Midhurst Footpath Companions
Walking in Sussex, Hampshire and Surrey.

Frensham Walk on 23rd July 2025

We met up at The Bluebell Inn, Dockenfield for our five mile walk, clambered into an assortment of rain protection and set off along the track that took us past woodland and across fields to Pit Lane where we turned left and onto Mill Lane by the Mill Pond.  Walking on the east bank of the River Wey, past Frensham Manor until we reached the bank of Frensham Great Pond at its western extremity.  We followed the Pond bank stopping at the café for refreshments and a cake or two.  We ventured across Frensham Common’s heathland, crossed Mill Lane and detoured into St Mary the Virgin church in Frensham which was moved there in 1239 after a major flood.  Little remains of the original church with the tower being built in 14th Century and significant restoration in 19th Century.  We found the copper beaten medieval 19 inch deep cauldron believed to have been used for the brewing of Church Ale which had apparently been kept in the church ‘from beyond the memory of man’. There are several stories concerning the origins of the cauldron and how it came to have spent the last several centuries in Frensham Church.  The story about Mother Ludlam, the White Witch of Waverley who lived in a small cave near Farnham and the Devil was the best one.  We followed the path to cross the River Wey again, crossing Pit Lane at Spreakley onto fields and skirting Hallsgrove Copse to return back to The Bluebell for an excellent lunch.

Damp start, but it got a lot better!

Undulating landscape of the Sussex countryside

A quick stop for a chat

Begging for mint sauce

Oast Houses of Pitt Farm, yours for £2m plus!

A sign Pole showing us the route

Walking beside the Mill Pond

Walking the River Wey bank path

Pond near Frensham Hotel

Frensham Great Pond

Leading the walk

Walking between the heather and gorse on the Common

View of the heathland on the Common

St Mary the Virgin church in Frensham

Mother Ludlam’s copper pot

Crossing the River Wey

No you can’t sit here, I was here first

Where our 5 mile walk took us

Recent galleries

History

2025
2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
1997