Bernwood Jubilee Way Walk
A Walk through History, Nature and Claydon Estate.
The 21st of March is international day of forests, a day which celebrates our forests, and the perfect time to delve into the history of the Bernwood Jubilee Way Walk.
The Bernwood Jubilee Way Walk winds its way through the Buckinghamshire countryside including Claydon Estate. This route consists of 61 miles of walking and cycling pathways which traces the boundaries of the ancient Bernwood Forest, once a Royal Hunting Forest.
Evidence suggests Bernwood existed as a hunting ground as early as the 10th century for Anglo-Saxon kings. It was likely named “Barne Woode” during this period.
Over the centuries Kings of the past would have enjoyed hunting deer and other game within its boundaries, it is important to note It wasn’t a forest as we understand it today; the area also encompassed open spaces, meadows, and some wooded areas, all protected by the King’s Forest Law.
The forest would have provided a profitable source of income for the king, from the sale of timber and venison. It received royal protection through forest law for nearly 700 years, a law which protected the kings hunting ground. These laws were quite harsh, where punishments for offenses like poaching or damaging trees were severe.
Early maps suggest that the forest would have covered Buckinghamshire and also spread into a small part of Oxfordshire.
In the early 13th century, the crown was looking at ways to increase revenue and fund the economy, so portions of Bernwood Forest were gradually deforested and areas of land were sold for private use. By the reign of James I in the 17th century, Bernwood had lost its royal status and much of the wooded area had disappeared, and 700 years of forest protection ended.
Today, the name Bernwood Forest refers to a larger area in Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, encompassing the original historical boundaries of the Royal Forest. Whilst the original dense woodland is largely gone, smaller pockets of woodland survive today, serving as a reminder of its rich past.
In 2001, in honour of the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Buckinghamshire County Council created the “Bernwood Jubilee Way Walk”. The aim of setting up the trail was to not only commemorate the Golden jubilee, but to also conserve and enhance this ancient forest, raising awareness of this former hunting land.
Taken on part of the route which passes through Claydon Estate
Twenty years on, in 2022, individual walking routes were produced along the 61-mile trail in honour of the Queens Platinum Jubilee. One such walk is “The Claydons & Claydon Wood Walk”, with a distance of either 8 or 10 miles. The walk takes in three parishes, collectively known as the “The Claydons”: Steeple Claydon, Middle Claydon and East Claydon.
The map shows the route for The Claydons and Claydon Wood Walk.
Full details of the route can be downloaded from the Buckinghamshire Council website
Part of the walk passes through Claydon Estate, where you’ll pass Claydon Courtyard and National Trust property, Claydon House.
The 18th century Claydon Courtyard is well worth discovering. It would have once housed stables, the laundry, workshops, coach houses, estate stores and staff accommodation. Today the courtyard is still a hive of activity and is home to several independent businesses, the Phoenix Kitchen, and our historic horse and hand drawn Estate fire engine. Also on display in the courtyard is the carriage used by Florence Nightingale during the Crimean war, fondly known as “Florrie’s Lorry”.
If you are venturing out to explore this walk, I would recommend stopping off at the Phoenix Kitchen for some well-earned refreshments!
To view the opening hours and the menu for the Phoenix Kitchen visit: https://claydonestate.co.uk/phoenix-kitchen/
The walk passes through Claydon Estate and passes by the 18th century Claydon Courtyard.
