Dorset walk: Charminster and Charlton Higher Down circular

This circular walk around Charminster and Charlton Higher Down takes in the Domesday ‘Cernes’ on the banks of the eponymous chalk stream.

Sir Frederick Treves, author of the 1906 publication Highways and Byways in Dorset, delighted in Charminster, ‘a rambling place of gardens with many old thatched cottages and an ever-cheerful stream – the Cerne’. However, Treves never saw how the cheerful Cerne flooded St Mary the Virgin’s church in January 2014 when the low 16th-century stone bridge couldn’t cope with an excessive storm surge.

Charminster, or ‘Cerneminstre’ (meaning ‘Minster church on the River Cerne’) as it was recorded in the Domesday Book, originated as an Iron Age settlement with a long border along the west bank of the Cerne. East of the river, the land was divided between several small settlements, all of which were recorded together in the Domesday Book simply as ‘Cernes’. Each settlement was long and narrow, orientated south-west to north-east, and with River Cerne frontage one furlong wide. Only three of these settlements are still inhabited – Charminster itself, now astride the Cerne, with Cowden and Forston on the east bank. This walk goes through the earthwork remains of the former farmstead of Charlton, one of the Domesday ‘Cernes’. No population was recorded here until 1662 when just one household was listed as ‘atte Charleton Farms’.

This walk also passes through the grounds of the former Dorset County Lunatic Asylum, now redeveloped as a charming residential village. The first 1832 County Asylum was based in Forston House, a country home, but it soon outgrew this location. A new site at Herrison was purchased in 1860 and a purpose-built asylum opened there in 1863, with Forston remaining open until 1895; the same year the church was built to seat 400 people. In 1896, a new building for female patients was opened and, in 1904 Herrison House was built for treating private patients. In 1920, the whole facility was renamed Dorset County Mental Hospital, and this became Herrison Hospital in 1940. All three asylum buildings are now private apartments and our route passes them all in this order: Herrison House, Redwood House - the original 1863 building, and Greenwood House - the female asylum.

The Walk

Great British Life: St Mary the Virgin, Charminster St Mary the Virgin, Charminster (Image: Edward Griffiths)

1. From Vicarage Lane, continue to East Hill T-junction and down East Hill, passing elegant 1840 East Hill House right, East Hill Lodge left and the back of 18th-century Charminster House alongside the road left, to St Mary’s in West Hill. St Mary’s substantial nave dates from c.1100 with clerestory windows of this date above later 12th-century aisles. It’s early 16th-century tower has several monograms on the buttresses commemorating the builder Sir Thomas Trenchard of Wolfeton House.
From St Mary’s, walk to the 16th-century bridge over the Cerne and take the left wooden-gate, signed ‘Mill Lane Footpath’ and follow the gravel path east of St Mary’s, through a half-gate and over the footbridge at the medieval ford which was the only river crossing before the 16th-century bridge was built. The signed ‘North Street’ footpath before the footbridge is a continuation of the medieval road from the ford. Now in Mill Lane, continue up to the T-junction, signed back ‘Footpath’ with Miller’s Orchard left. Turn left, still Mill Lane with river below left. Past thatched Mill Cottage and the converted 17th-century old mill, meet the river again, with western Charminster along the A352 beyond the field. Bend right at facing benches and left with Prince’s Plot Local Nature Reserve right, named after the old shire horse who grazed here. Continue, now a track with left hedge and right rising field until Mill Lane bends left at the facing house’s garage. Take the right half-gate, signed ‘¾ Herrison via Bridleway’. Turn left.

Great British Life: Mill Lane and River Cerne at the old mill Mill Lane and River Cerne at the old mill (Image: Edward Griffiths)

2. Here is the former farmstead of Charlton. The 2¼ acres of roughly square earthwork remains on the steep slope are surrounded by a bank 2ft to 4ft high with an external ditch. Similar banks and ditches divide the interior into five rectangular areas. Two platforms in the NW corner may be the sites of buildings. Ploughing of the valley floor below the earthworks in the mid-20th century revealed flint cobbles and 13th to 18th-century pottery. Follow the green path and fork right, rising slightly then along the level path overlooking the river. Forward below is thatched Cowden House, built with flint and stone in the mid-17th century. Continue past a footpath-post to 1½ facing gates. Through, follow the hedge track past the right barn and, at the right ‘Private Lane’ bend, go straight into the footpath-signed path along the left hedge. Through a kissing-gate, continue with left fence and right trees, to join the drive past twinned white houses.

Great British Life: The 1977 Jubilee bench in Sherren Avenue The 1977 Jubilee bench in Sherren Avenue (Image: Edward Griffiths)

3. At the end, cross Herrison Road right/left into ‘Private Lane’ called Back Lane, signed ‘Public Footpath’. Follow the lane, edged with deciduous trees left and house fences right, rising and bending right at ‘Forston 1’ footpath. Through brick gate-piers, continue up the avenue to join Poplar Road. Continue up, passing ‘Herrison House’ left and becoming Hawthorn Road. Pass right ‘Summer Hill House’, the same brickwork design as next right ‘Redwood House’, now with new houses left. Meeting Cedar Road with right convenience store and Herrison Hall below right, continue past the 1977 Jubilee bench on Sherren Avenue and keep straight on. Pass right ‘Greenwood House’, the 1896 church and left Meech Way. On the left bend, Herrison Road joins from the right. Continue up past left Greville Court with high fields right. Past left Forston Clinic, through brick gate-piers and past left Foxbrake House, turn right onto the signposted ‘Byway Open to all Traffic’.

Great British Life: Onto Charlton Higher Down Onto Charlton Higher Down (Image: Edward Griffiths)

4. Follow the hedged track past left allotments and narrowing with fine views right at an open barn. Reaching the Dorchester to Middlemarsh road, cross at ‘Roman Road Farm’ entrance, bridleway-signed ‘Waterston Ridge’. Through the facing gate, there are extensive views south on the whole 180 degrees including Dorchester and Black Down’s Hardy Monument. Down the track, hedged left and fenced field right, to a gate, go through into a half-mile field on Charlton Higher Down. Follow the undulating green track along the right hedge and through the far hedge corner’s short posts into another half-mile long and very wide field. Keep straight on along the green track with the same long vistas right. With the woods of Wolfeton Clump over to the left, go through the field-corner’s wide gap into the next field. Follow the left hedge, swinging right and left to a T-junction, signed back ‘bridleway’. Turn right along the firm track. Down to a right bend, fork left at the bridleway-arrowed sleeper onto the green path along the left hedge. In 100 yards, veer left through the hedge into the adjacent field and follow the sunken path along the now-right original hedge.

Great British Life: Seager's Barn bridleway junction Seager's Barn bridleway junction (Image: Edward Griffiths)

5. Arriving at the signpost with ‘Piddlehinton Road’ the way you came, take the right un-named, narrow, rising and hedged bridleway. Maybe before you leave, rest awhile first at Seager’s Barn bridleways junction and bench by the fuel storage tank where a barely legible
sign points your way for ‘Charminster’. Walk up the long path, widening into trees with ‘skirting’ paths if very muddy. Then, after crossing the golf course path, continue to Wolfedale Golf Course entrance right, signed back ‘Seager’s Barn ½’. Turn left down the undulating lane with the golf course right and passing Dorset Poultry chicken farm left. Up to the top, see Poundbury ahead and Dorchester left, continue to the Dorchester to Middlemarsh road. Cross into Vicarage Lane where you probably parked. If not, continue to East Hill T-junction and back down to St Mary’s

Great British Life: East Hill House overlooking East Hill East Hill House overlooking East Hill (Image: Edward Griffiths)