Walk No 2: Starting from Town Gate
Suggested route about 2.5 miles (approx. 1.5 hours)
To download a copy of the route map - please click here or on the image of the map below
From Town Gate walk alongside the tarmac road towards the Visitor Centre. The hollow on the right opposite the Visitor Centre was a bunker in a 19th century golf course. Turn right along the road to Keepers Pool, then go along the dam when you reach the pool.
Marker 2.1 is on the dam of Keepers Pool near a bench
Keepers Pool was created in the Middle Ages as a fish pond. Material to build the dam was obtained from a quarry which you can see at the far end. The dam was reinforced with stone in the 15th century.
Return to the tarmac road and continue along it.
Marker no 2.2 is alongside the road
A low bank at right angles to the road, with a slight ditch alongside it, was a subdivision of the medieval deer park to create an enclosure into which deer were rounded up for hunting. The bank would have had a hedge or fence on top of it. You can see more banks and ditches nearby, on both sides of the road.
Continue along the road then turn right along a path up the hill to reach woodland.
Marker no 2.3 is on the edge of the woods
The bank and ditch (woodbank) was constructed around Lower Nut Hurst in the 16th century to keep grazing animals out of coppiced wood. Inside the wood, a short distance to your right, you can see an older bank and ditch that subdivided the medieval deer park.
Walk along the path up the slope through the wood. At the highest point there are some shallow pits where felled trees were sawn up. Turn right down the hill to reach Blackroot Pool at the bottom of the slope, and walk along the dam.
Marker no 2.4 is at the far end of the dam, near the tarmac road
Blackroot Pool was created in 1759 to provide water power to drive a mill for processing leather. The mill stood below the dam near the marker. On the other side of the road is the quarry where material to build the dam was obtained.
Return to the Town Gate along the tarmac road.
