A Walk on the Ancient Ermyn Way connecting Leatherhead to Stane Street and London

Ermyn Way, from Leatherhead and Ashtead towards London, occupied the better-drained chalky high ground before joining the Stane Street Roman road (Pebble Lane) near Thirty Acres Barn on the route towards Epsom and then London.

The walk, led by Professor David L Hawksworth CBE, John Rowley, and Professor Patricia Wiltshire, will begin near what is now the ExxonMobil Offices, and explain former industries on the site, including the Golbin Teasmade Factory, why this part of Ashtead has a Leatherhead postcode, the history of Milner House and the gory past of a Saxon execution and burial site. Our walk will take us eastwards along what is now a tree-lined bridleway, where part of the southern wooded area is protected and includes badger setts.

Continuing towards Thirty Acres Barn, we will pass the entrance to the Crampshaw Lane bridleway, the old road which formed a route to Ashtead Village - via Rectory Lane which continued as Woodfield Lane and across The Common to Kingston. At the Barn itself, Grey’s Lane, a hedged footpath southern continuation of Gray’s Lane, has hedges whose composition indicates they date from the Bronze Age.

On our return we will walk along the field margins to the southern side of Ermyn Way. The route of Stane Street is visible, and we will explore the biodiversity, including the variety of plants and fungi (especially lichens) along the field margins.

Timings & Tours

Saturday 14 September:

1400

Location & directions

Ermyn Way - opposite entrance to ExxonMobil site. OS Grid Ref: TQ(51)/185.566, Ashtead, Leatherhead, Surrey, KT22 8UX

Directions:

From A24 Leatherhead to Ashtead, turn right at traffic lights onto Ermyn Way and the starting point can be found at the end of this road at the entrance to the Exon Mobile site. Parking is on-street.

Contact on day:

Rod Shaw

Telephone number:

+447835388761

Booking information

Pre-booking requirement:

Pre-booking required

Booking conditions:

Book via the Dorking Halls Box Office.

Booking contact name:

Dorking Halls

Booking telephone number:

+441306881717

Booking email:

[email protected]

Booking opens:

01 Jul 2024 10:00 AM

Booking closes:

11 Sep 2024 04:00 PM

Accessibility details

Stout footwear advisable, especially if wet. Distance approx. 2 miles.

Additional information

Max no of people per tour:

25

Est. tour duration:

2 hour(s) 30 minute(s)

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