The Rambles of a Retired Photographer
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  Fountains Abbey, North Yorkshire
  Monday 18th August 2008
~~~~~ Two Itchen Stoke Walks ~~~~~

Itchen Stoke ~ Standing in a prominent position above the village is the 19th century church of St. Mary the Virgin whose design was based upon the La Sainte Chapelle in Paris. Although the church is no longer used for regular worship the building and grounds are in beautiful condition and now in the care of the Redundant Churches Fund. The fund was set up by Parliament and the Church Assembly in 1969, its aim to preserve churches of the Church of England no longer used for regular worship, but were of historic, architectural or archaeological interest. Opposite the church and next to the village green is Water Lane, this ancient lane leads to a bridge over the River Itchen and a once important ford accross the river. Near the bottom of the lane is a small space for car parking.


The imposing interior of St. Mary's with its high pointed timber roof.
 

After parking in Water Lane, walk up the lane until you reach the church and the main road, turn left and taking your life in your hands walk down the road until you reach the cottage below and turn left.

 

Itchen Stoke sits at the eastern end of the Itchen Valley astride a main road that runs the length of the valley between Winchester and Alresford.

 

The walk takes you past some of the village's attractive collection of old cottages and houses.

 

Onward...


...over the stile and across the field to the bridge over the River Itchen...

 

...over the bridge and fields to Lovington Lane and on to the Bush Inn at Ovington.

 

The 18th century Bush Inn is near a footbridge over the river and where the two walks come together.


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All Photographs copyright David Packman © 2002 - 2009 (All Rights Reserved)