Staunton Way - Staunton Country Park to Chalton
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
From the country park, the Way brushes the outskirts of Havant before turning northwards up Prospect Lane, a short section of Roman road. The path returns to Rowland’s Castle and past the village green. Here there was a 12th century motte and bailey castle, but all that remains today are two grass covered masses of wall about 10 feet thick.
Continue on under the railway line and cross the Monarch’s Way again before heading back out onto the quiet Downs and briefly into West Sussex. A short walk east on this Way will bring you to the beautiful Stansted Park.
This path skirts round Stansted Forest and drops down to the curious sight of the 12th century church of St Hubert famous for its 14th century wall-paintings. Sitting alone and abandoned in a field, the village and the manor house that it belonged to are long gone. But you can still see the walled kitchen gardens of the manor house. From the bench in the churchyard you can also distinguish the remains of a Roman field system.
A little further on and the route runs parallel to Chalton village. From the village you can cross over to the western side of the Way.