and two pubs in the village. Many years ago a traveller to one of the fairs held there was hanged from the Gallows Oak by the villagers after he admitted to the murder of the maid at the hall on a Sunday morning. The lord and lady of the manor were at church. The bells started to ring of their own accord and the clergyman stopped the service believing something sinister had happened. The remains of the maid’s body were found on the fire. There was a friendly welcome at the Bedingfield Arms, obviously a very popular venue for food, which is served seven days a week. Charles enjoyed a pint of Abbot Ale.

Map References OS Sheets Landranger 156, Explorer 230: 166701, 163691, 180688, 186693, 167710, 159709, 155708, 157707, 166701.

From this corner we turned left, going along a road signed Barney Fields which took us to the farm where, at the sign, we went left around the sheds to the next marker.

The farmer does not mind where you walk as no path was left across his crop. We have notified Suffolk County Council and, if you wish to complain, the number is 01473 830010.

We aimed to the left of the water tower, then followed the line of poles, crossing the plank bridge, and continued along the field edge.
Turning left along the country lane into Bedingfield, we went left at the crossroads along the road signed Worlingworth, passing the church on our left.

With a pond on the right at crossroads, we turned left along the road signed Redlingfield and, at the bend, went left along the bridleway, keeping right along the path, which eventually passes houses on the right. Then, soon as the track went left, we turned right at the finger-post signs; it curved left and we ignored all paths off it.

We went through a farm, with houses on the left and barns on the right, then turned left at signs with a house on the left along another track, with a church on the far horizon.

This continued along a very good path across the field; then we walked the field edge, because the signed path was too poor to walk on.

Reaching the country lane, we went over the dry ditch and turned left.
At the finger-post sign we climbed the stile, crossed the meadow, climbed a stile, crossed a second meadow, then went through the kissing gate, crossing the grass area to the road and turned left along it in Occold.

At the corner we went right and visited the pub then crossed the road to the Baptist Chapel and turned right along the road and continued along Bulls Hall Road back to the start of the walk.

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