Copford and the Roman River Valley
At the end of this walk a visit to Copford Church is well worthwhile as it is one of
the oldest and most interesting Churches in all Essex.
Words and route written by the Roman River Conservation Zone
1 Start: From Copford Church car park turn left onto the road for a few yards.
Before the white gate turn sharp left following the concrete footpath sign. You are
on a wide track passing between a hedge with fine oaks on the right and a small
wood on the left. Follow the line of oaks – the haunt of barn owls and little owls –
down the pasture to the river.
To your right is Upper Hill Farm – known as ‘Nevards’ or ‘Pages’ until the middle
of the 17th century. You may recognise the house as a ‘hallhouse’ with
crosswings (15th century) and a central chimney stack added later (17th century).
Looking half right Hanging Wood is primary woodland on the steep slope of the
valley. Looking back over the left shoulder you have a view of the rear of Copford
Hall.
2 Ash, alder, poplar and cricket-bat willows line the banks of the river. Look over
the bridge for sticklebacks, darting stone loaches, elvers and even lampreys
clinging to stones in the spring. You are now entering the parish of Stanway.
Keep to the ancient track up the slope with trees and banks on either side. The
sunken profile of the track may remind you of the many centuries of wheeled
traffic as well as pedestrians and horses. The track will have sunk more where it
crosses wet clay seams before gaining a firm bed on the stony plateau. Where
the track turns sharp right you will see a small pond.
3 Bellhouse Farm on the left is a particularly attractive weather-boarded Essex
farmhouse dating from Elizabeth or James the First. Bellhouse used to be a
Manor and the site is very old. After passing the farmhouse you can see a
disused cattle yard used for storing farm machinery.
The track ahead leads to Warren Lane, Stanway, but you turn left through the
farm buildings keeping the ancient but dilapidated cart lodge on your right.
BEWARE OF TRACTORS AND MACHINERY. KEEP STRICTLY TO THE
CONCRETE ROAD.
You may find the next stretch a little dull, especially in Winter on a concrete road
across unsheltered arable fields, although there are some lovely views across
the Roman River valley. Smaller fields and old hedge lines are marked by lone
trees. However, keep an eye and ear open for skylarks, yellowhammers, corn
buntings and mixed flocks of finches in Winter. Look up for ducks on their way to
the gravel pits and snipe and golden plover.
4 About 80 yards before the concrete road reaches Church Lane at Digomy
Corner, take the farm track across the fields on the left and head straight down
towards the River. At the bottom of the field there is a high bank on the right.
Follow the track round to the right for a few yards and then double back left
before reaching an old oak tree. First cross a sluggish drain and then a steel
footbridge across the River itself. It is the drain and not the River which
delineates the Parish boundary.
The wooded area by the River is full of interest. The trees are mostly sycamore
and the dense undergrowth is hazel coppice, but amongst them are some less
common plants typical where there are springs: giant horsetail, large bittercress
and golden saxifrage. This is also a good area for bird watchers. You may see
thrushes, goldcrests, treecreepers and lesser and greater spotted woodpeckers.
After crossing the River walk up to the field to Hall Road and turn left.
5 Hall Road connects Copford Hall to the old London Road and anyone travelling
from Colchester by bus can join the walk here.
As you enjoy the easier going, observe the variety of woodland along the Valley:
poplar plantations originally for matches or chip baskets, clean-stemmed willows
for cricket bats; mixtures of oak, ash and other hard woods for many purposes.
Gravel Pit Wood on the right has been bought by Copford Parish. As its name
implies it is relatively modern ‘secondary’ woodland which has colonised an area
rendered useless for agriculture by gravel digging. There is a public footpath
diagonally across the wood if you wish to explore.
Standing at the gate of Copford Sewage Farm you may see several interesting
birds on the revolving filters or exploring the beds near the River. This is a
feeding area in Winter and Summer.
Hall Road leads down between steep banks until you reach a huge ash tree on
the left. One of many springs bubbles to the surface here. This water is much
favoured by villagers for home wine making. You cross a small tributary of the
Roman River and a swampy area on the left. The boundary of the Park
surrounding Copford Hall is marked by a change in the road surface. Much of the
Park has only been ploughed since the Second World War. In this area a Roman
Villa has recently been identified. For transporting agricultural produce to market
the Villa was ideally situated between two Roman roads to Colchester – Stane
Street to the North and the Easthorpe Road to the South.
6 Where Hall Road bends to the right, the footpath is straight ahead across the
field. Although if you wish to follow Hall Road you will still arrive back at the
church.
Crossing the field, you come to Copford Hall Wood on the left. This is ancient
primary woodland but several foreign species of tree are planted in it. After this
wood, the derelict walled kitchen garden and a small lake herald the proximity of
the Hall. Cross the ditch and pass a new plantation of oak and beech with
conifers. On the left are some Eucalyptus trees possibly planted by members of
the Harrison family – owners of Copford Hall – who have many links with
Australia. A disused cattle grid on the left used to guard the garden of Copford
Hall.
7 The public right of way to Copford Church is across the grass in front of the
Hall keeping the dwarf conifers on your left. Whilst admiring the building, please
respect the privacy of its inhabitants. Most of what you see today dates from
1760 when it was rebuilt by the Harrison family with some 19 th century alterations
and extensions.
8 At the end of the walk, feel free to take a look around Copford Church. A full
history and description is in the guide book on sale inside. The church is
reputedly haunted by Bishop Edmund Boner, who has been heard climbing the
pulpit steps and banging books and a door – which has been locked for years!
Distance: 2 ½ miles / 4 km or 1 ½ hours
Terrain: Flat ground, some road walking
Start: Copford Church, Aldercar Road (GR 935 226)
Map: OS Explorer 184
Parking: Church car park
Refreshments: None on route, pub in Copford Green (The Alma)