From Folksworth to Folksworth: the 8 September walk

By Tony Attwood

I’m sorry to have to report that we seem to have lost all of our camera people, and indeed come to that, some of our walking members of late who could be relied upon to come on almost every walk.

Maybe with the schools now back in operation, and therefore fewer people rushing onto ferries, planes or under the channel tunnel, our membership has taken it upon themselves to venture forth elsewhere.

But whatever the cause there were still enough of us on 8 September 2022 to get together at Folksworth and do the five miler around and about.

The first thing to note was the difficulty in getting to the starting point what with road closures and the like.

But it was indeed possible to follow the instructions, avoid the shut downs and diversion signs and be at the announced starting point on time.

And to help with an understanding of just where we went we do indeed have a map, below…

And additionally, I can report that Folksworth is worthy of note, not just because of its charming pond, but also because it is listed in the Domesday Book in the Hundred of Normancross.  We are told in the aforementioned tome that there was a single manor at Folksworth which paid a rent of £5 in 1066, reduced to £4 in 1086.  Ah, the perils of deflation.

By Domesday, there were 22 households at Folksworth, and a population of somewhere around 90 or 100 adults.   Around them were 20 acres of meadow and 369 acres of woodland.   There was, in 1086 however, no church at Folksworth.

Washingly was the next port of call.  This too is a Domesday village going then under the name of Wasingelei with 22 households at the time the register was called under the order of the Normans (who liked to see what they had won after the Battle of Hastings).

And by the time of the Domesday reckoning, there was a church here, so it is likely that the good folk of Folksworth, walked the walk we walked on Thursday from one village to the other.  To say I could feel their souls still doing the walk would be an exaggeration, but a fun exaggeration (if you like the thought of the souls of the dead still walking the old ways – or a rather morbid exaggeration and somewhat unnecessary if you don’t.)

In the last census, the population of the two villages was recorded as 881.

The picture to the right shows the Washingley estate in the 1950s, and the fact the picture is in black and white proves that.

Our next port of call was Caldecote Wood at which point there was much excitement over the eating of berries plucked from various trees and bushes.   I can report that by the end of the walk no one had fainted or demanded an ambulance so I am assuming that they were all, as those in the know assured the rest of us, very edible.

Thereafter there was a quick check to the effect that none of the party was in great haste to return to the cars, and this being so a slight diversion was taken to continue our view of the scenery as we headed back from whence we came and the scenery of Folksworth.

I must admit that it is somewhat easier to construct a resume of a walk with a) a contemporary photographer and b) someone willing to write down lots of details, since as you may know, I am not from these parts and thus liable to make things up in order to fill up space.  But all corrections and updates are welcome.

I thoroughly enjoyed the walk, as I think all of us did.  Many thanks to Chris for leading.