Friday, August 09, 2013
Milland walk to Tuxlith Chapel.
We got it into our heads that we would go to Milland.....far away on the outer reaches of West Sussex.
Clare has a friend, not seen for 20 or more years, who has been to Milland and recommended it as a place for good walking.
Fine for the friend - but we are not good walkers!
When we arrived we stopped at the village shop and tea room to study the map. The shop owner was helpful and friendly and with him we sorted out a route for a walk.
And we enjoyed a drink and a bite to eat.
I like the idea of the potato in the pot competition. How is it judged? On the amount of foliage? On the number of potatoes?
One can only imagine the windows on the other side.
Present day Milland is on the flat plain below a steep, wooded escarpment - once known as Milland in the Marsh.
We were at the point of beginning our climb......we had been advised on a gentle route up.
Looking back across the once marshy plain to the southern hills.
Walking up the track by the manor house wall.
I don't know the history of the manor house.
The house we saw was not of any great age.
Glimpses we had of the house showed a fascinating house that could have been the setting for a sinister Gothic novel - all towers, turrets and gables.
There is a sadness about the beauty of rose bay willow herb.....it does seem to herald the beginning of the end of summer.
At the top we walked along a flat path through the woods.
Our destination was an old chapel.
Tuxlith Chapel was abandoned in the mid to late 19th century - no longer suitable for the enlarging communities of Milland and Rake. The coming of the railways attracted people to the area - not too far from London.
Much more recently it has been taken over by the mournful sounding charity - Friends of Friendless Churches. The charity is working to bring some life back to the chapel.
My grand daughter waits patiently as we explore.
The preacher stresses some point of faith.
The 10 commandments are on the old boards round the window.
The pulpit has recently been restored by the charity.
Through the little low doorway.
There are occasional services in the chapel and art exhibitions are held there.
Right alongside it, in the beautiful clearing in the woods, is the large Victorian church that replaced the old chapel.
Back through the lych gate - a recent addition. It follows the style of early lych gates.
We made our way back to the top of the steep slope.
The steep steps were a bit challenging to us.
We certainly couldn't continue down the slope where there were no steps.
We ambled along the more gently sloping path on the side of the hill and then back along the lane to the village, where we were glad to find the tea room again.
That was our Milland walk.
Others have trod the paths before us of course.
I was happy to find another's blog about it - happy, particularly, because I know the writer.
Do look at Duncan Tom's account and pictures of his walk.
http://dtoms.com/tag/tuxlith-chapel/
Clare has a friend, not seen for 20 or more years, who has been to Milland and recommended it as a place for good walking.
Fine for the friend - but we are not good walkers!
When we arrived we stopped at the village shop and tea room to study the map. The shop owner was helpful and friendly and with him we sorted out a route for a walk.
And we enjoyed a drink and a bite to eat.
I like the idea of the potato in the pot competition. How is it judged? On the amount of foliage? On the number of potatoes?
One can only imagine the windows on the other side.
Present day Milland is on the flat plain below a steep, wooded escarpment - once known as Milland in the Marsh.
We were at the point of beginning our climb......we had been advised on a gentle route up.
Looking back across the once marshy plain to the southern hills.
Walking up the track by the manor house wall.
I don't know the history of the manor house.
The house we saw was not of any great age.
Glimpses we had of the house showed a fascinating house that could have been the setting for a sinister Gothic novel - all towers, turrets and gables.
There is a sadness about the beauty of rose bay willow herb.....it does seem to herald the beginning of the end of summer.
At the top we walked along a flat path through the woods.
Our destination was an old chapel.
Tuxlith Chapel was abandoned in the mid to late 19th century - no longer suitable for the enlarging communities of Milland and Rake. The coming of the railways attracted people to the area - not too far from London.
Much more recently it has been taken over by the mournful sounding charity - Friends of Friendless Churches. The charity is working to bring some life back to the chapel.
My grand daughter waits patiently as we explore.
The preacher stresses some point of faith.
The 10 commandments are on the old boards round the window.
The pulpit has recently been restored by the charity.
Through the little low doorway.
There are occasional services in the chapel and art exhibitions are held there.
Right alongside it, in the beautiful clearing in the woods, is the large Victorian church that replaced the old chapel.
Back through the lych gate - a recent addition. It follows the style of early lych gates.
We made our way back to the top of the steep slope.
The steep steps were a bit challenging to us.
We certainly couldn't continue down the slope where there were no steps.
We ambled along the more gently sloping path on the side of the hill and then back along the lane to the village, where we were glad to find the tea room again.
That was our Milland walk.
Others have trod the paths before us of course.
I was happy to find another's blog about it - happy, particularly, because I know the writer.
Do look at Duncan Tom's account and pictures of his walk.
http://dtoms.com/tag/tuxlith-chapel/
