Dabbling Duck Shere

DABBLING DUCK SHERE VILLAGE
TRAIL
Easy
1.5 miles
Circular
30 to
60minutes
The Dabbling Duck is a great place to
meet up for breakfast, morning coffee,
lunch or afternoon tea. The welcome is
warm and the food is a treat.
A 1.5 mile circular walk from the Dabbling Duck cafe in
Shere, Surrey. The walking route explores the beautiful
village of Shere giving you an opportunity to appreciate
what makes the village such a sought after residential
location and such an attraction for tourists and visitors.
Along the way you’ll be able to enjoy the many historic
cottages, the river and ford, the pretty shops and ancient
church plus learn more about the history that has
shaped the village.
Getting there
Shere is located between Guildford and Dorking, just
south of the A25. It is easiest to park in the free village
car park. Turn off the A25 into Upper Street and follow
this as it swings left – look out on the left for the small
blue ‘P’ sign which leads you into the village car park.
From the car park, you need to make your way to the
Dabbling Duck cafe to begin your walk. Exit the car park
back to the junction with Upper Street. Turn left along the
pavement for just a few paces, and then cross over with
care to turn right into Middle Street. You’ll find the
Dabbling Duck just a little way along on the right.
061113
Approximate post code GU5 9HF.
Walk Sections
Go
1 Start to Rectory Lane
Access Notes
1. The walk follows mainly well-made stone
and tarmac paths and pavements.
2. One short section by the ford can be a little
softer underfoot but this can be excluded
from the walk if necessary.
3. There are a few gentle climbs and descents.
4. The pavements can be quite narrow in
places (so take care with children and dogs)
and you will need to negotiate two kissing
gate and a few single gates (the kissing
gates can also be excluded if necessary).
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Begin the walk outside the Dabbling Duck cafe.
The cafe building was designed by the architect
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DABBLING DUCK SHERE VILLAGE TRAIL
1
Edwin Lutyens (most famous for designing the Cenotaph in
Whitehall). Lutyens designed a number of the buildings in the
village for the Bray family, who have been Lords of the Manor of
Shere since 1487.
2
Street Ford to The
3 Lower
Spinning Walk
Standing on Middle Street, facing the Dabbling Duck cafe, turn
right heading away from the river (using the right-hand
pavement). You will pass a pair of timber-framed cottages on
the left. As you draw level with the Post Office, cross over to join
the narrow left-hand pavement. Follow this alongside the wall
and you will pass the Drinking Fountain set into it. This was
given to the village by two maiden ladies who hoped to
encourage visitors and residents to drink water rather than beer!
Keep left at the junction into Upper Street. On the right you’ll
pass the Manor House Lodge (another of Lutyens’ contributions
to the village). The village of Shere formed part of the Olympic
Cycling Road Race for London 2012. The men’s course was a
length of 240km and the women’s course was a length of
140km. Both routes passed through Shere and Gomshall before
completing several laps of the nearby Box Hill. The local area is
now more popular than ever with cyclists.
After passing the cream coloured Lime Cottage, then Waitlands
and Knapps Cottage on the left, take the next turning on the left
into Rectory Lane.
1
Lane to Lower Street
2 Rectory
Ford
Keep ahead along Lower Street, following the wall of the village
allotments on the left. Follow Lower Street and take time to
enjoy the range of pretty old cottages and properties.
The cottages in Shere present a mixture of styles from the 15th
to 20th centuries, but the central part of the village is still
fundamentally 16th and 17th century, with many timber-framed
houses. The names of the cottages in Lower Street, such as
Weavers Cottage indicate the increased prosperity during this
period, produced by the woollen industry. Sheep stealing was
rife in the Shere district during the years 1830 to 1840. One of
the gang’s meeting places was the White Horse pub in the
village and it was not uncommon to see a great deal of poached
game on the premises. Eventually the gang was convicted
having been found guilty of housebreaking at a large house in
Wonersh.
One cottage of particular note is the half-timbered flint Old
Prison House which you’ll see on the right. The cottage includes
a jettied upper floor and a barred window on the front. Jettying
is a building technique used in medieval timber-frame buildings
in which an upper floor projects beyond the dimensions of the
floor below. This has the advantage of increasing the available
space in the building without obstructing the street.
Follow Rectory Lane and, just before the properties end, turn
sharp right down a public footpath which is immediately before
the wide white gate for the Old Rectory. (Note: this section can
get a little bit muddy and includes two kissing gates. If you don’t
have suitable footwear or need to avoid the kissing gates,
simply keep ahead down Rectory Lane, cross the ford via the
footbridge and then pick up the instructions in the next section –
Lower Street Ford to Spinning Walk.)
Follow this path with the tall garden wall of the Old Rectory
running on the left and you will emerge out to a crossroads with
a wider tarmac lane. Turn left along this lane and on the right
you’ll pass the black and white Chantry Lane Cottage.
A little distance further you’ll reach a ford where the River
Tillingbourne crosses Chantry Lane. Cross over the ford using
the footbridge and immediately afterwards turn left through
Vicky’s Kissing Gate to join a stone path with the Tillingbourne
running immediately on the left.
Pass through the next kissing gate and follow the stone track
ahead with lines of lime trees each side. The lane is known as
Lime Avenue. Ignore the private footbridge off to the left, simply
keep ahead and then pass through the next gate to reach the
corner of Lower Street, with another ford over to the left.
Keep ahead, ignoring Orchard Road off to the right, and soon
you’ll see the Tillingbourne running once again to the left. You
will emerge to a T-junction with Middle Street. Turn right along
the road and you will pass between the White Horse pub on the
right and the village square on the left. Take some time here to
appreciate the centre of the village.
