Billingshurst southwards circular

By Eddie Start

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The remote Blue Idol meeting house has a typical Wealden setting on this circular walk

Billingshurst sits astride the Roman road of Stane Street on the Sussex Weald, it is a thriving township with modern developments on the outskirts and a historic centre spanning many centuries.

This longer walk launches into the burgeoning spring of Wealden growth on woodland and meadow paths that display bluebells and the fresh green canopy of another year.

In the closing stages we discover an isolated habitation that provides an exciting connection with one of the founding fathers of the United States of America.

1. From the railway station in Billingshurst, turn left over the level crossing and head off along Lower Station Road. Follow the road for 600 yards, which rises to open country, and a few yards after Little Gilman's Cottage on the right note the entrance to Great Gilman's Farm.

Cross the road with care and go over a stile, just a few yards left of the farm entrance, to take the footpath beneath trees.

Follow the right field edge to a three-way junction and maintain direction through a gate across the next field, dropping to another gate in 400 yards. Turn left along the field edge for 100 yards and then right, as signed, to a plank bridge and stile. Cross the next field, going a quarter-right, to a stile in 100 yards at the edge of Marringdean Wood.

Enter the wood, cross bridges, and follow the footpath to its far side. Drop to more bridges, cross a stile and climb a short section of meadow. Pass through a gate, turn left for 50 yards and then go right.

In 150 yards cross a stile, between two oaks, go to the left field corner and then right beside four large greenhouses, close to Jackman's Farm.

2. Cross a stile onto the B2133 road, turn right for 75 yards and take the left bridleway towards Steepwood Farm.

In 500 yards, at the top of the farm drive, take the right bridleway around the farm buildings, going in a leftward rising arc and then descending to Beeding's Copse. Enter the copse through a deer gate and immediately take the left bridleway.

On leaving the woodland, climb the rising meadow going through a gorse hedge opening, and in about half-amile negotiate a metal gate, with a pond on the right. Follow the bridleway around Sand Pond Cottage, going left to a minor road. Turn right up the road and 150 yards after Walnut Tree Cottage, on the left, take the left bridleway leading to Woodshill Copse.

3. After nearly half-a-mile, at a signed fourway junction, turn right, taking the track that leads to the edge of the copse. Go through a gate and take the stile on the left. Cross two fields to a minor road beside Goble's Cottages.

Take a few paces right and pick up the continuing footpath opposite, which leads to farm buildings where there are commercial vehicles and buses. Pass between gateposts; take a few paces left and then branch right to the field immediately ahead.

Cross a stile and plank bridge; continue over the top of the field, dropping to a stile with a fourway footpath sign. Turn left, keeping to the left fence edge.

In 300 yards the path goes half-right to a stile and crosses three more stiles to rise to a wooded track. Turn right for 100 yards to the B2133 road.

4. Turn left along the grass verge and in 300 yards cross to the bridleway beside Oldhouse Farm Cottage on the right. Follow the bridleway, known as Oldhouse Lane, for just over a mile to Oldhouse Farm. The path passes a couple of animal byres and in spring you may see a fine display of bluebells. At the farm join the onward metalled drive.

Continue up the drive and in a quarter-of-mile note the striking white, half-timbered building through the trees on the right.

On arriving opposite this isolated dwelling, shown on the map as The Blue Idol, you will see a few tombstones in the garden.

A plaque on the building reveals that this is a Quaker meeting house that was used by William Penn, who founded Pennsylvania in the newly emerging colonies of the 17th Century, later to become the United States. It is possible to visit the gardens and share in the connections that this tranquil spot has with the wider world.

5. Continue up the lane for 300 yards and take the footpath, left, that passes to the right of Little Farm. The path goes briefly right, then left around a second Quaker burial ground. Cross a stile and go across the next field down to a gate. The onward path climbs, with Coneyhurst Farm on the right, to the minor road.

Turn right up the road for 250 yards, take the left footpath, which soon goes left and in 100 yards turns right up the field, passing an isolated barn. Continue straight on for half-amile, crossing a stile and passing the entrance to Oakdene.

6. Follow the drive down to a gate in 150 yards, turn right and go half-right across the rising meadow. Keep to the left woodland edge, walk to the far left corner of the field where the path enters Rosier Wood. In a few paces turn right, cross a ditch and climb up beneath trees for 300 yards.

On arriving at a path junction, with four separate footpath signs, take the immediate left that leads past a charcoal burner's kiln down through the woods. In about 200 yards, at a path junction, take the right, unsigned direction, which continues through trees and then drops to the right to join a lower track.

Turn left and follow this path for 600 yards, crossing over a four-way path junction, to arrive at Lower Station Road. Turn right and walk along the road, returning to Billingshurst Station, from where we commenced this Wealden walk.