Heronfield / Temple Balsall, Millenium Way

Start: The walk starts at Heronfield, south of Knowle, on the main A41. We start our walk from The Black Boy public house, Heronfield B93 0EB. Grid Ref: SP192 749

(S/E) From the car park to the left of The Black Boy public house, bridge & recycling bins, take the gap to the canal towpath and go left along the canal side following the Millennium Way waymarker.

(1) Continue under bridge 68 and when you reach the unnumbered bridge 67 go left, to take the kissing gate to the field. Here we leave the Millennium Way for the time being. Go ahead into the field, keeping the hedge left, to cross a footbridge over a stream.

Continue across the next field between fences towards the pylon, then pass under power lines to take the metal kissing gate ahead and continue along a wide grassy path which soon becomes a farm track. Keep ahead to take the metal kissing gate to the lane.

(2) Go left on the road (Arbour Tree Lane) and stay on the lane which bends sharply right by Netherwood Lodge Farm to reach the main A4141 Warwick Road. Go left on verge of the main road, past Arbour Tree Farm on your right, then cross over when safe to take the waymarked path right, just on the bend.

After passing through gates stay ahead on track keeping the hedge right for 110 paces. After the path veers left, look for a large green metal gate on your right. Take the gate and go immediately left to continue in the same direction with the hedge left.

(3) Cross the far corner stiles to a lane and go left for 100 paces to take the kissing gate right and continue along between fence and hedge. Take the next kissing gate, then ahead with fence and hedge right. Take a waymarked metal gate into the next field then over a stile and continue ahead with hedge right.

Exit the field by a metal gate and go left along Sparrowcock Lane to pass Chadwick Barns on the left and when you reach the junction turn right and continue down lane. (You can go left here which cuts out at least 2 miles to rejoin here ** at Waypoint (8) ).

(4) Cross the ford and continue gently up the lane to find a public footpath by two metal kissing gates on left. Take both kissing gates, and go ahead into the field then ahead with the hedge and fence right to take a metal kissing gate and footbridge in the corner of the field.

Continue right with the hedge right walking gently uphill. At the top corner of the field ignore kissing gate right and go left, continuing down the field with the hedge right. (You have now joined The Heart of England Way). Soon you will bear slightly right through the corner copse then go gently downhill with the hedge left until you reach the hedge corner.

(5) Go ahead across the field, over the ditch then continue uphill across the middle of the next field. On reaching the waymarker post go directly ahead to reach the surfaced track and continue with the hedge right until you reach the road.

Go right on road and a few paces past Barracks Cottage go immediately left along the signposted path to continue along The Heart of England Way. Go along a narrow path with ditch right and fence left to emerge into a large field, continuing ahead with hedge right. Stay ahead through the next gap and go with a hedge right towards pylons in the far distance.

(6) Take boarded gap into next field to eventually reach crossroads of paths (here we rejoin The Millennium Way) where we turn left, staying in the same field, continuing along with hedge right for just under 1/2 mile to reach road.

(7) Turn right down the road and after 100 paces turn left down the surfaced track then through the metal gate facing you (do not go right yet) and down a farm track. Follow the farm track around bends then, after a sharp right just before the farmhouse entrance, take a waymarked stile left to go on a track parallel to power lines.

Cross small stream to next field staying parallel to power lines and follow track into next field as it bears left (guided by the Millennium Way waymarkers). Go with hedge left to kissing gate at end of fields to reach the road. (** Short cut rejoins here).

(8) Turn right on the road for a few yards to the junction, then right onto Chadwick Lane. On reaching the house with a large pond turn left on the path to the right of the driveway. This leads to an enclosed track which at times can be very muddy. However, you will find a couple of elevated walkways on your left which can now be used to bypass some of the muddy areas.

(9) Continue down to reach a farm track then turn right. Go under power lines and where the track turns right go ahead through the gate and follow the path past The Dial House to the main A41 road. At the road turn left and then take the driveway right back to The Black Boy Inn for refreshments. (S/E)

Start: The walk starts at Heronfield, south of Knowle, on the main A41. The Black Boy, Heronfield B93 0EB. Grid Ref: SP192 749
Parking: Black Boy by the canal
Maps: OS Explorer 220 & 221 or OS Landranger 139
Stiles: 5 (mostly dog friendly)
Refreshments: The Black Boy (01564 772655)

Note: The MILLENNIUM WAY section has our distinctive black and white waymarkers.

More information at Millenium Way website here.

Points of Interest - What to know and what to see.... by Andy Botherway

Black Boy Heronfield
Pubs across England called The Black Boy are generally named after King Charles II. It was a nickname coined by his mother because of the darkness of his skin and eyes.

The original Black Boy was closer to the Warwick Road than the building that stands today, the new premises were built in 1793 because of the new canal trade.

Temple Balsall
Although off the Millenium Way, the buildings at Temple Balsall should be visited. The complex of almhouses, church and the Old Hall present a fascinating story. The area belonged to the Knights Templar brotherhood from the 12th century and they farmed around 620 acres. After the order was suppressed, the land was given to The Knights Hospitaller of St. John. It was again lost when Henry VIII dissolved the monasteries and Queen Elizabeth I gave the estate to Robert Dudley (see Circular walk - Kenilworth for more on Dudley and Elizabeth).

Robert Dudley's grand-daughter, Lady Katharine Leveson of Trentham Hall, Staffordshire, inherited the estate. On her death in 1674, Lady Leveson left endowments for almshouses, the Lady Katharine Leveson primary school and the local church. The 13th century church and Old Hall and 17th century almshouses survive.

The Old Hall and Church
The Old Hall, adjacent to the Church, headquarters of the Knights Templar, dates from the 13th Century. Though partly converted into a cottage with its original walls encased in brick, it is one of a very small number of medieval aisled halls, which survive.

The cellar of the Old Hall was excavated in 1981 and was found to contain a great deal of late 17th and early 18th century pottery and glass. The items found are on display in the Old Hall.