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Stowmarket
Station walk - by Michael Anderton
Background
Formal opening of the railway from Ipswich to Bury St. Edmunds took place on the 7th December
1846 when a special train from London, with two engines and a brass band arrived at Bury to be met by the Mayor. The line is notable for its stations, particularly the grand structures at Stowmarket and Needham Market which are reckoned to be among the finest in Eastern England. They were designed by Frederick Barnes and built by local contractors, although not completed in time for the formal opening of the line, they were not finished until July 1849.
The River Gipping was used for navigation as early as the 12th century and it is likely that the stone for the abbey at Bury St. Edmunds was brought part way up the river and taken overland to Bury. The 17 mile navigation from Ipswich to Stowmarket was opened in 1793 and lifted barges 90 feet through 15 locks over its length. The barges were 60 feet long and 13 feet wide and carried 30 tons of cargo ranging from slate, coal and timber to manure, chemicals and gun cotton. Steam tugs were able to operate up to the Fisons works at Papermill Lane, Bramford until 1929 but the canal company went into liquidation and the navigation was ended by an act of parliament in 1932.
Walk Route
Start from Stowmarket railway station and walk towards the town as far as the bridge over the
River Gipping, turning left down the steps, to the riverside path. This the start of the 17 mile Gipping Valley Path along the former tow path, providing a linear path to Ipswich. The route is parallel to the railway and road connections via Needham Market and is therefore easily walked in sections if required.
Follow the path behind the former maltings, and then alongside the high wire fencing of the ICI factory. At the factory access road turn right across the road bridge and bear right around the back of a wire fence before turning right on the footway across the bridge of the original factory access road. At the end of the road turn left along Gipping Way to the roundabout and then right on Needham Road. After about 100 metres turn left on a footpath opposite a pink half timbered house to reach Glemsford Road. Turn left for a few metres and then right on the path at the left side of Combs Ford Primary School. At the rear of the school follow the path right and then left, continuing up hill through the houses and a
cross Lavenham Way to eventually reach the open fields at the end of the Tarmac surface.
Follow the path up the left edge of the field, passing Combs Wood, an excellent example of Ancient Woodland and recorded in the Domesday Book as a 'Wood for 76 swine'. The wood is now a nature reserve owned by Suffolk Wildlife Trust and has a series of pathways open to the public. It was once part of the Ashburnham estate and was connected to Combs Hall via a formal garden and Prospect Avenue that still remain through the trees. Opposite the entrance to the wood is a path across the fields leading to Combs church, providing an interesting detour if required.
At the end of the wood continue straight on along the wide grass strip, heading towards Holyoak Farm. Pass the farm on the track alongside the rail fence and then curving away to the left. After
about 150 metres turn right on a grass strip across the field, marked with a footpath sign, heading towards the end of the fence and an oak tree.
Follow the path down hill, over a stile, and on to the bottom of the field and a bridge across the deep stream. Walk up the grass strip across the field on the other side to reach the road and turn right to the road junction. Turn left along Park Road using the roadside footway, passing the old school, Model Farm, now converted to housing, and a number of picturesque thatched cottages.
Turn right along Jacks Lane and, at the bottom of the hill, turn right on the path by a metal barrier. The wood over to the left is called Jack's Grove and includes a feature known as Mill Mound that no doubt was once surmounted by a windmill. Follow the long path on the ditch edge along the right edge to the end of the field. Turn left and then right into the next field, now along the left edge, to reach a footbridge leading into a long narrow section of woodland. Follow the long path through the woodland to reach an open grass recreation area. Continue along the left edge, following the path along the edge of the stream to emerge out onto Combs Lane.
Turn righ
t along the roadside footway and, at the junction by the Magpie pub, turn left, following the road towards the centre of the town. Cross the bridge over the River Rat, noting the inscription on the parapet that reads 'This bridge widened 13 foot 1842 Garrett Taylor Knott Surveyor'. Walk up into the town along Ipswich Street, now partly pedestrianised, to Market Place. Turn right into the Buttermarket with the former Rose Inn at the end on the right, the town once had over 40 inns but less than 10 remain open today.
Continue on past the church of St. Peter and St. Mary, the unusual dedication results from there having been two churches within the churchyard, St. Mary's was demolished in 1544. The church had a new spire in 1993 to replace previous structures that had been destroyed by storm and dismantled because of decay. The south side of the churchyard is bounded by a terrace of cottages built of white Suffolk bricks and timber framed buildings known as Bull's Row. Turn left at the end of the church and out onto Station Road East, opposite a raised section of pavement known as a Carnser. The white brick building opposite was once the Stevens Brewery, in a 1840 a 330 f
eet deep well was sunk which eventually became the town's water supply until the 1970s.
Turn right down to Gipping Way, the large red and white brick building on the corner is Lynton House, a 17th century building refaced in the 19th century and was the town house of the Tyrell family of Gipping. Cross Gipping Way and walk across the the river bridge to return to the start of the walk at the station.
Thank you for taking the time to explore this walk.
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