King Steet Lane

SK 888216 marks the start of a magnificent drive southwards from Sewstern to the junction with King Street Lane.  The Romans built their roads wide enough for three chariots; the width of this road from hedge to hedge would cater for seven (#1,2). 

As the track starts from Manor Farm (Sewstern), I looked north to Buckminster for a manor -  and found one: the home of the Tollemache family, whom I had only known for their beer but who seem to be far older & more established than that.

 

But why the magnificent drive to nowhere?  Access to The Drift – as the Sewstern Lane seems to called around Sewstern – was easily found down the Stainby Road (aka Mowbray Way) from Buckminster.  But maybe… maybe the T’s main livestock farming was carried out in Sewstern (to keep the Buckminster air wholesome?) and maybe, maybe the drive south was to give access to The Drift from Manor Farm, Sewstern…?

That’s the theory, anyway.

Back to (muddy & puddle-strewn) earth: it took us an hour to negotiate under a mile’s-worth of the puddles because we hadn’t brought gumboots, then we turned right on to King St Lane which was better; well, at least the mud-and-puddles disappeared occasionally (#3-5).   We went, as usual, against the (droving) flow, because KSL was surely used by drovers to access The Drift?

(If we’d turned left, the track would have stayed just as wide as the stretch south from Sewstern; so the “Manor Farm – Drift” theory holds water.  Ha ha.  But the left turn looked so horribly muddy that we declined.)

We decided to return to Buckminster at 869217 along what we imagined would be an easier tarmac route, but all the traffic hurtled by at 80mph.  Except one car.  Thanks for that. 

I think we're getting old.  But what a wonderful walk.