Around The Ampneys

The church of Ampney St Peter and Church of the Holy Rood and the village crosses

From the lay by return to the main road at the Cirencester end of the loop road. Carefully cross over the busy A417 and over the stile and go left to follow Ampney brook to a footbridge in the hedgerow- not clearly marked, which is crossed to enter the churchyard of St.Marys Church. This small church standing lonely in a field dates from the 12th-15th centuries and contains medieval wall paintings, a Norman nave and font. The village of Ampney St. Mary is over a mile away. Why?   In around 1350, villagers decided to move the whole village except the church to Ashbrook because of the Black Death.

Leave the churchyard from the front of the building through a small gate in the wall to follow the diagonal path across the field to reach the main road. Cross over the road, again be careful, and follow the footpath to the right keeping to the side of the A417 into Ampney St. Peter. Take the turning on the left signposted no through road, and amble through the village to the church of St. Peters. The church has a small saddleback tower, a Saxon nave and a 14th century cross in the small churchyard.

Leave the church turning right and in a short distance follow a track past Blithe Barn and the Old Rectory and right again to follow a bridleway to the main road. The Red Lion is on the junction but is only open on certain days. Turn left and follow the lane into the village of Ampney St. Mary, some locals and maps, still call it Ashbrook. Continue through the village and in about ¾ mile reach a junction

Turn right and in a short distance turn left, opposite Dudley Farm, to follow the lane through the village of Ampney Crucis, the largest of the three, with much evidence of barn conversions and modern looking houses and ignoring all turnings to reach a public path on the right, and just before The Pippins. Go through the gate and along a tree lined walkway, catching glimpses of the small church of the Holy Rood ahead.

On leaving the church turn right and follow the lane past the Old Rectory to the junction at the War Memorial, unless a visit to the Crown of Crucis is needed, turn left and just before The Pippins, take the footpath through a private garden, over a stile and through several squeeze stiles passing a newly planted woodland and across a cultivated field to the left of a large house and right on to a lane which will lead back to the car.

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Click On   for more information about Ampney Crucis.