The White Horse Inn is an attractive black and white timbered
building which, back in 1450, was a house called Cripps. It
became an inn in the late 17th century and from 1866 to 1945 it
was managed by the Askew family and was frequented by
literary and artistic figures.
Shere is considered by film directors to be a beautiful,
quintessentially English country village. Being just about an
hour away from London (where cast and crew are often based),
it is no wonder that Shere has been chosen as a location for a
number of film productions.
The Ruling Class, a 1972 British black comedy film starring
Peter o’Toole and Alastair Sim, features some scenes filmed in
Shere. Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, starring Renee
Zellweger was also partly filmed in Shere. Tonnes of false snow
were sprayed over the church and graveyard meaning the
village experienced an early-winter blizzard for the scene where
Renée Zellweger is a bridesmaid at the re-marriage of her
mother and father.
Most recently, the 2006 romantic comedy film The Holiday was
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DABBLING DUCK SHERE VILLAGE TRAIL
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partly filmed in Shere. The film stars Cameron Diaz and Kate
Winslet as two lovelorn women from opposite sides of the
Atlantic Ocean, who temporarily exchange homes to escape
heartbreak during the holiday season. Filming locations
included The Square, the White Horse, Rookery Nook (opposite
the White Horse) and Collins the Greengrocer (in the Square).
As well as the village streets, the film crew also needed a
property to act as Iris’s (Kate Winslet’s) cottage. In the end the
film company chose an empty field on the hillside overlooking
Shere Church. There, they built the shell for Rosehill Cottage
where all of the exterior scenes at Iris’s house were filmed.
4
5 Church to End
Continue along Middle Street as it begins to climb. You will need
to cross over where necessary to stay on the pavements.
Follow the road as it swings right and then left. Just before you
reach the national speed limit signs, marking the edge of the
village, cross over to turn left into the Spinning Walk.
3
4
The Spinning Walk to Church
When you’re ready to continue, return to the point at the bottom
of Church Hill facing the church. Turn right for just a few yards
and then turn left through a wooden gate onto a public footpath
through the church yard. Keep ahead through the church yard
(with the church to the left) and pass out through the wooden
gate at the far side. Immediately afterwards keep ahead over
the wooden footbridge which crosses the River Tillingbourne.
The stone path continues ahead through an area of grass and if
you look to the left you’ll see the village’s outdoor swimming
pool with its colourful changing room doors. The path leads you
out to a T-junction with Gomshall Lane. Turn left along this.
Running on the left is a beautiful old retaining wall. Follow the
quiet residential lane and you will pass a number of properties
including Shere View House, The Rectory and The Old Surgery.
Just beyond The Old Surgery follow the lane as it swings left to
become Church Hill. You will emerge to a T-junction with the
church directly opposite. Shere Church has lots of interesting
history and it is worth exploring the grounds.
The church spire, built between 1213 and 1300, is an excellent
example of a brooch spire. It was covered with cedar shingles,
but in 2000, these had to be replaced and handmade oak
shakes were used. An intriguing aspect of the church is the tale
of The Anchoress of Shere. In 1329, Christine Carpenter made
a solemn promise to devote her life to God and live in a holy
place. The Bishop of Winchester gave permission for her to be
enclosed in a cell which was built in the north wall of the
chancel. Food and drink was given to her through a grating on
the outside wall and inside the church a quatrefoil allowed her to
receive communion. After three years, she decided to leave her
cell, but in 1332 she was granted her request to be returned to
the cell so she may be enabled to achieve her salvation.
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On the left you’ll pass the infant school and then the impressive
Old Telephone Exchange. On the right you’ll pass Shere Village
Hall and then Shere Museum. The museum is open weekend
and Bank Holiday afternoons. The extensive displays include
objects of daily life - tools, toys, domestic items, wartime and
leisure - mainly from Victorian times to the 1950s and some
surprising finds from earlier periods. The collection covers all
aspects of the history of the parish of Shere, which
encompasses the villages of Shere, Gomshall, Peaslake,
Holmbury St Mary and parts of Abinger.
Soon after the museum, turn left back into Middle Street. A little
way along you’ll come to the Dabbling Duck cafe on the right for
some well-earned refreshments.
DABBLING DUCK SHERE VILLAGE TRAIL
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Disclaimer
This walking route was walked and checked at the time of writing. We have taken care to make sure all our walks are
safe for walkers of a reasonable level of experience and fitness. However, like all outdoor activities, walking carries a
degree of risk and we accept no responsibility for any loss or damage to personal effects, personal accident, injury or
public liability whilst following this walk. We cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies that result from changes to
the routes that occur over time. Please let us know of any changes to the routes so that we can correct the information.
Walking Safety
For your safety and comfort we recommend that you take the following with you on your walk: bottled water, snacks, a
waterproof jacket, waterproof/sturdy boots, a woolly hat and fleece (in winter and cold weather), a fully-charged mobile
phone, a whistle, a compass and an Ordnance Survey map of the area. Check the weather forecast before you leave,
carry appropriate clothing and do not set out in fog or mist as these conditions can seriously affect your ability to
navigate the route. Take particular care on cliff/mountain paths where steep drops can present a particular hazard.
Some routes include sections along roads – take care to avoid any traffic at these points. Around farmland take care
with children and dogs, particularly around machinery and livestock. If you are walking on the coast make sure you
check the tide times before you set out.
DABBLING DUCK SHERE VILLAGE TRAIL
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