WENT FARM AND SHADWELL WOOD

Walk: 1½ miles
Time: approx 45 minutes

This is a circular walk first along the road towards Langton Green and then returning in a loop through Went Farm and Shadwell Wood. It passes through open countryside and then Shadwell Wood where it is thought there was once a well, St Chad's Well, from which its name derived. The present bridleway through the wood follows the route of the old pack-horse road from London to Newhaven.

1. With your back to the lych-gate outside the Church proceed straight ahead down the Langton Road for approximately a third of a mile until on your left you reach Went Farm House. Adjacent to its drive and by the road is a converted barn which is part of Went Farm and after this is the entrance drive to Went Farm itself. On the other side of the drive is a stone "Public Footpath" sign at ground level.

2. Walk down the drive and to the right of the main gate is a stile beside which is another stone "Public Footpath" sign. Over the stile, and continue along the path (WT78) with the stables on your left until you cross a drive with a stile the other side. Over this, across the field passing a lovely oak tree on your left until you reach a gateway with a stile beside it leading into a second field. Follow the path across this field towards the wood ahead, Shadwell Wood, soon going downhill until there is a stile, behind which is sleeper bridge over a stream. Cross these and continue up the other side for a few yards until you meet another path.

3. Turn left here into it (WT79) and proceed for about ¼ mile, passing over a board walk, then another, until it meets a bridleway (WT110). (This was once part of the pack-horse road from London to Newhaven). Turn diagonally left into this and after a short while it turns left and commences to go uphill and, ignoring a path (WT80) coming in from the right, continue until at the top there is a fork. Take the path (WT77) to the left leading downhill and ultimately to a metal handrail bridge over a stream.

4. Cross this and curve to the right going uphill and, after passing over a board walk, a short distance further on you come to a stile. Over this and up a narrow path with hedges on both sides until at the top there is a stile. Cross this, and the path curves to the right and soon after meets the end of a lane where you turn left into it. Proceed up the lane and at the top is the Speldhurst /Langton Road.

5. Turn right and Speldhurst Church can be seen no more than 200yds ahead.