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Mill Walk
Length-about 2 and a half miles
A gentle walk around Tilty via the watermill and woods, site of the windmill and Tilty church with directions to the pub if required.
Terrain-footpaths and back roads
Hills-moderate
Some areas can be muddy during wet weather-boots/wellies suggested.
Suitable for dogs under control.Start at Tilty church,from the church gate turn left into the car park. This field is known as abbey field and was the site of the cistercian abbey. Through the gate into the sheep field and follow the footpath past the ruins of Tilty abbey on your right to a small wooden gate, open and go through.
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| Tilty Mill, Jan 2007, rear view showing millpond |
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Once through the gate you are presented with a close up view of Tilty watermill.
Note-The mill is privately owned and not open to the public.
Turn LEFT by the side of the mill, along the newly cleared and marked footpath 16, this passes the waterwheel and up the millpond bank to get a fine view of the rear of the mill.(See picture, left). Continue along the bank with the millpond on your left and go sraight ahead for 500m to a concrete bridge, cross this and continue along the footpath keeping the stream on your left. Home wood is on your left and Esely wood on your right, both at least 500 years old.
Continue for 400m, just before the next bridge turn left through a small thicket, over another concrete bridge, a stile and into a small hilly field.
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| Windmill Field-Site of the Tilty windmill |
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To your right you will see a gate, go through this and continue ahead to another stile over a wooden bridge, cross this and continue ahead keeping a small stream on your right. After 500m you will come to the Tilty/Broxted road, turn left onto the road and up a steep hill. As you get to the top the field on your right is windmill field. This is the site of the Tilty open trestle post mill, last recorded in 1775. (See picture).
From the top of the hill looking North you can see Thaxted church and John Webbs windmill, and looking Northwest the village of Broxted. Continue up the hill and along the road into Tilty village.
The impressive barns of Tilty grange farm were 'developed' into houses in 2000, they are similar to the cressing temple barns and were probably built by Tilty abbey at least 500 years ago.
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Continue past Tilty grange farm and 'pumpkin hall', interestingly on a 1730 estate map this house is called mill house, perhaps the Tilty millers lived here, it being ideally placed equidistant between the watermill and windmill.
Continue on the road down the hill turning left into Tilty church and back to your car.
Do take the time to visit Tilty church, originally the gate chapel of Tilty abbey, it is rightly famous for its beautiful east window.
After that walk the nearest pub is the Three Horseshoes in nearby Duton Hill. A good selection of beers and real ales available, check for food, tel 01371 870681I hope you enjoyed this walk, longer ones are available at the pub as printed guides. Ask for the Five parishes milennium walks sheets at the bar (small fee).
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