Staunton Way - Finchdean to Rowlands Castle
A short history of the Staunton Way
The Staunton Way is a 8.5 to 20.5 mile route from Queen Elizabeth Country Park, near Petersfield on the South Downs to Staunton Country Park near Havant.
You can walk the whole route or one of the six sections, each offering a good day out. There are many interesting buildings and places to visit along the route. The route is well sign posted with the logo of a roe deer on a green arrow.
It's named after Sir George Staunton, an early 19th century Portsmouth MP. He created a country estate, which now forms the Staunton Country Park.
Key
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- Route
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- Temporarily closed
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- Restricted use
Directions
Continuing out of the village, the path climbs steeply south to Wellsworth Lane. This lane was once an ancient green lane. A Roman building and cremation burial site have been found here.
Walk across the golf course and around the edge of the village of Rowland’s Castle. In the 1700s, this delightful village was reputed to have been overrun with highwaymen, smugglers, poachers and thieves. The Castle Inn was said to have been the headquarters of a notorious gang of smugglers.